Unattend.xml not used for WS2009 with Packer & VirtualBox

[hc-github-team-packer]

This issue was originally opened by @jvuibert in https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/issues/11879 and has been migrated to this repository. The original issue description is below.

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Overview of the Issue

Packer launchs the virtual machine (WS2009 Std) creation, mounts the floppy disk. But the Windows Server 2019 Std installation stays on waiting user actions (language selection and so on) because the unattend.xml file is not used.

Reproduction Steps

1. Create an autounattend.xml file from the WS20019 EVAL ISO file, using the Windows SIM tool
2. Use packer + virtualbox to generate OVA file from ISO + answer file
3. Validate packer file, then build the all

Note by opening the VFD file created by Parker, I see the content of the unattend.xml

Packer version

1.8.0

Simplified Packer Template

Packer template https://github.com/jvuibert/packer-ws2019/blob/main/mywindows2019.pkr.hcl Answer file https://github.com/jvuibert/packer-ws2019/blob/main/scripts/Autounattend.xml

Operating system and Environment details

Host : Windows 10 (for Packer and Windows SIMP tool to generate the unattend.xml) VirtualBox : 6.1.34 r150636 ISO Windows Server 2019 : 17763.737.190906-2324.rs5_release_svc_refresh_SERVER_EVAL_x64FRE_en-us_1.iso

[jvuibert]

I will ask to close this issue. The problem comes from the Windows Server EVAL ISO which does not seem to support other languages than en-US (fr-FR in my Autounattend.xml ).

[nywilken]

Hi @jvuibert thank you for following up with the issue and updating it with your findings. I will close the issue as requested.

For the future you may want to try the Packer community forum for these types of configuration issues, as the GitHub issue tracker is only watched by a small subset of maintainers. You might have a better chance of finding someone who can help you sooner in the forum. Happy Building.