NIC missing after Platform layer version

[Nick Panaccio]

My environment:

XenServer 7.1 CU2 (all hotfixes applied)

App Layering 2009

In my latest OS layer version, I upgraded Windows 10 from 1909 to 20H2. I then created a brand new Platform layer (v1.0) based on this OS layer and installed PVS 1912 CU2, VDA 1912 CU2, CWA 2009.6, HDX RTOP 2.9, WEM 2006, FSLogix 2.9.7621.30127, Topaz SigPlus, and some USB drivers. Everything looked good, so I finalized the layer. I then created a new version of that Platform layer (v1.1) so that I could run Citrix Optimizer, as I like to separate my optimizations from the base installs. When the packaging VM booted up, the NIC was completely missing (see NoNic.jpg screenshot).

 

 

No amount of reboots resolved it. I went ahead and uninstalled the XenServer PV Network Device, rebooted, let Windows reinstall the device, and then rebooted again. When the VM came back online, the NIC was restored, and all seemed well. I'd almost accept this, except that when I tried to update an App layer using that same OS layer as the base, the NIC was again missing from the packaging VM (see AppLayer.jpg screenshot). However, rebooting the VM seemed to restore it. I can repeat this 100% of the time.

 

 

Has anyone come across something like this before? There's no way I trust that OS layer given these issues, so I'm trying to figure out if something else needs to be done as part of that 20H2 upgrade layer.

 

To throw a wrench into this, let's say I have that Platform layer with versions 1.0 and 1.1. If I create a version 1.2, but base it off Platform version 1.0, the NIC is totally fine.

 

Now for the biggest wrench of them all. If I create a new Platform layer based off the OS layer with 20H2 in it, but finalize and create a new version of that layer after each step in the process, the NIC is fine after each version. So:

 

1. Join domain, finalize (v1.0)
2. NIC good, install PVS, finalize (v1.1)
3. NIC good, install VDA, finalize (v1.2)
4. NIC good, install CWA, finalize (v1.3)
5. NIC good, install WEM, finalize (v1.4)
6. NIC good, install FSLogix, finalize (v1.5)
7. NIC good, install USB drivers, finalize (v1.6)
8. NIC good, run Citrix Optimizer, finalize (v1.7)
9. NIC good, nothing left to do but throw my computer out of the window

[Michael Brislen1709158665]

Hi, did this every get resolved as we are having a similar issue once the platform layer has been updated?

 

Thanks in advance

[Nick Panaccio]

1 hour ago, Michael Brislen1709158665 said:

Hi, did this every get resolved as we are having a similar issue once the platform layer has been updated?

 

Thanks in advance

Unfortunately, the only resolution I've found to work is to completely remove all XenTools each time I need to update the agent. I wrote a process that has been 100% successful for me in the past. Here is a link to my cleanup scripts (ensure that all files are in the same directory when run): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1isOzZ8Y7V5O5hvVOwClldcR-ou_meOnX/view?usp=share_link

 

To upgrade the Citrix XenServer Management Agent, do the following:

1. Run Uninstall.ps1
   • This will uninstall previous XenServer Management agents, and is required because previous upgrades result in the NIC/network being broken in future layer versions
2. Reboot the VM
3. Run Run.ps1
   • This script will remove old XenServer driver files
   • Edit the path to Cleanup.ps1 within this script before running!
4. Reboot the VM
5. Run Install.ps1 to install the latest XenServer Management Agent
6. Reboot the VM twice
7. Add the XenServer Agent name, version and Product GUID to the Cleanup.ps1 script

I always installed the XenServer Agent in the OS layer, so you'll want to create a new Platform layer based on this OS layer once it's finalized.