Issues with WinRM, getting time out. Possible port issue using template

Packer
1

I am having trouble like so many people with getting winRM to work. Im using MWrock templates so in theory it should already be fixed with his scripts that I am using but unfortunately its just timing out…

Here is my json file:

{
  "builders": [
    {
      "type": "virtualbox-iso",
      "vboxmanage": [
        [ "modifyvm", "{{.Name}}", "--memory", "2048" ],
        [ "modifyvm", "{{.Name}}", "--vram", "48" ],
        [ "modifyvm", "{{.Name}}", "--cpus", "2" ]
      ],
      "guest_additions_mode": "attach",
      "guest_os_type": "Windows2016_64",
      "headless": "true",
      "iso_url": "iso/Windows_Server_2016_Datacenter_EVAL_en-us_14393_refresh.iso",
      "iso_checksum": "70721288bbcdfe3239d8f8c0fae55f1f",
      "iso_checksum_type": "md5",
      "communicator": "winrm",
      "winrm_username": "Project",
      "winrm_password": "Project",
      "winrm_timeout": "12h",
      "shutdown_command": "C:/Windows/Panther/Unattend/packer_shutdown.bat",
      "shutdown_timeout": "15m",
      "floppy_files": [
        "answer_files/Autounattend.xml",
        "scripts/winrm.ps1"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "provisioners": [
    {
      "type": "powershell",
      "script": "scripts/windows-updates.ps1",
      "elevated_user": "Project",
      "elevated_password": "Project"
    },
    {
      "type": "windows-restart",
      "restart_timeout": "15m"
    },
    {
      "type": "powershell",
      "execute_command": "powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass \"& { {{.Vars}}{{.Path}}; exit $LastExitCode}\"",
      "scripts": [
          "enable-rdp.ps1",
          "guest-tools.ps1"
      ]
  },
    {
      "type": "powershell",
      "script": "scripts/after-reboot.ps1",
      "elevated_user": "Project",
      "elevated_password": "Project"
    },
    {
      "type": "powershell",
      "script": "scripts/cleanup.ps1",
      "elevated_user": "Project",
      "elevated_password": "Project"
    }
  ]
}



**my winrm.ps1:**

    netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="WinRM-HTTP" dir=in localport=5985 protocol=TCP action=allow
    winrm set winrm/config/service/auth '@{Basic="true"}'
    winrm set winrm/config/service '@{AllowUnencrypted="true"}'
   

and this winrm.ps1 is included in my autounattend file on line 137:

               <CommandLine>cmd.exe /c C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -File a:\winrm.ps1</CommandLine>
               <Order>1</Order>

When its running through the build I notice its not using the right port…

==> virtualbox-iso: Pausing after run of step 'StepAttachFloppy'. Press enter to continue. ==> virtualbox-iso: Creating forwarded port mapping for communicator (SSH, WinRM, etc) (host port 3664)

Ive seen other posts about the port but no clear indication of a resolution.

Any help or a point in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.

2

Resolved by setting up WINRM properly on my local machine…

Follow these troubleshooting steps and then altering the json file to not include port forwarding ad virtualbox doesnt need it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIhhHk-mIbs&list=PLo_I3XPigb2VqYM_oKE6nS6SzOJYDnFvL&index=3&t=0s

The port that it says its using in cmd when running packer is just the host that its forwarding to the winrm guest port.

{
  "builders": [
    {
      "type": "virtualbox-iso",
      "vm_name": "Evans project",
      "vboxmanage": [
        [ "modifyvm", "{{.Name}}", "--memory", "2048" ],
        [ "modifyvm", "{{.Name}}", "--vram", "48" ],
        [ "modifyvm", "{{.Name}}", "--cpus", "2" ]
      ],
      "guest_additions_mode": "attach",
      "guest_os_type": "Windows2016_64",
      "headless": "false",
      "iso_url": "iso/Windows_Server_2016_Datacenter_EVAL_en-us_14393_refresh.iso",
      "iso_checksum": "70721288bbcdfe3239d8f8c0fae55f1f",
      "iso_checksum_type": "md5",
      "communicator": "winrm",
      "winrm_host": "5985",
      "winrm_username": "Project",
      "winrm_password": "Project",
      "winrm_timeout": "12h",
      "shutdown_command": "C:/Windows/Panther/Unattend/packer_shutdown.bat",
      "shutdown_timeout": "15m",
      "floppy_files": [
        "answer_files/Autounattend.xml",
        "scripts/winrmv2.ps1"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "provisioners": [
    {
      "type": "powershell",
      "scripts": "scripts/windows-updates.ps1",
      "elevated_user": "Project",
      "elevated_password": "Project"
    },
    {
      "type": "windows-restart",
      "restart_timeout": "15m"
    },
    {
      "type": "powershell",
      "execute_command": "powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass \"& { {{.Vars}}{{.Path}}; exit $LastExitCode}\"",
      "scripts": [
          "enable-rdp.ps1",
          "guest-tools.ps1"
      ]
    },
    {
      "type": "powershell",
      "script": "scripts/after-reboot.ps1",
      "elevated_user": "Project",
      "elevated_password": "Project"
    },
    {
      "type": "powershell",
      "script": "scripts/cleanup.ps1",
      "elevated_user": "Project",
      "elevated_password": "Project"
    }
  ]
}