Windows could not apply the unattend answer file's <DiskConfiguration> setting.

[Metaspace2]

I get this when attempting to create a vmware-iso using
packer build -force -only vmware-iso .\vmware-windows-2016-serverstandard-amd64.json.

I attach VMWare to the packer VM "windows2016", where I see a Windows setup window, and a dilaog box displaying the error message from the subject.
Packer itself hangs while "Waiting for WinRM to become available...".

I am running on a Windows 8.1 machine, VMWare 11.1.4.

This is the packer output:
==> vmware-iso: Downloading or copying ISO
vmware-iso: Downloading or copying: http://care.dlservice.microsoft.com/dl/download/1/6/F/16FA20E6-4662-482A-920B-1A45CF5AAE3C/14393.0.160715-1616.RS1_RELEASE_SERVER_EVAL_X64FRE_EN-US.ISO
==> vmware-iso: Creating floppy disk...
vmware-iso: Copying files flatly from floppy_files
vmware-iso: Copying file: ./windows/windows-2016-serverstandard-amd64/autounattend.xml
vmware-iso: Copying file: ./windows/windows-2016-serverstandard-amd64/sysprep-unattend.xml
vmware-iso: Copying file: ./windows/common/variables.ps1
vmware-iso: Copying file: ./windows/common/set-power-config.ps1
vmware-iso: Copying file: ./windows/common/microsoft-updates.ps1
vmware-iso: Copying file: ./windows/common/win-updates.ps1
vmware-iso: Copying file: ./windows/common/run-sysprep.ps1
vmware-iso: Copying file: ./windows/common/run-sysprep.cmd
vmware-iso: Copying file: ./windows/common/enable-winrm.ps1
vmware-iso: Copying file: ./windows/common/enable-winrm.task.ps1
vmware-iso: Copying file: ./windows/common/fixnetwork.ps1
vmware-iso: Copying file: ./windows/common/elevate.exe
vmware-iso: Copying file: ./windows/common/sdelete.exe
vmware-iso: Copying file: ./windows/common/sdelete.ps1
vmware-iso: Copying file: ./windows/common/Set-ClientWSUSSetting.ps1
vmware-iso: Copying file: ./windows/common/Set-ClientWSUSSetting.task.ps1
vmware-iso: Done copying files from floppy_files
vmware-iso: Collecting paths from floppy_dirs
vmware-iso: Resulting paths from floppy_dirs : []
vmware-iso: Done copying paths from floppy_dirs
==> vmware-iso: Creating virtual machine disk
==> vmware-iso: Building and writing VMX file
==> vmware-iso: Starting HTTP server on port 8433
==> vmware-iso: Starting virtual machine...
vmware-iso: The VM will be run headless, without a GUI. If you want to
vmware-iso: view the screen of the VM, connect via VNC with the password "PCiPGfIH" to
vmware-iso: vnc://127.0.0.1:5924
==> vmware-iso: Waiting 5s for boot...
==> vmware-iso: Connecting to VM via VNC
==> vmware-iso: Typing the boot command over VNC...
==> vmware-iso: Waiting for WinRM to become available...

Please find the packer log file attached: Log.zip

I saw that in the windows\windows-2016-serverstandard-amd64\Autounattend.xml file there is a commented-out Non-UEFI ; I tried to use that in place of the commented-in UEFI compatible, but with the same result.

I also tried to use "scsi0.virtualDev": "lsisas1068", instead of "scsi0.virtualDev": "pvscsi" in the json file (fixing this error message for other packer scripts), but no effect. I combined this two measures, no effect.

Help would be appreciated!

[taliesins]

Did you connect to the machine on:
vmware-iso: The VM will be run headless, without a GUI. If you want to
vmware-iso: view the screen of the VM, connect via VNC with the password "PCiPGfIH" to
vmware-iso: vnc://127.0.0.1:5924
(I think you can use Windows RDP to 127.0.0.1:5924)

Or I think you can turn headless mode off when building.

This should make it obvious what the problem is.

[Metaspace2]

I was not able to connect using RDP - but I did turn "headless" off.
Unfortunately, I did not gain any additional information.
I see the VM booting up, then a dark blue screen with white text "Setup is starting", followed by a white setup window; this is followed after about a second by the dialog described above, giving the error message.

I would assume that Microsoft's Windows answer file format has changed since you created the AutoUnattend.xml file. Unfortunately, I have no expertise there whatsoever...

[jdizon]

I also just tried the vmware 2012 R2 build and got this error message.

Windows could not apply the unattend answere file's setting.

[mpoliako]

same problem when I tried to install vmware 2012 R2
Windows could not apply the unattended answers file's setting

[taliesins]

It might be related to the vmware drivers that are placed on installation disk. Try changing them to the latest.

I think a dodgy xml file throws a more useful message.

I had this problem with Windows 10. The only fix that worked for me was a new iso.

[binarywaves]

I have the same problem too.

[elvarb]

What worked for me was to run the update-variables.ps1

[Amdingo]

@elvarb could you detail exactly what you're saying here?

[ch3codescales]

From a techNet article:
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/5cde56ac-dd88-487d-9d9c-f90d77fde781/windows-10-v1809-unattended-diskconfiguration?forum=ConfigMgrCBOSD

if you check the documentation from MS

the order for the wipe is

<DiskConfiguration>

  <Disk wcm:action="add">
    <DiskID>0</DiskID>
    <WillWipeDisk>true</WillWipeDisk>
    <CreatePartitions>

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/customize/desktop/unattend/microsoft-windows-setup-diskconfiguration-disk-willwipedisk

If you move the DiskID and Wipe settings to the top,it will work.

[jdchaiken]

I am having the same problem. I think the issue may be that the pvscsi driver is not installed at the point when autounattend.xml is read.

The error that shows up in the x:\windows\panther\setuperr.log is
Failed to query disk [0] status. Error code is [0x80042405][gle=0x000036b7]

Further, when I load diskpart on that system, LIST DISK shows "There are no fixed disks to show."

It appears for me at least, that changing the PnPCustomizationsWinPE section to use the a:\ drive fixed the issue for me.

I'm using vsphere-iso to connect directly to my vCenter, so this may be a little different from the expereince of others.

[Paradoxis]

For anyone running into this issue with QEMU + Packer: I was using disk_interface = "virtio" in my packer config, resulting in no drivers being loaded, hence Windows was unable to identify the disk on load. Changing it to ide fixed it.