Ubuntu VM Waiting for IP

[horseinthesky]

Hello.
Trying to use packer for the first time for deploying Ubuntu VM on my vSphere host.

Got stuck with:

./packer build test.json
vsphere-iso output will be in this color.

==> vsphere-iso: Creating VM...
==> vsphere-iso: Customizing hardware...
==> vsphere-iso: Mount ISO images...
==> vsphere-iso: Creating floppy disk...
    vsphere-iso: Copying files flatly from floppy_files
    vsphere-iso: Copying file: /home/horseinthesky/.packer.d/preseed.cfg
    vsphere-iso: Done copying files from floppy_files
    vsphere-iso: Collecting paths from floppy_dirs
    vsphere-iso: Resulting paths from floppy_dirs : []
    vsphere-iso: Done copying paths from floppy_dirs
==> vsphere-iso: Uploading created floppy image
==> vsphere-iso: Adding generated Floppy...
==> vsphere-iso: Set boot order temporary...
==> vsphere-iso: Power on VM...
==> vsphere-iso: Waiting 10s for boot...
==> vsphere-iso: Typing boot command...
==> vsphere-iso: Waiting for IP...

This is my template:

{
  "builders": [
    {
      "type": "vsphere-iso",
      "vcenter_server": "192.168.0.6",
      "username": "administrator",
      "password": "<supersecretpass>",
      "insecure_connection": "true",
      "vm_name": "example-ubuntu",
      "datacenter": "HomeLab",
      "host": "192.168.0.5",
      "datastore": "860EVO1",
      "network_card": "vmxnet3",
      "network": "Management Network",
      "guest_os_type": "ubuntu64Guest",
      "ssh_username": "horseinthesky",
      "ssh_password": "<supersecretpass>",
      "CPUs": 4,
      "cpu_cores": 2,
      "RAM": 8192,
      "RAM_reserve_all": true,
      "convert_to_template": false,
      "disk_size": 32768,
      "iso_paths": [
        "[WD Red] ISO/ubuntu-18.04.3-server-amd64.iso"
      ],
      "floppy_files": [
        "{{template_dir}}/preseed.cfg"
      ],
      "boot_command": [
        "<enter><wait><f6><wait><esc><wait>",
        "<bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs>",
        "<bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs>",
        "<bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs>",
        "<bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs>",
        "<bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs>",
        "<bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs>",
        "<bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs>",
        "<bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs>",
        "<bs><bs><bs>",
        "/install/vmlinuz",
        " initrd=/install/initrd.gz",
        " priority=critical",
        " locale=en_US",
        " file=/media/preseed.cfg",
        "<enter>"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "provisioners": [
    {
      "type": "shell",
      "inline": [
        "ls /"
      ]
    }
  ]
}

preseed.cfg is located in the same directory I execute packer.

What do I do wrong?

[jimb0bmij]

During your build you need to add at the end of your preseed.cfg "d-i preseed/late_command string apt-install open-vmtools". Also depending on the version of vsphere-iso BIN you are using it will wait FOREVER (version 2.3 does). They need to build a new version of their bin that someone branched and tweaked code to expire after 30mins waiting for IP.

[dnapier]

I'm running into the same issue, and it appears in my case the preseed.cfg is not being used.

The console is showing as below:

[dnapier]

According to #176, the floppy driver was removed from the Ubuntu kernel, which likely explains my problem.

[jf-prevost]

During your build you need to add at the end of your preseed.cfg "d-i preseed/late_command string apt-install open-vmtools".

In fact the right package (at least for FocalFossa - 20.04) is open-vm-tools (dash between vm and tools).

[CollinLeishman]

According to #176, the floppy driver was removed from the Ubuntu kernel, which likely explains my problem.

Hello, what did you do to work around since ubuntu won't read floppies?

[dnapier]

I ended up building the image locally using the VMware ISO builder and then pushing it to my vSphere servers with the vSphere post-processor.

[VladRassokhin]

JFYI: Latest packer supports cd_files and may compose temporarily cdrom same way as floppy

[gyalowitzdtlr]

You can still feed it in as a floppy

[mikeschinkel]

@dnapier — Would love to see your Packer JSON or HCL — with sensitive info redacted, of course — if you still have access to those files and are willing to share?

[dnapier]

@mikeschinkel Sorry, I just looked for them and I apparently don't have it anymore. :/

[mikeschinkel]

@dnapier — Well, at least thanks for looking.

[dmpopoff]

JFYI: Latest packer supports cd_files and may compose temporarily cdrom same way as floppy

cd_files