Environment variables intermittently and silently don't get set

[yaakov-h]

Overview of the Issue

Intermittently (though frequently) I have packer builds that fail because an environment variable was not configured correctly in the guest.

This occurs with both PACKER_HTTP_ADDR as well as custom environment variables defined in the template .json, e.g.:

{
  "variables": {
    "sql_sa_password": "{{env `sql_sa_password`}}"
  },

// ...

    {
      "type": "powershell",
      "elevated_user": "{{user `admin_username`}}",
      "elevated_password": "{{user `admin_password`}}",
      "environment_vars": [
        "SQL_SA_PASSWORD={{user `sql_sa_password`}}"
      ],
      "scripts": [
        "../install-scripts/install-some-thing.ps1",
      ]
    },

Plugin and Packer version

Packer version 1.10.2
Hyper-V plugin version 1.1.3

Operating system and Environment details

Host: Windows Server 2019 Standard 1809

OS, Architecture, and any other information you can provide about the
environment.

Log Fragments and crash.log files

==> hyperv-iso.DAT-TEST-BIZTALK-20250319-qfl44k5kyn2: Provisioning with powershell script: ../../Common/Windows/install-scripts/install-ndp48.ps1
2025/03/19 19:24:44 packer.exe plugin: Opening ../../Common/Windows/install-scripts/install-ndp48.ps1 for reading
2025/03/19 19:24:44 packer.exe plugin: Uploading env vars to c:/Windows/Temp/packer-ps-env-vars-67da79cb-184e-a39d-a332-fd6541b347ae.ps1
2025/03/19 19:24:44 packer.exe plugin: [INFO] 364 bytes written for 'uploadData'
2025/03/19 19:24:44 [INFO] 364 bytes written for 'uploadData'
2025/03/19 19:24:44 packer-plugin-hyperv_v1.1.3_x5.0_windows_amd64.exe plugin: 2025/03/19 19:24:44 Uploading file to 'c:/Windows/Temp/packer-ps-env-vars-67da79cb-184e-a39d-a332-fd6541b347ae.ps1'
2025/03/19 19:24:48 packer.exe plugin: Building elevated command wrapper for: powershell -executionpolicy bypass "& { if (Test-Path variable:global:ProgressPreference){set-variable -name variable:global:ProgressPreference -value 'SilentlyContinue'};. c:/Windows/Temp/packer-ps-env-vars-67da79cb-184e-a39d-a332-fd6541b347ae.ps1; &'c:/Windows/Temp/script-67da79cb-baee-db75-aa85-fc08e6d08e9b.ps1'; exit $LastExitCode }"
2025/03/19 19:24:48 packer.exe plugin: Command [powershell -executionpolicy bypass "& { if (Test-Path variable:global:ProgressPreference){set-variable -name variable:global:ProgressPreference -value 'SilentlyContinue'};. c:/Windows/Temp/packer-ps-env-vars-67da79cb-184e-a39d-a332-fd6541b347ae.ps1; &'c:/Windows/Temp/script-67da79cb-baee-db75-aa85-fc08e6d08e9b.ps1'; exit $LastExitCode }" > %SYSTEMROOT%/Temp/packer-67da7f50-d63d-3be7-970c-7a278c1e42e0.out 2>&1] converted to [powershell -executionpolicy bypass "& { if (Test-Path variable:global:ProgressPreference){set-variable -name variable:global:ProgressPreference -value 'SilentlyContinue'};. c:/Windows/Temp/packer-ps-env-vars-67da79cb-184e-a39d-a332-fd6541b347ae.ps1; &'c:/Windows/Temp/script-67da79cb-baee-db75-aa85-fc08e6d08e9b.ps1'; exit $LastExitCode }" > %SYSTEMROOT%/Temp/packer-67da7f50-d63d-3be7-970c-7a278c1e42e0.out 2>&1] for use in XML string
2025/03/19 19:24:48 packer.exe plugin: Uploading elevated shell wrapper for command [powershell -executionpolicy bypass "& { if (Test-Path variable:global:ProgressPreference){set-variable -name variable:global:ProgressPreference -value 'SilentlyContinue'};. c:/Windows/Temp/packer-ps-env-vars-67da79cb-184e-a39d-a332-fd6541b347ae.ps1; &'c:/Windows/Temp/script-67da79cb-baee-db75-aa85-fc08e6d08e9b.ps1'; exit $LastExitCode }" > %SYSTEMROOT%/Temp/packer-67da7f50-d63d-3be7-970c-7a278c1e42e0.out 2>&1] to [C:/Windows/Temp/packer-elevated-shell-67da7f50-157b-18a4-ba66-e97061090110.ps1]
2025/03/19 19:24:48 packer.exe plugin: [INFO] 3512 bytes written for 'uploadData'
2025/03/19 19:24:48 [INFO] 3512 bytes written for 'uploadData'
2025/03/19 19:24:48 packer-plugin-hyperv_v1.1.3_x5.0_windows_amd64.exe plugin: 2025/03/19 19:24:48 Uploading file to 'C:/Windows/Temp/packer-elevated-shell-67da7f50-157b-18a4-ba66-e97061090110.ps1'
2025/03/19 19:24:52 packer.exe plugin: [INFO] 943 bytes written for 'uploadData'
2025/03/19 19:24:52 [INFO] 943 bytes written for 'uploadData'
2025/03/19 19:24:52 packer-plugin-hyperv_v1.1.3_x5.0_windows_amd64.exe plugin: 2025/03/19 19:24:52 Uploading file to 'c:/Windows/Temp/script-67da79cb-baee-db75-aa85-fc08e6d08e9b.ps1'
2025/03/19 19:24:56 packer-plugin-hyperv_v1.1.3_x5.0_windows_amd64.exe plugin: 2025/03/19 19:24:56 [INFO] starting remote command: powershell -executionpolicy bypass -file "C:/Windows/Temp/packer-elevated-shell-67da7f50-157b-18a4-ba66-e97061090110.ps1"
2025/03/19 19:25:01 packer-plugin-hyperv_v1.1.3_x5.0_windows_amd64.exe plugin: 2025/03/19 19:25:01 [INFO] command 'powershell -executionpolicy bypass -file "C:/Windows/Temp/packer-elevated-shell-67da7f50-157b-18a4-ba66-e97061090110.ps1"' exited with code: 1
2025/03/19 19:25:01 packer-plugin-hyperv_v1.1.3_x5.0_windows_amd64.exe plugin: 2025/03/19 19:25:01 [INFO] RPC endpoint: Communicator ended with: 1
2025/03/19 19:25:01 [INFO] 0 bytes written for 'stderr'
2025/03/19 19:25:01 [INFO] 661 bytes written for 'stdout'
2025/03/19 19:25:01 [INFO] RPC client: Communicator ended with: 1
2025/03/19 19:25:01 [INFO] RPC endpoint: Communicator ended with: 1
2025/03/19 19:25:01 packer.exe plugin: [INFO] 661 bytes written for 'stdout'
2025/03/19 19:25:01 packer.exe plugin: [INFO] 0 bytes written for 'stderr'
    hyperv-iso.DAT-TEST-BIZTALK-20250319-qfl44k5kyn2: Invoke-WebRequest : Cannot bind parameter 'Uri'. Cannot convert value "http:///ndp/NDP462-DevPack-KB3151934-ENU.exe"
2025/03/19 19:25:01 packer.exe plugin: [INFO] RPC client: Communicator ended with: 1
    hyperv-iso.DAT-TEST-BIZTALK-20250319-qfl44k5kyn2: to type "System.Uri". Error: "Invalid URI: The hostname could not be parsed."
    hyperv-iso.DAT-TEST-BIZTALK-20250319-qfl44k5kyn2: At C:\Windows\Temp\script-67da79cb-baee-db75-aa85-fc08e6d08e9b.ps1:6 char:24
    hyperv-iso.DAT-TEST-BIZTALK-20250319-qfl44k5kyn2: + ... equest -Uri http://${env:PACKER_HTTP_ADDR}/ndp/NDP462-DevPack-KB31519 ...
    hyperv-iso.DAT-TEST-BIZTALK-20250319-qfl44k5kyn2: +                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    hyperv-iso.DAT-TEST-BIZTALK-20250319-qfl44k5kyn2:     + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Invoke-WebRequest], ParentContainsErrorRecordException
    hyperv-iso.DAT-TEST-BIZTALK-20250319-qfl44k5kyn2:     + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CannotConvertArgumentNoMessage,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.InvokeWebRequestCommand
    hyperv-iso.DAT-TEST-BIZTALK-20250319-qfl44k5kyn2:
2025/03/19 19:25:01 packer.exe plugin: c:/Windows/Temp/script-67da79cb-baee-db75-aa85-fc08e6d08e9b.ps1 returned with exit code 1
2025/03/19 19:25:01 [INFO] (telemetry) ending powershell
==> hyperv-iso.DAT-TEST-BIZTALK-20250319-qfl44k5kyn2: Provisioning step had errors: Running the cleanup provisioner, if present...

Another example:

==> hyperv-iso.DAT-TEST-AGENT-20250320-izroih11mcf: Provisioning with powershell script: ../../Common/Windows/install-scripts/configure-pbirs.ps1
2025/03/20 15:24:54 packer.exe plugin: Opening ../../Common/Windows/install-scripts/configure-pbirs.ps1 for reading
2025/03/20 15:24:54 packer.exe plugin: Uploading env vars to c:/Windows/Temp/packer-ps-env-vars-67db8d4b-a9ee-126d-da70-4161936b2365.ps1
2025/03/20 15:24:54 packer.exe plugin: [INFO] 362 bytes written for 'uploadData'
2025/03/20 15:24:54 [INFO] 362 bytes written for 'uploadData'
2025/03/20 15:24:54 packer-plugin-hyperv_v1.1.4_x5.0_windows_amd64.exe plugin: 2025/03/20 15:24:54 Uploading file to 'c:/Windows/Temp/packer-ps-env-vars-67db8d4b-a9ee-126d-da70-4161936b2365.ps1'
2025/03/20 15:24:55 packer.exe plugin: [INFO] 1564 bytes written for 'uploadData'
2025/03/20 15:24:55 [INFO] 1564 bytes written for 'uploadData'
2025/03/20 15:24:55 packer-plugin-hyperv_v1.1.4_x5.0_windows_amd64.exe plugin: 2025/03/20 15:24:55 Uploading file to 'c:/Windows/Temp/script-67db8d4b-3b1f-f895-d2c7-0c7d557f2459.ps1'
2025/03/20 15:24:56 packer-plugin-hyperv_v1.1.4_x5.0_windows_amd64.exe plugin: 2025/03/20 15:24:56 [INFO] starting remote command: powershell -executionpolicy bypass "& { if (Test-Path variable:global:ProgressPreference){set-variable -name variable:global:ProgressPreference -value 'SilentlyContinue'};. c:/Windows/Temp/packer-ps-env-vars-67db8d4b-a9ee-126d-da70-4161936b2365.ps1; &'c:/Windows/Temp/script-67db8d4b-3b1f-f895-d2c7-0c7d557f2459.ps1'; exit $LastExitCode }"
    hyperv-iso.DAT-TEST-AGENT-20250320-izroih11mcf: Configuring Power BI Report Server
2025/03/20 15:24:58 packer-plugin-hyperv_v1.1.4_x5.0_windows_amd64.exe plugin: 2025/03/20 15:24:58 [INFO] command 'powershell -executionpolicy bypass "& { if (Test-Path variable:global:ProgressPreference){set-variable -name variable:global:ProgressPreference -value 'SilentlyContinue'};. c:/Windows/Temp/packer-ps-env-vars-67db8d4b-a9ee-126d-da70-4161936b2365.ps1; &'c:/Windows/Temp/script-67db8d4b-3b1f-f895-d2c7-0c7d557f2459.ps1'; exit $LastExitCode }"' exited with code: 1
2025/03/20 15:24:58 packer-plugin-hyperv_v1.1.4_x5.0_windows_amd64.exe plugin: 2025/03/20 15:24:58 [INFO] RPC endpoint: Communicator ended with: 1
2025/03/20 15:24:58 [INFO] 640 bytes written for 'stderr'
2025/03/20 15:24:58 [INFO] 35 bytes written for 'stdout'
2025/03/20 15:24:58 [INFO] RPC client: Communicator ended with: 1
2025/03/20 15:24:58 [INFO] RPC endpoint: Communicator ended with: 1
==> hyperv-iso.DAT-TEST-AGENT-20250320-izroih11mcf: Invoke-Sqlcmd : Cannot validate argument on parameter 'Password'. The argument is null or empty. Provide an argument
2025/03/20 15:24:58 packer.exe plugin: [INFO] 640 bytes written for 'stderr'
2025/03/20 15:24:58 packer.exe plugin: [INFO] 35 bytes written for 'stdout'
2025/03/20 15:24:58 packer.exe plugin: [INFO] RPC client: Communicator ended with: 1
==> hyperv-iso.DAT-TEST-AGENT-20250320-izroih11mcf: that is not null or empty, and then try the command again.
==> hyperv-iso.DAT-TEST-AGENT-20250320-izroih11mcf: At C:\Windows\Temp\script-67db8d4b-3b1f-f895-d2c7-0c7d557f2459.ps1:11 char:67
==> hyperv-iso.DAT-TEST-AGENT-20250320-izroih11mcf: + ... esult["Script"] -Username sa -Password ${env:SQL_SA_PASSWORD} -Output ...
==> hyperv-iso.DAT-TEST-AGENT-20250320-izroih11mcf: +                                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
==> hyperv-iso.DAT-TEST-AGENT-20250320-izroih11mcf:     + CategoryInfo          : InvalidData: (:) [Invoke-Sqlcmd], ParentContainsErrorRecordException
==> hyperv-iso.DAT-TEST-AGENT-20250320-izroih11mcf:     + FullyQualifiedErrorId : ParameterArgumentValidationError,Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.PowerShell.GetScriptComm
==> hyperv-iso.DAT-TEST-AGENT-20250320-izroih11mcf:    and
==> hyperv-iso.DAT-TEST-AGENT-20250320-izroih11mcf:
2025/03/20 15:24:58 packer.exe plugin: c:/Windows/Temp/script-67db8d4b-3b1f-f895-d2c7-0c7d557f2459.ps1 returned with exit code 1
2025/03/20 15:24:58 [INFO] (telemetry) ending powershell
==> hyperv-iso.DAT-TEST-AGENT-20250320-izroih11mcf: Provisioning step had errors: Running the cleanup provisioner, if present...

[anshulsharma-hashicorp]

@yaakov-h Thanks for raising this, could you please share your template (if not the original one, then simpler version of it) and the supporting file so that we can reproduce it at our end.

[anurag5sh]

Hey @yaakov-h
This has been fixed in latest release v1.1.5. Would you like to try it out and lmk if it solves your issue?