packer build -only=virtualbox-iso -force windows_7.json hangs

[basictheprogram]

What to build just the virtualbox-iso for Windows 7

$ packer build -only=virtualbox-iso -force windows_7.json
virtualbox-iso output will be in this color.

Here is the output

==> virtualbox-iso: Downloading or copying Guest additions
    virtualbox-iso: Downloading or copying: file:///Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxGuestAdditions.iso
==> virtualbox-iso: Downloading or copying ISO
    virtualbox-iso: Downloading or copying: http://care.dlservice.microsoft.com/dl/download/evalx/win7/x64/EN/7600.16385.090713-1255_x64fre_enterprise_en-us_EVAL_Eval_Enterprise-GRMCENXEVAL_EN_DVD.iso
==> virtualbox-iso: Deleting previous output directory...
==> virtualbox-iso: Creating floppy disk...
    virtualbox-iso: Copying: ./answer_files/7/Autounattend.xml
    virtualbox-iso: Copying: ./scripts/dis-updates.ps1
    virtualbox-iso: Copying: ./scripts/hotfix-KB3102810.bat
    virtualbox-iso: Copying: ./scripts/microsoft-updates.bat
    virtualbox-iso: Copying: ./scripts/win-updates.ps1
    virtualbox-iso: Copying: ./scripts/openssh.ps1
    virtualbox-iso: Copying: ./scripts/oracle-cert.cer
==> virtualbox-iso: Creating virtual machine...
==> virtualbox-iso: Creating hard drive...
==> virtualbox-iso: Attaching floppy disk...
==> virtualbox-iso: Creating forwarded port mapping for communicator (SSH, WinRM, etc) (host port 3989)
==> virtualbox-iso: Executing custom VBoxManage commands...
    virtualbox-iso: Executing: modifyvm packer-virtualbox-iso-1490294881 --memory 2048
    virtualbox-iso: Executing: modifyvm packer-virtualbox-iso-1490294881 --cpus 2
==> virtualbox-iso: Starting the virtual machine...
    virtualbox-iso: The VM will be run headless, without a GUI. If you want to
    virtualbox-iso: view the screen of the VM, connect via VRDP without a password to
    virtualbox-iso: 127.0.0.1:5924
==> virtualbox-iso: Waiting 2m0s for boot...

4 hours later it's still saying Waiting.

VirtualBox Version 5.1.18 r114002 (Qt5.6.2)
$ packer --version
0.10.1

The VirtualBox console shows:

• Post of the virtual hardsare
• Boot loader
• Windows 7 Language, Time/Currency, Keyboard selection

And just hangs. It's like the Answer file is not correct?

[lmayorga1980]

Did you enable automatic updates?

[lmayorga1980]

Try to enable headless: false so you can check if the Autounattend.xml throws some errors.

[basictheprogram]

Following the docs, I disabled automatic updates. And given the Virtualbox Preview and RDP screen it shows it “stuck” at the Language/Currency/Keyboard screen.

…

On Mar 23, 2017, at 9:27 PM, Luis Mayorga ***@***.***> wrote: Did you enable automatic updates?

-- Bob Tanner <[email protected]> | Phone : 952-943-8700 http://www.real-time.com, Linux, OSX, VMware, Windows | Fax : 952-943-8500 Key fingerprint = 9906 320A 8BB6 64AD 96A7 7785 CBFB 10BF 568B F98C

[lmayorga1980]

I had issues with VBox versions in the past and specially if your host is a Windows OS. I have my setup locked to VBox 5.1.6 but on OSX.

[basictheprogram]

I'm macOS 10.12.3

 grep headless windows_7.json
      "headless": false,
      "headless": false,

And I get a dialog now, same as the VB Preview and RDP console, then Windows 7 Language, Time/Currency, Keyboard, drop downs and it just hangs again.

$ packer build -only=virtualbox-iso -force windows_7.json
virtualbox-iso output will be in this color.

==> virtualbox-iso: Downloading or copying Guest additions
    virtualbox-iso: Downloading or copying: file:///Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxGuestAdditions.iso
==> virtualbox-iso: Downloading or copying ISO
    virtualbox-iso: Downloading or copying: http://care.dlservice.microsoft.com/dl/download/evalx/win7/x64/EN/7600.16385.090713-1255_x64fre_enterprise_en-us_EVAL_Eval_Enterprise-GRMCENXEVAL_EN_DVD.iso
==> virtualbox-iso: Deleting previous output directory...
==> virtualbox-iso: Creating floppy disk...
    virtualbox-iso: Copying: ./answer_files/7/Autounattend.xml
    virtualbox-iso: Copying: ./scripts/dis-updates.ps1
    virtualbox-iso: Copying: ./scripts/hotfix-KB3102810.bat
    virtualbox-iso: Copying: ./scripts/microsoft-updates.bat
    virtualbox-iso: Copying: ./scripts/win-updates.ps1
    virtualbox-iso: Copying: ./scripts/openssh.ps1
    virtualbox-iso: Copying: ./scripts/oracle-cert.cer
==> virtualbox-iso: Creating virtual machine...
==> virtualbox-iso: Creating hard drive...
==> virtualbox-iso: Attaching floppy disk...
==> virtualbox-iso: Creating forwarded port mapping for communicator (SSH, WinRM, etc) (host port 2959)
==> virtualbox-iso: Executing custom VBoxManage commands...
    virtualbox-iso: Executing: modifyvm packer-virtualbox-iso-1490322905 --memory 2048
    virtualbox-iso: Executing: modifyvm packer-virtualbox-iso-1490322905 --cpus 2
==> virtualbox-iso: Starting the virtual machine...
==> virtualbox-iso: Waiting 2m0s for boot...

Do I need to take the base Windows7 image that gets automatically downloaded and install the sshd into this image?

A couple attempts and things got a little further.

==> virtualbox-iso: Waiting 2m0s for boot...
==> virtualbox-iso: Typing the boot command...
==> virtualbox-iso: Waiting for SSH to become available...

[lmayorga1980]

Sounds like Autounattend.xml issue to me.

[robdyke]

@basictheprogram concur re Autounattend.xml. Have you modified the language or input settings at all?

I modified these settings to set language / input and managed to break my build.....

<SetupUILanguage> <UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage> </SetupUILanguage> <InputLocale>en-US</InputLocale> <SystemLocale>en-US</SystemLocale> <UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage> <UILanguageFallback>en-US</UILanguageFallback> <UserLocale>en-US</UserLocale>

[basictheprogram]

Did not change language or input settings. $ packer --version 0.10.1 VirtualBox Version 5.1.18 r114002 (Qt5.6.2)

…

On Mar 28, 2017, at 3:49 PM, Rob Dyke ***@***.***> wrote: @basictheprogram <https://github.com/basictheprogram> concur re Autounattend.xml. Have you modified the language or input settings at all?

-- Bob Tanner <[email protected]> | Phone : 952-943-8700 http://www.real-time.com, Linux, OSX, VMware, Windows | Fax : 952-943-8500 Key fingerprint = 9906 320A 8BB6 64AD 96A7 7785 CBFB 10BF 568B F98C

[rajeshr264]

See issue #224 . windows_7.json only worked when I ran it on a Windows 7 Professional box! I was struggling with the issue you reported for a week on a Mac.
Thought I would try it on a Windows 7 box that was available. Installed packer on it. It just worked!