I'm trying to provision a 2k8r2 Enterprise server in ESXi4. The OS installation goes fine, VMware tools, adding to domain, updates. All the basic stuff before you start adding Roles and Features.

I've had this happen on two attempts already, and I'm not sure where the problem might be. I don't think it's hardware, because I have another 2k8r2 Standard server that's running fine. The only real difference is the install media. The server that's working was installed using a trial ISO and license. The one I'm having problems with is a full MAK installation.

When I go to add a Role (the last case was Application Server) it gets all the way to "collecting installation results" before it hangs. CPU utilization in the vSphere client shows little spikes of activity with flatlines inbetween, but the whole console is locked up. The only way to release it is to power off and bring it back up. When you go to look at the added roles after bringing it back up, it shows that it is installed, but I don't trust that something didn't get wedged in all of that.

The first install I did was with Thin Disk provisioning. The second attempt was with regular disk provisioning. In both cases 4GB of RAM, 2 vCPUs.

VMware host is a HP Proliant DL380 G6, RAID-1 OS, RAID-5 data volume. 12 GB RAM.

Has anyone else had this problem, or know where I should start poking around?