Windows Provisioning Failures with Timeout Error

In some cases, the Horizon failed the desktop pool provisioning with timeout error.

It happens on both different automatic pool types. And turn out the reason is the process stuck during Windows sysprep. Since the Windows desktop in automatic pool will have a customization process with sysprep. The desktop provisioning will fail If the sysprep failed.

This always happens on Windows 23H2 or above. This due to some pre-installed Appx package is not compatbile with sysprep. But the sysprep process failed to remove it and cause the whole desktop provisioning process failed.

To verify the case, you could run the sysprep.exe on the master image. It locates at c:\Windows\System32\Sysprep\.

Select "OOBE" and check "Generalize".

Click "OK" to strat the process.

If the sysprep failed with following error message, it is most likely the error mentioned.

You can access the sysprep log file located at:

%WINDIR%\System32\Sysprep\Panther\Setupact.log

And you will find error like following. It will mention which package holding the process.

The next step you will need to remove the package manually by Powers\Shell command.

Open the PowerShell . Run command.

Remove-AppxPackage [Package name shown in the Sysprep log].

Since there may have more than one package holding the process. Please repeat the sysprep.exe process untill all Appx packages have been identified and removed.

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