Windows guest customization fails to join deployed virtual machine to Active Directory domain
searchcancel
Windows guest customization fails to join deployed virtual machine to Active Directory domain
book
Article ID: 310830
calendar_today
Updated On: 10-17-2024
Products
VMware vCenter Server
Issue/Introduction
Symptoms:
When performing guest customization via the vCenter Server, the Windows Guest Operating Systems (Guest OS) fail to join Active Directory. The affected Guest OS-s are as follows, but not limited to:
Windows Server 2008
Windows Server 2008 R2
Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2003 R2
Windows 7
Windows 8/8.1
When deploying a virtual machine from a Windows template and using a guest customization, it fails to join to the Active Directory (AD) domain
Environment
VMware vCenter Server 4.0.x VMware vCenter Server 5.5.x VMware vCenter Server 5.0.x VMware vCenter Server 5.1.x VMware VirtualCenter 2.5.x
Resolution
Guest customization of a Windows Server 2008/Windows 7 operating systems and later uses the sysprep functionality built into the Windows operating system. Using a NETBIOS name when joining a Windows Server 2008/Windows 7 to an AD domain is no longer supported.
If the NETBIOS name of the AD domain is specified in guest customization, the virtual machine does not join the AD domain.
To resolve this issue, use the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the AD domain in guest customization and switch the domain login from down-level style log-on (domain\user) to user principal name (user@FQDN_of_domain.local).
Use the following in the vCenter Guest Customization Wizard:
In Windows 2003/XP operating systems
Username: MYDOMAIN\myusername Domain: MYDOMAIN
For Windows Server 2008/Windows 7 and later operating systems use: