When deploying a virtual machine template in VirtualCenter using a Customization Specification, the deplyment may reach 95% and then fail with the "Customization Failed" error message.

The VirtualCenter log shows the following:

[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.SSS 'App' 4684 info] Sysprep options: -quiet -mini -reseal -reboot -nosidgen
[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.SSS 'App' 4684 info] Successfully created file
[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.SSS 'App' 4684 info] Successfully created directory \imc-8
[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.SSS 'App' 4684 info] Create sysprep file package. Params:
[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.SSS 'App' 4684 info] file =
[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.SSS 'App' 4684 info] binary dir = C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\VirtualCenter Server\
[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.SSS 'App' 4684 info] options = -quiet -mini -reseal -reboot -nosidgen
[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.SSS 'App' 4684 info] config = \imc-8
[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.SSS 'App' 4684 info] sysprep = C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\xp
[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.SSS 'App' 4684 info] tools =
[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.SSS 'App' 4684 info] native =
[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.SSS 'App' 4684 info] nativeArgs =
[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.SSS 'App' 4684 error] Caught CppUtils exception: ERR: FileIO=0
[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.SSS 'App' 4684 info] Successfully deleted file/directory \imc-8
[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.SSS 'App' 4684 error] Error occured while creating deploy package. Msg: ERR: FileIO=0
[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.SSS 'App' 4684 error] Error occured while deleting temporary directory .
[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.SSS 'App' 4684 error] [clone] (TEMPLATE) Unexpected exception (vim.fault.CustomizationFault) during clone. Aborting.
[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.SSS 'App' 4684 info] [VpxdVmprovXaction] Starting journal rollback
[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.SSS 'App' 4684 info] [VpxdVmprovXaction] Undo GenericTask... Host: host-38 ,Task: task-1655
[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.SSS 'Locale' 4588 warning] FormatField: Optional unset (vim.event.VmUuidAssignedEvent.vm)
[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.SSS 'App' 4684 info] [VpxdVmprovXAction] Undo RegisterVm...Host: host-38 ,VM: vm-1187 ,cfgPath: sanfs://vmfs_uuid:498927b3-0b842918-441c-001517936f10/vm/vm.vmx

The temporary directory set in the System environmental variables does not exist.

- Select Control Panel | System
- Select the Advanced tab
- Click Environmental Variables
- Under System Variables scroll down to TEMP and TMP
- Ensure this directory exists, or change to an existing directory
- Restart the VirtualCenter Server service if changing the environment variable.