Sysprep Fatal Error
- I was doing a virtual image of a server to use as backup and when I syspreped it I got this error message on boot up "the text of the software licence agreement for windows has been tampered with".
Is there a way to resolve this? Since this is a vm (using vmware) I'm able to map the C:\ drive to anothe server, can I replace the licence agreement with the proper one? It takes for ever to image this server and I would like to avoid re-imaging it if possible.
Thanks.- Changed TypeTim Quan - MSFTMSFT, ModeratorThursday, May 14, 2009 4:01 AMdiscussion
- Changed TypeTim Quan - MSFTMSFT, ModeratorFriday, May 29, 2009 1:31 AMquestion
Answers
- Hello Martin,
After looking at the log files, we determined that the eula.txt was missing from the \windows\system32 folder.
Martin replaced the eula.txt in \windows\system32 folder and sysprep worked as expected.
Thanks, Darrell Gorter[MSFT] This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights- Marked As Answer byTim Quan - MSFTMSFT, ModeratorFriday, May 29, 2009 1:31 AM
All Replies
Hi,
What system are you sysprepping? Is it Windows 2000 Server, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008 or Windows Small Business Server?
Does any error appear when sysprepping the system? Please let me know the exact wording or the error message.
Please also let me know the exact wording of the error message after sysprep is finished and the computer restarts.
If it is possible, I suggest testing this issue on a physical computer instead of a virtual machine.
Tim Quan - MSFT
- Unmarked As Answer byTim Quan - MSFTMSFT, ModeratorThursday, May 14, 2009 4:01 AM
- Marked As Answer byTim Quan - MSFTMSFT, ModeratorThursday, May 14, 2009 4:01 AM
- Hello Luc,
Are you using a unattended file when running Sysprep? If so what is in that file?
Also try to locate the error message in the setupact.log file.
It would be good to see 10-20 lines prior to the error in the log as well as 5 or so lines after the error occurs in the log.
Thanks, Darrell Gorter[MSFT] This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights It is a Windows 2003 server with SP2.
The sysprep runs fine (no errors) and then when it reboots it does not want to start the windows setup, it makes it all the way to "Welcome to the Windows Setup Wizard" then I click next.
Then I get a box:
"Fatal Error
An error has been encontered that prevents setup from continuing.
The text of the software Licence Agreement for Windows has been tampered with.
Press OK to view the Setup log file."
Then I press OK and I get another box
"System Setup Log - (C:\WINDOWS\setuperr.log)
Fatal Error:
The text of the software Licence Agreement for Windows has been tampered with.
***"
This is a copy of a live server that I want to run as a VM offiste for backup purposes. So I don't want to test this on the live server.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for your time.- Hello Luc,
I need more information from the setupact.log. There isn't enough information in the above message to help identify what the issue could be.
Thanks, Darrell Gorter[MSFT] This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights This is the exact content of the setuperr.log
"Fatal Error:
The text of the Software License Agreement for Windows has been tampered with.***
Fatal Error:
The text of the Software License Agreement for Windows has been tampered with.***
Fatal Error:
The text of the Software License Agreement for Windows has been tampered with.***
Fatal Error:
The text of the Software License Agreement for Windows has been tampered with.***
Fatal Error:
The text of the Software License Agreement for Windows has been tampered with.***
Fatal Error:
The text of the Software License Agreement for Windows has been tampered with.***
Fatal Error:
The text of the Software License Agreement for Windows has been tampered with.***
Fatal Error:
The text of the Software License Agreement for Windows has been tampered with.***
"
Not many details...- Hello Luc,
I am asking for the details from the setupact.log.
I am not asking what is in the setuperr.log.
The setupact.log has more details about what is happening. Setuperr only reports the error messages from the setupact.log. Understanding what is happening just prior and just after the error helps understand why it's happening.
Thanks, Darrell Gorter[MSFT] This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights Sorry about that, I had a that file in mind and didn't read your post properly.
Can I send you the file via E-mail? It is to big to post here.
Thank you for your time.- Hello Luc,
sure darrellg@online.microsoft.com however you need to take out the online portion from the string.
I may not get to it until next week, I am takng a few days off and may not have email access.
Thanks, Darrell Gorter[MSFT] This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights - Hello Martin,
After looking at the log files, we determined that the eula.txt was missing from the \windows\system32 folder.
Martin replaced the eula.txt in \windows\system32 folder and sysprep worked as expected.
Thanks, Darrell Gorter[MSFT] This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights- Marked As Answer byTim Quan - MSFTMSFT, ModeratorFriday, May 29, 2009 1:31 AM
- Darrell,
Though I understand your reply about placing the EULA.txt back in the system32 folder, why does this happen?
I need to make a Windows 2003 R2 Virtual Machine, configure it with our app, run sysprep, then export the VM and give it to our customers. Is there a certain process I should be using for sysprep to avoid the EULA issue? We need to use sysprep so the customer enters their own computer name, license key, timezone, etc...
Can you give us some insight into what the proper way to do this is?
Oddly, my lab tech says we get the same behavior when we use Hyper-V!
Patrick - Hello pjcarter12,
This was the only instance of this I have seen. The log file pointed me in the correct direction.
I do not know why the file was not present, there were no indications as to why it was not there, only indications that it was missing.
The file is included in the OS and should be present.
Thanks, Darrell Gorter This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights - Darrell,
It is most definitely a real issue. I brought up the issue tp VMware and they said it was a Microsoft problem. Are you saying that sysprep does not work within VMware ESX 3.5 and VMware vCenter 2.5?
I cetrainly understand that the file is "in the OS and should be present" - my point is that it is not, making deploying our applications on Windows 2003 R@ operating systems impossible
Patrick - Sysprep works fine on virtual machines running ESX 3.5 any update, as well as hosts managed by Virtual Center 2.5
