MECM Lab Fix

This repository contains utility scripts and troubleshooting documentation for the Windows 11 and Office 365 Deployment Lab Kit.

Lab Link: Windows 11 and Office 365 Deployment Lab Kit

Master Reference Guide: For network topology diagrams, complete error registries, and step-by-step execution orders, see LAB_REFERENCE_GUIDE.md.

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Quick Reference Summary

Script Name	Target System	Purpose / Problem Fixed
fix-client-vms.ps1	Host PC	Fixes 0x800705B4 timeout, 0x80070020 file locks, & 0xC03A000E VHD chain errors on client & gateway VMs.
setup-wifi-nat-switch.ps1	Host PC	Fixes work Wi-Fi disconnects by creating an Internal NAT Switch (192.168.16.0/24).
configure-cm1-internet.ps1	CM1 VM	Configures CM1 dual-NIC with static IPs, metrics, and network-appropriate DNS.
fix-cm1-routing.ps1	CM1 VM	Fixes slow internet & routing delays on dual-NIC HYD-CM1.
disable-guest-updates.ps1	Guest VMs	Blocks automatic Windows Updates inside guest VMs to preserve lab baseline.
cleanup_lab.ps1	Host PC	Removes all HYD-* VMs and switches for a clean reinstallation.

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1. Fix Client VM Startup Errors (fix-client-vms.ps1)

Problem

When starting client VMs (HYD-CLIENT1 through HYD-Client6) after setup or reinstallation, Hyper-V throws the following initialization error:

An error occurred while attempting to start the selected virtual machine(s).
'HYD-CLIENT1' failed to start worker process: This operation returned because the timeout period expired. (0x800705B4).

Cause

1. Orphaned Worker Processes & File Locks (0x80070020): Previous failed startup attempts or setup routines leave background vmwp.exe worker processes running. These processes maintain open file locks on WindowsParent.vhdx and client differencing disks in C:\Win11_25H2_Lab.
2. Corrupted Guest State (.vmgs): Stale runtime state files in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Hyper-V cause Hyper-V initialization to hang until the 30-second timeout.

Solution

The script fix-client-vms.ps1:

• Identifies and terminates orphaned vmwp.exe processes to release file locks on WindowsParent.vhdx.
• Removes corrupted/stale Hyper-V VM definitions while preserving all underlying .VHDx disk files.
• Recreates clean Generation 2 VM definitions configured with vTPM, Dynamic Memory (2GB - 4GB), and 2 Virtual Processors, attached to HYD-CorpNet.
• Starts HYD-CLIENT1 to verify clean operation.

Run

In an Administrator PowerShell session:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\fix-client-vms.ps1

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2. Share Work Wi-Fi with VMs via NAT Switch (setup-wifi-nat-switch.ps1)

Problem

Creating a Hyper-V External Virtual Switch bound to a Wi-Fi adapter (e.g. Killer Wi-Fi 7) causes the host's Wi-Fi connection to drop instantly.

Why This Happens

• Wi-Fi / 802.11 Protocol Restrictions: Wi-Fi networks allow only one MAC address per wireless connection. An External Switch attempts to pass multiple VM MAC addresses through the host Wi-Fi card. Corporate Wi-Fi routers (with 802.1X / MAC filtering) reject this and drop the connection.
• Bridge Driver Conflict: Hyper-V's Virtual Switch bridge filter driver causes wireless card drivers to drop association.

Solution

Use an Internal Virtual Switch + Windows NAT (Network Address Translation) instead of an External Switch.

The script setup-wifi-nat-switch.ps1:

• Configures HYD-InterNet as an Internal Virtual Switch.
• Assigns IP 192.168.16.1/24 to the host's virtual interface.
• Configures Windows NAT (HYD-Lab-NAT) for subnet 192.168.16.0/24.
• Result: VMs route through your host's existing Wi-Fi connection using your laptop's authenticated single MAC address. Wi-Fi never drops.

Run

In an Administrator PowerShell session:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\setup-wifi-nat-switch.ps1

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3. Fix CM1 Routing (fix-cm1-routing.ps1)

Problem

The HYD-CM1 VM has two active NICs:

• Ethernet (corp/private network)
• Ethernet 2 (internet/NAT network)

A stale default route on the private NIC and equal automatic interface metrics cause Windows to evaluate the wrong network path first, introducing delays for internet-bound traffic.

Solution

The script fix-cm1-routing.ps1:

1. Removes the default route (0.0.0.0/0) from the private/corp NIC (Ethernet).
2. Disables automatic interface metrics.
3. Sets manual metrics so internet is always preferred:
   • Ethernet 2 (internet): metric 10
   • Ethernet (corp/private): metric 500

Run

In an Administrator PowerShell session:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\fix-cm1-routing.ps1

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4. Disable Windows Updates in Guest VMs (disable-guest-updates.ps1)

Problem

In a lab environment managed by MECM / ConfigMgr, guest VMs connected to the internet via the NAT gateway can trigger unwanted automatic Windows Updates. This consumes bandwidth, alters baseline lab configurations, and causes unexpected reboots.

Solution

The script disable-guest-updates.ps1:

• Configures Group Policy registry keys (NoAutoUpdate = 1, AUOptions = 1, DoNotConnectToWindowsUpdateInternetLocations = 1).
• Stops and disables wuauserv (Windows Update), usoServ (Update Orchestrator), bits, and dosvc.
• Disables scheduled tasks under \Microsoft\Windows\UpdateOrchestrator\ and \Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\.

Run Inside Guest VM

In an Administrator PowerShell session inside the target guest VM:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\disable-guest-updates.ps1

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5. Lab Cleanup (cleanup_lab.ps1)

If you need to reinstall the lab and want to remove existing VMs and Virtual Switches to avoid conflicts, use cleanup_lab.ps1.

Run

In an Administrator PowerShell session:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\cleanup_lab.ps1