Trying to deploy Windows 8.1 via MDT 2013 to VMware workstation virtual machine. Deploying to physical boxes is fine but when trying to deploy to VMware ESXi virtual machine or VMware workstation virtual machine I get an error: "Windows could not parse or process unattend file [C:\Windows\Panther\unattend.xml] for pass [specialize]. The answer file is invalid.
I mounted the virtual VMDK and looked at the "setupact" and/or "setuperr" in the "Panther" directory and here is what it states:
SETUPERR:
2014-04-29 08:20:04, Error CSI 00000001 (F) 80220005 [Error,Facility=FACILITY_STATE_MANAGEMENT,Code=5] #100# from CWcmScalarInstanceCore::PutCurrentValue(options = 0, value = { type: 8204
(0x0000200c), bytes ( 116 (0x00000074) ): 500043005f0056004d0077006100720065002d00350036002000340064002000300065002000660061002000300037002000360037002000340030002000330066002d00650066002000310033002000350037002000650032002000390032002000300030002000360038002000620062000000
})
[gle=0x80004005]
2014-04-29 08:20:04, Error [setup.exe] SMI data results dump: Source = Name: Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup, Language: neutral, ProcessorArchitecture: amd64, PublicKeyToken: 31bf3856ad364e35,
VersionScope: nonSxS, /settings/ComputerName
2014-04-29 08:20:04, Error [setup.exe] SMI data results dump: Description = Value is invalid.
2014-04-29 08:20:04, Error [0x060432] IBS The provided unattend file is not valid; hrResult = 0x80220005
2014-04-29 08:20:04, Error [0x060565] IBS Callback_Unattend_InitEngine:The provided unattend file [C:\windows\Panther\unattend.xml] is not a valid unattended Setup answer file; hr = 0x1, hrSearched = 0x1, hrDeserialized = 0x0,
hrImplicitCtx = 0x0, hrValidated = 0x1, hrResult = 0x80220005
2014-04-29 08:20:04, Error [0x0600c2] IBS Callback_Unattend_InitEngine:An error occurred while finding/loading the unattend file; hr = 0x1, hrResult = 0x80220005[gle=0x00000490]
SETUPACT:
2014-04-29 08:20:02, Info [setup.exe] UnattendSearchExplicitPath: Found unattend file at [C:\windows\Panther\unattend.xml]; examining for applicability.
2014-04-29 08:20:02, Info [setup.exe] UnattendSearchExplicitPath: Found usable unattend file for pass [specialize] at [C:\windows\Panther\unattend.xml].
2014-04-29 08:20:03, Info IBS Callback_Unattend_InitEngine:Using unattend file found at [C:\windows\Panther\unattend.xml].
2014-04-29 08:20:03, Info [setup.exe] ValidateSMIPass: serialized settings stream; status 0x00000000
2014-04-29 08:20:04, Info [setup.exe] ValidateSMIPass: construct settings context; status 0x00000000
2014-04-29 08:20:04, Error CSI 00000001 (F) 80220005 [Error,Facility=FACILITY_STATE_MANAGEMENT,Code=5] #100# from CWcmScalarInstanceCore::PutCurrentValue(options = 0, value = { type: 8204
(0x0000200c), bytes ( 116 (0x00000074) ): 500043005f0056004d0077006100720065002d00350036002000340064002000300065002000660061002000300037002000360037002000340030002000330066002d00650066002000310033002000350037002000650032002000390032002000300030002000360038002000620062000000
})
[gle=0x80004005]
2014-04-29 08:20:04, Error [setup.exe] SMI data results dump: Source = Name: Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup, Language: neutral, ProcessorArchitecture: amd64, PublicKeyToken: 31bf3856ad364e35,
VersionScope: nonSxS, /settings/ComputerName
2014-04-29 08:20:04, Error [setup.exe] SMI data results dump: Description = Value is invalid.
2014-04-29 08:20:04, Info [setup.exe] ValidateSMIPass: load SMI settings; status 0x00000001
2014-04-29 08:20:04, Error [0x060432] IBS The provided unattend file is not valid; hrResult = 0x80220005
2014-04-29 08:20:04, Error [0x060565] IBS Callback_Unattend_InitEngine:The provided unattend file [C:\windows\Panther\unattend.xml] is not a valid unattended Setup answer file; hr = 0x1, hrSearched = 0x1, hrDeserialized = 0x0,
hrImplicitCtx = 0x0, hrValidated = 0x1, hrResult = 0x80220005
2014-04-29 08:20:04, Info IBS UnattendErrorFromResults: Hit an unattend error; dumping any info we have about the failure...
2014-04-29 08:20:04, Info IBS UnattendDumpSetting: ------Unattend setting error / warning------
2014-04-29 08:20:04, Info IBS UnattendDumpSetting: Error code = 0x80220005
2014-04-29 08:20:04, Info IBS UnattendDumpSetting: Pass = specialize
2014-04-29 08:20:04, Info IBS UnattendDumpSetting: --------------------------------------------
2014-04-29 08:20:04, Info IBS UnattendErrorFromResults: Error text = Windows could not parse or process unattend answer file [C:\windows\Panther\unattend.xml] for pass [specialize].
The answer file is invalid.
2014-04-29 08:20:04, Error [0x0600c2] IBS Callback_Unattend_InitEngine:An error occurred while finding/loading the unattend file; hr = 0x1, hrResult = 0x80220005[gle=0x00000490]
2014-04-29 08:20:04, Info IBSLIB PublishCriticalError: Publishing blocked message [Windows could not parse or process unattend answer file [C:\windows\Panther\unattend.xml] for pass [specialize].
The answer file is invalid.]
2014-04-29 08:20:04, Info This installation is blocked from completing due to compliance failures or invalid input; this is not an internal error
Anyone seen this before with regard to Windows 8.1? I removed the "Internet Explorer" and "Product key" lines from the "unattend.xml" and still get an error.