Unable to read task sequence configuration disk on virtual machine

Glenn Sutter 1

I deployed Windows 10 Enterprise to my virtual Windows 10 machine (hosted on Azure) using MECM. I RDP'ed into that machine, opened Software Center, clicked on Operating Systems on the left, saw the OS which I had pushed to it, named "Windows 10 Enterprise 21H2", and clicked the Install button. Since that moment, I have been unable to remote into the Windows 10 machine by any means. I used the screenshot tool in MS Azure to see what is currently on the screen of that Windows 10 machine, and it keeps alternating between two windows:

---------------------------------------------------------------------

WINDOW 1:

All the text in that image is below:

Please wait...

IT Organization

Initializing Windows PE

Initializing hardware devices...

----------

WINDOW 2:

All the text in that image is below:

Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager

Task Sequence Error

IT Organization

Initializing Windows PE

Unable to read task sequence configuration disk. For more information, contact your system administrator or helpdesk operator.

The computer will automatically restart in xx:xx:xx

Restart Now

---------------------------------------------------------------------

My virtual Windows 10 machine has been doing this for 8 days now and is totally unusable. How do I break it out of this loop?

3 answers

Simon Ren-MSFT 38,106 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2022-03-15T02:35:43.323+00:00

Hi,

Thanks for posting in Microsoft MECM Q&A forum.

Per my experience, we could not do pxe or boot from an ISO media from MECM on Azure VM directly. We can try to create a Task Sequence to build a VHD image and then upload the image to Azure and configure it as an Image.

Please refer to:
SCCM OSD on Azure VM
Prepare a Windows VHD or VHDX to upload to Azure

Hope it helps. Have a nice day!

Best regards,
Simon

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Glenn Sutter 1 Reputation point

2022-03-23T01:22:02.007+00:00

Hi, I am very new to this and don't understand a lot of what you're saying, but it sounds like you are giving me advice to continue trying to deploy an image. I am really not interested in doing that at the moment; I just want to get the VM back to a usable state in the easiest way possible.
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Limitless Technology 39,786 Reputation points

2022-03-17T12:35:48.797+00:00

Hi @Glenn Sutter

The Task Sequence error appears at the stage of Initializing Windows PE when you have started the deployment.

It’s best to examine the SMSTS.log to troubleshoot OSD-related problems, learn to read SMSTS.log is very important, and be aware of the location of SMSTS log files for different phases of deployment.

To fix the Unable to Read Task Sequence Configuration Disk, you can try formatting the disk by diskpart commands. There is also a Hotfix installation for this issue you can check it from the below article.

Windows PE boot images don't initialize in System Center Configuration Manager
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/windows-pe-boot-images-don-t-initialize-in-system-center-configuration-manager-6795eb23-0162-1eaa-2e22-de3a9e09ecfb

Hope this resolves your Query!!

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Glenn Sutter 1 Reputation point

2022-03-23T01:42:20.55+00:00

Hi, I went to your link, and it was all way above my head. I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to deploying an OS image to a VM; I was simply following some steps in a Udemy course. The course has almost nothing to do with the virtual machines and the cloud; it is a course on MECM, and it had me create a virtual network just to learn MECM.

By the way, I'm assuming OSD is Operating System Deployment; am I right? Google told me it was On Screen Display, but I have far more confidence in my guess, haha.

Glenn Sutter 1 Reputation point

2022-03-24T01:52:00.233+00:00

Hi, I was wondering if you can tell me how to get to the SMSTS.log ? Is there a way to get into the filesystem of that machine? Perhaps through Azure Cloud Shell? If so, what is the location of that log?

Simon Ren-MSFT 38,106 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2022-03-24T02:12:53.297+00:00

Hi,

Thanks for your reply.

Generally, we can open the smsts.log file by pressing the F8 key. The smsts log location is as below:

Before HDD is formatted: x:\windows\temp\smstslog\smsts.log
After HDD is formatted: x:\smstslog\smsts.log
SCCM agent not installed: c:_SMSTaskSequence\Logs\Smstslog\smsts.log
SCCM agent installed: c:\windows\system32\ccm\logs\Smstslog\smsts.log
SCCM agent installed (x64): c:\windows\sysWOW64\ccm\logs\Smstslog\smsts.log

SCCM: How to copy SMSTS.log when a Task Sequence fails
Location of SMSTS log during SCCM OSD

Best regards,
Simon

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Glenn Sutter 1 Reputation point

2022-03-28T01:29:30.683+00:00

Hi SimonRenMSFT, thank you very much for the help, but remember, it is a virtual machine, so there is no F8 key.

I have finally decided to delete the machine entirely and then create a new one. I will post the results on this thread when that is complete.

Thanks again!

Simon Ren-MSFT 38,106 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2022-03-28T07:50:40.497+00:00

Hi @Glenn Sutter ,

Thanks very much for your information. Looking forward to hearing from you. Have a nice day!

Best regards,
Simon
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Simon Ren-MSFT 38,106 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2022-03-21T08:35:01.543+00:00

Hi,

Hope everything goes well. May we know the current status of the question?

During my research, I found some helpful guides about cloud OS Deployment:
Cloud OS Deployment, Part 1 – Running MDT Task Sequences from Microsoft Intune
Cloud OS Deployment, Part 2 – Bare Metal Deployment via MDT from the Cloud
Please note: The links are not from Microsoft, just for your reference. Thanks for your time.

If there is any other assistance we can provide, please feel free to let us know, we will do our best to help you.

Best regards,
Simon

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Glenn Sutter 1 Reputation point

2022-03-23T01:36:12.453+00:00

Hi, this is way too in-depth for me at this point; I am just trying to get the VM back to a usable state as simply as possible. I'm not really interested in learning about troubleshooting VM image deployment, as this is just one tiny subtopic of a course I am taking on MECM. I did successfully run a few commands in Azure Cloud Shell based on some advice I got on the Azure site, and I was able to create a repair VM and attach the virtual hard drive from the broken VM to the repair VM. Now I'm not sure what script or commands I need to run to fix it.

Simon Ren-MSFT 38,106 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2022-03-23T09:56:55.01+00:00

Hi,

Thanks very much for your clarification.

Per my experience, Azure Backup provides several ways to restore a VM. You can use the restore point or other method to have a try. For more detailed steps, please refer to:
How to restore Azure VM data in Azure portal
About Azure VM restore

If you need any futher assistance about restore the VM back to a usable state, it's recommended that you post a new thread in Azure Forum to get better support:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/topics/azure-virtual-machines.html
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/products/azure?product=all

Hope it helps. Have a nice day!

Best regards,
Simon

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Glenn Sutter 1 Reputation point

2022-03-24T01:47:41.537+00:00

Hi, thanks very much for all the help so far.

I tried to restore, but apparently I never made a backup, because when I click on the link for "Select backup instance" it tells me "No data available".

I went to the .../azure-virtual-machines.html link you gave above, and then clicked "Ask a question" at the top right, and it takes me immediately to https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/ask.html , which is exactly the same site I posted this question on.

I see another idea above from another user, to look at the SMSTS.log. I think I will try to figure out how to do that next.

I'm thinking if that doesn't work, I will just delete the VM entirely. It may cause me a little bit of headache recreating it and rejoining it to my domain and reconfiguring it, but I feel like it will involve less time than these complicated methods of fixing the existing one.

Simon Ren-MSFT 38,106 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2022-03-24T01:55:43.707+00:00

Hi,

Thanks for your reply and information,

Yes, recreate a VM is a good workaround. If you need any further assistance about the smsts.log or any other question about SCCM, I will be glad to help.

Have a nice day!

Best regards,
Simon

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Unable to read task sequence configuration disk on virtual machine

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