Fixing “Windows cannot find the Microsoft Software License Terms. Make sure the installation sources are valid and restart the installation” Or “Windows installation encountered an unexpected error. Verify the installation sources are accessible, and restart the installation. Error code: 0xE0000100”

Posted on September 5, 2014 by workinghardinit

When trying to install a Windows 2012 (R2) or Windows 8(8.1) VM you can encounter the following error:

"Windows cannot find the Microsoft Software License Terms. Make sure the installation sources are valid and restart the installation."

Right after selecting the operating system.

or perhaps even this error

"Windows installation encountered an unexpected error. Verify the installation sources are accessible, and restart the installation.

Error code: 0xE0000100"

The main reason for this on Hyper-V is that you have been to conservative on memory allocation and it could pass some checks. You can hit these errors when you did not assign enough memory to the virtual machine or accepted the default. The default is 512MB and I’ve noticed that on Windows Server 2012 (R2) Hyper-V this can be to little.

So the fix is a easy as upping the assigned amount of memory. I went for 1024MB

Now start the VM again, hit any key to boot form the virtual DVD to start the setup. After selecting the OS version to install you’re now greeted by the screen to accept the license terms instead of a warning.

So click next and install your VM.

Manually Merging Hyper-V Checkpoints

Posted on August 29, 2014 by workinghardinit

A Last-ditch Effort

First of all you need to realize this might not work. It’s a last-ditch effort. There is a reason why you have backups (with tested restores) and why you should monitor your environment for things that are not as they should be. Early intervention can pay off.

Also, see blog post on a couple of more preferred actions.

If you have lost checkpoints, you have basically lost data and corruption/data inconsistencies are very much a possibility and reality. If the files have been copied and information about what file is the parent the dates/timestamps are what you have to go by. You might not know for sure if you have them all.

Setting up the demo

For demo purposes, we take a test VM and ad files to indicate what checkpoint we’re at.

We start with ORGINAL.TXT on the desktop and we create a checkpoint, which we rename accordingly.

We add a file called CHECK01.TXT and we create a checkpoint, which we rename accordingly.

We add a file called CHECK02.TXT and we create a checkpoint, which we rename accordingly.

We add a file called NOW.TXT no more checkpoints are taken.

The file names represent the content you’d see disappear if you applied the checkpoint and we have reflected this in the name for the checkpoints.

As we want to merge all the snapshots and end up with a usable VHDX we’ll work back from the most recent differencing disk until all is merged. As you can see this is a straightforward situation and I hope you’ll never be running having to deal with a vast collection of subtrees.

Finding out what are the parents of avhdx files

In this demo, it’s pretty obvious what snapshots exist and what avhdx files they represent. We’ve even shown you the single tree visualized in Hyper-V Manager. In reality, bad things have happened and you don’t see this information anymore. So you might have to find out yourself. This is done via inspect disk in Hyper-V manager. If you’re confused about what the parent is of (a)vhdx files this tool will help you find out or show you what the most recent one was.

Sometimes the original files have been renamed or moved and that it will show you the last known valid parent.

Manually Merging the checkpoints

Remember to make a copy of all files as a backup! Also, make sure you have enough free disk space … you need working space! You might need another shot at this. As we want to merge all the snapshots and end up with a usable vhdx we’ll work back from the most recent differencing disk until all is merged in the oldest one which is the vhdx. You can look at the last modified timestamps to find out the correct order in which to work. The most recent avhdx is the one used in the virtual machine configuration file and locate the information for the virtual hard disk.

The configuration file’s avhdx is the one containing the “NOW” running state of the VM.

Note: You might find some information that you need to rename the extension avhdx to vhdx (or avhd to vhd). The reason for this was that in Windows 2008 Hyper-V Manager did not show avhd files in the Edit virtual disk wizard. You can still do this and it will still works, but you do not need to. Ever since Windows Server 2008 R2 avhd (and with since Windows Server 2012 avhdx) files do show up in Hyper-V Managers Disk edit.

For some insights as to why the order is important read this blog by Ben Armstrong What happens when a snapshot is being merged? [Hyper-V]

WARNING: If you did not start with the most recent one and work your way down, which is the easiest and least confusing way all is not lost. But you will have to reconnect the first more recent (a)vhdx to one to its new parent. This is needed as by merging a snapshot out of order more recent one will have lost it’s will have lost its original parent.

Here’s how to do this: Select reconnect. This is the page you’ll get if you’d start edit disk wizard as all other options are unavailable due to the missing parent.

The wizard will tell you what used to be the parent and allow you to select a new one. Make sure to tick the check box for Ignore ID mismatch or the reconnect will fail as you’re previous out of order merge has created a new a(vhdx). If your in this pickle by renaming (a)vhdx files or after a copy this isn’t needed by the way.

Follow the wizard after that and when your done you can launch the edit disk wizard again and perform a merge. It’s paramount that you do not mix up orders when doing so that you reconnect to the parent this or you’ll end up in a right mess. There are many permutations, keep it simple!. Do it in order. If you start having multiple checkpoint trees/subtrees things can get confusing very fast.

You might also have to reconnect if the checkpoints have lost their connection the what they know to be their last parent for other reasons. In that case, you do this and when that’s done, you merge. Rinse and repeat. The below walk-through assumes you have no reconnects to be done. If so it will tell you like in the example above.

Walk through:

Open the Edit Disk Wizard

Select the most recent avhdx & click “Next”

We choose to merge the avhdx

In our case into its parent disk

Verify the options are correct and click “Finish”

Let the wizard complete

That’s it. You’ve merged the most recent snapshot into it’s parent. That means that you have not lost the most recent state of the virtual machine as when it was running before you shut it down. This can be verified by mounting the now most recent avhdx and looking at the desktop for my user profile. You can see the NOW.txt text file is there!

OK, dismount the avhdx and now it’s rinse and repeat.

You do this over and over again until your merge the last avhdx into the vhdx.

Than you have the vhdx you will use to create a new virtual machine.

Make sure you get the generation right.

Assign memory

Connect to the appropriate virtual switch or not if you’re not ready to do this yet

Use your vhdx disk that’s the remaining result of your merging efforts

When you boot that virtual machine you’ll see that all the text files are there. It’s as if you’ve deleted the checkpoints in the GUI and retained “NOW” in the vhdx.

Last but not least, you can use PowerShell or even DiskPart for this but I found that most people in this pickle value a GUI. Use what you feel most comfortable with.

Thanks for reading and hope this helps someone. Do remember “big boy” rules apply. This is not safe, easy or obvious in each and every situation so you are responsible for everything you do in your environment. If your in to deep, way over your head, etc. call in some expert help.

3 Ways To Deal With Lingering Hyper-V Checkpoints Formerly Known as Snapshots

Posted on August 25, 2014 by workinghardinit

Lingering or phantom Hyper-V checkpoints or snapshots

Once in a while the merging of checkpoints, previously known as snapshots, in Hyper-V goes south. An example of this is when checkpoints are not cleaned up and the most recent avhdx or multiple of these remains in use as active virtual disk/still even as you don’t see them anymore as existing in the Hyper-V Manager UI for example. When that happens you can try looking at the situation via PowerShell to see if that show the same situation. Whatever the cause, once in while I come across virtual machines that have one or more avhdx (or avdh) active that aren’t supposed to be there anymore. In that case you have to do some manual housekeeping.

Now please, do not that in Windows Server 2012(R2) Hyper-V replica is using checkpoints and since Windows Server 2012 R2 backups also rely on this. Just because you see a snapshot you didn’t create intentionally, don’t automatically think they’re all phantoms. They might exits temporarily for good reason Winking smile . We’re talking about dealing with real lingering checkpoints.

Housekeeping

Housekeeping comes in a couple of variants form simply dusting of to industrial cleaning. Beware of the fact that the latter should never be a considered a routine operation. It’s not a normal situation. It’s a last ditch resort and perhaps you want to call support to make sure that you didn’t miss anything else.

Basically you have tree options. In order of the easiest & safest to do first these are:

Create a new checkpoint and delete it. Often that process will take care of merging the other (older) lingering avhd/avhdx files as well. This is the easiest way to deal with it and it’s as safe as it gets. Hyper-V cleans up for you, you just had to give it a kick start so to speak.
Shut down the VM and create a new checkpoint. Export that newly created checkpoint. Yes you can do that. This will create a nicely exported virtual machine that only has the relevant vhd/vhdx files and no more checkpoints (avhd/avhdx). Do note that this vhd/vhdx is dynamically expanding one. If that is not to your liking you’ll need to convert it to fixed. But other than that you can dump the old VM (don’t delete everything yet) and replace it by importing the one you just exported. For added security you could first copy the files for save guarding before you attempt this.
Do manual mergers. This is a more risky process & prone to mistakes. So please do this only on a copy of the files. That way you’ll give Microsoft Support Services a fighting change if things don’t work out or you make a mistake. Also note that in this case you get one or more final VHDX files which you’ll use to create a new virtual machine with to boot from. It’s very hands on.

So that’s the preferred order of things to try/do in regards to safety. The 3rd option, is the last resort. Don’t do it before you’ve tried options 1 and 2. And as said above, if you do need to go for option 3, do it on copies.If you’re unsure on how to proceed with any of this, get an expert involved.

There’s actually another option which is very save but not native to Hyper-V. In the running virtual machine which current state you want to preserve do a V2V using Disk2vhd v2.01. Easy and sort of idiot proof if such a thing exists.

In a next blog post I’ll walk you through the procedure for the 3rd option. So if this is your last resort you can have practiced it before you have to use it in anger. Bit please, if needed, and do make sure it’s really needed as discussed above, try 1 first. If that doesn’t do it. Then try option 2. If that also fails try option 3. Do not that for option 2 and 3 you will have to create a new virtual machine with the resulting VHDX, having the required settings documented will help in this case.

Defragmenting your CSV Windows 2012 R2 Style with Raxco Perfect Disk 13 SP2

Posted on August 12, 2014 by workinghardinit

When it comes to defragmenting CSV it seemed we took a step back when it comes to support from 3rd party vendors. While Windows provides for a great toolset to defragment a CSV it seemed to have disappeared form 3r party vendor software. Even from the really good Raxco Perfect disk. They did have support for this with Windows 2008 R2 and I even mentioned that in a blog.

If you need information on how to defragment a CSV in Windows 2012 R2, look no further.There is an absolutely fantastic blog post on the subject How to Run ChkDsk and Defrag on Cluster Shared Volumes in Windows Server 2012 R2, by Subhasish Bhattacharya one of the program managers in the Clustering and High Availability product group. He’s a great guy to talk shop to by the way if you ever get the opportunity to do so. One bizarre thing is that this must be the only place where PowerShell (Repair-ClusterSharedVolume cmdlet) is depreciated in lieu of chkdsk.

3rd party wise the release of Raxco Perfect Disk 13 SP2 brought back support for defragmenting CSV.

I don’t know why it took them so long but the support is here now. It looks like they struggled to get the CSVFS (the way CSV are now done since Windows Server 2012) supported. Whilst add it, they threw in support for ReFS by the way. This is the first time I’ve ever seen this. Any way it’s here and that’s good because I have a hard time accepting that any product (whatever it does) supports Hyper-V if it can’t handle CSV, not if you want to be taken seriously anyway. No CSV support equals = do not buy list in my book.

Here’s a screenshot of Perfect disk defragmenting away. One of the CSV LUNs in my lab is a SSD and the other a HDD.

Notice that in Global Settings you can tweak the behavior when defragmenting optimization of various drive types, including CSVFS but you just have to leave the default on unless you like manual labor or love PowerShell that much you can’t forgo any opportunity to use it Winking smile

Perfect disk cannot detect what kind of disks you have behind the CSV LUN so you might want to change the optimization method if you’re running SSD instead of HHD.

I’d love for Raxco to comment on this or point to some guidance.

What would also be beneficial to a lot of customers is guidance on defragmentation on the different auto-tiering storage arrays. That would make for a fine discussion I think.

Working Hard In IT

My view on IT from the trenches

Category Archives: Windows Server 2012