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I got the task to install Windows Server 2008 R2 inside a virtual machine (WMWare Workstation) with Powershell.

It was quite easy to do the installation of Windows inside the virtual machine. Now, I want to detect when the installation is completed because I have to run others tasks after the installation (running Windows Update and installing several applications).

Is there any mechanism in Windows that could allow me to detect the end of the installation? Something like:

  • A log message in Event Viewer
  • A task that I can scheduled to run when the installation is over
  • etc...

Thanks!

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Usually there's a low growling noise and the lights in the room dim and turn a little redder. You may smell brimstone as well. – Bart Silverstrim Jan 6 at 16:39
How do you plan on detecting it if such an event existed? How are you deploying the install in the first place? – MDMarra Jan 6 at 16:42
I'm using the file autoinst.flp (Easy install file in VMWare Workstation). This file is copied inside the folder of the VM. After that, I just start the VM and the installation is started. The installation runs completely without problem but I didn't figure out how to know when it's done. – Francis B. Jan 6 at 16:54
@FrancisB. How are you planning on monitoring the new server for an event that would signal the end of an install? – MDMarra Jan 6 at 16:58
@MDMarra One of the possibility I'm considering (I did't try it yet) is to run the command runScriptInGuest with VMWare vmrun tool to detect the information (information asked in my question). If the installation is still in progress the script would be probably failed so I would run it until It can access the necessary component to read the information. Note: This is not a critical installation. I have been tasked to create a software developer VM with BizTalk installed inside it. All must be done automatically. – Francis B. Jan 6 at 17:12
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up vote 2 down vote accepted

If you are using a standard deployment tool like WDS/MDT, there is a section in the answer file for post-install auto-login automation.

If you're installing by hand, you're just going to have to look and see when the install is done.

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Well. The install is by hand using autoinst.flp file of VMWare Workstation. – Francis B. Jan 6 at 16:57
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