Debian 12 instalation halts with the message that no network mirror was selected, and then fails if manually advanced.

[celsomiranda]

Code of Conduct

• I have read and agree to the project's Code of Conduct.

Project Version

latest

VMware vSphere

7.0.3

HashiCorp Packer

1.10.3

HashiCorp Packer Plugin for VMware vSphere

1.2.7

Guest Operating System

Debian 12

Environment Details

No response

Description

The installation starts, the preseed file is loaded, and then at the package selection screen the instalation fails because no network mirror is selected.

PS: I get into TTY2 and I can reach the defined mirror just fine from the instalation environment.

Expected Behavior

It should create a Debian 12 image.

Actual Behavior

It just fails to install it.

Steps to Reproduce

Just installing after defining variables. Replicates with DHCP or static IP...

Log Fragments and Files

No response

Screenshots

No response

Additional Context

No response

[tenthirtyam]

Are you using the http or disk data source?

There will always be a failure on the disk method until the CD is forced to mount which is a workaround for Debian. You simply need to wait for the next commands to be run by Packer.

[celsomiranda]

I'm using the http data source. I was recording the process and I manage to figure out that the problem is further back.
The network configuration fails. It doesn't matter if I'm using DHCP or Static IP.

I get network connection inside the environment but the installer fails and selects "Do not configure network"

The static IP I defined was 10.80.0.150 - So It's not getting applied...

[tenthirtyam]

I'm unable to reproduce this issue with DHCP or static.

CONFIRM: Build a Debian 12 Template for VMware vSphere?

Continue? (y/n)
y
Building a Debian 12 Template for VMware vSphere...
Initializing HashiCorp Packer and required plugins...
Starting the build....
packer build -force -on-error=ask 
vsphere-iso.linux-debian: output will be in this color.

==> vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Creating CD disk...
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Creating hybrid image...
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Done copying paths from CD_dirs
==> vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Uploading packer3207999693.iso to packer_cache/packer3207999693.iso
==> vsphere-iso.linux-debian: the vm/template Templates/linux-debian-12.5-develop already exists, but deleting it due to -force flag
==> vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Creating virtual machine...
==> vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Customizing hardware...
==> vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Adding SATA controller...
==> vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Mounting ISO images...
==> vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Adding configuration parameters...
==> vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Set boot order...
==> vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Power on VM...
==> vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Waiting 5s for boot...
==> vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Typing boot command...
==> vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Waiting for IP...
==> vsphere-iso.linux-debian: IP address: 172.16.14.199
==> vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Using SSH communicator to connect: 172.16.14.199
==> vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Waiting for SSH to become available...
==> vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Connected to SSH!
==> vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Provisioning with Ansible...
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Setting up proxy adapter for Ansible....
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Executing Ansible Galaxy
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Starting galaxy collection install process
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Process install dependency map
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Starting collection install process
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Downloading https://galaxy.<sensitive>.com/api/v3/plugin/<sensitive>/content/published/collections/artifacts/<sensitive>-posix-1.5.4.tar.gz to /Users/johnsonryan/.<sensitive>/tmp/<sensitive>-local-691017t23bkbh/tmp0mut5r8u/<sensitive>-posix-1.5.4-ygvnuf9e
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Installing '<sensitive>.posix:1.5.4' to '/Users/johnsonryan/.<sensitive>/collections/<sensitive>_collections/<sensitive>/posix'
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian: <sensitive>.posix:1.5.4 was installed successfully
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Downloading https://galaxy.<sensitive>.com/api/v3/plugin/<sensitive>/content/published/collections/artifacts/community-general-8.5.0.tar.gz to /Users/johnsonryan/.<sensitive>/tmp/<sensitive>-local-691017t23bkbh/tmp0mut5r8u/community-general-8.5.0-7ywwr203
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Installing 'community.general:8.5.0' to '/Users/johnsonryan/.<sensitive>/collections/<sensitive>_collections/community/general'
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian: community.general:8.5.0 was installed successfully
==> vsphere-iso.linux-debian: Executing Ansible: <sensitive>-playbook -e packer_build_name="linux-debian" -e packer_builder_type=vsphere-iso -e packer_http_addr=192.168.87.20:0 --ssh-extra-args '-o IdentitiesOnly=yes' --extra-vars display_skipped_hosts=false --extra-vars build_username=<sensitive> --extra-vars build_key='<sensitive>' --extra-vars <sensitive>_username=<sensitive> --extra-vars <sensitive>_key='<sensitive>' --extra-vars enable_cloudinit=false -e <sensitive>_ssh_private_key_file=/var/folders/dw/5mlbs0q50gs1qkqmgyx1g6dr0000gp/T/<sensitive>-key3460526459 -i /var/folders/dw/5mlbs0q50gs1qkqmgyx1g6dr0000gp/T/packer-provisioner-<sensitive>625339621 /Users/johnsonryan/Library/Mobile Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs/Code/Work/packer-examples-for-vsphere111/<sensitive>/linux-playbook.yml
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian:
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian: PLAY [all] *********************************************************************
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian:
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian: TASK [Gathering Facts] *********************************************************
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian: ok: [default]
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian:
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian: TASK [base : Update the operating system and install additional packages.] *****
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian: included: /Users/johnsonryan/Library/Mobile Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs/Code/Work/packer-examples-for-vsphere111/<sensitive>/roles/base/tasks/linux.yml for default
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian:
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian: TASK [base : Updating the operating system.] ***********************************
    vsphere-iso.linux-debian: ok: [default]

[celsomiranda]

Interesting. I've found out that it works if I define a static IP on the boot command. Maybe it was not even running my network ks.cfg.

Time to check the DHCP server logs, I guess. Odd thing is, I had a DHCP provided IP, gateway and DNS address in TTY2 just not at the start of the install? 😕

Wierd stuff.

[tenthirtyam]

Did you have any more luck?