An interesting change with App Store and Windows Update has made creating a VMware template a little more unique now. I attempted to create one doing the normal process of building from ISO, logging in, making the modifications we want to have done such as installing VMware Tools and then gracefully powering the system off. Then the Deploy from Template option and select a guest customization to Sysprep the system. That doesn't work as any Windows Store application such as the start menu or the Windows Store, simply doesn't start.

VMware says Windows 10 guest customization works just fine per the Guest OS instruction page.

http://partnerweb.vmware.com/GOSIG/Windows_10.html


This is a tad misleading as this set of instructions does not allow you to actually get SysPrep with a Guest Customization option to run correctly. To make SysPrep work with Windows 10, the Windows 10 system needs to be put into Audit mode.

The easiest way to enter audit mode when setting up a VMware template (at least a way it worked for my setup).

  1. Provision a blank system from DVD.
  2. When the system boots for the first time at the Welcome Screen/Customize Privacy settings, press + + .


Make the legacy configuration settings and setups (such as creating a local ID you want on the system using Computer Management or other fun legacy non-Windows Store apps).

  1. Do a graceful shutdown.
  2. Turn the system into a template


This worked very well for my setup. Any better ways to setup a clean Win10 template?