I have done quite a bit of research on this issue, but I haven't seen it
addressed specifically here. I am installing two SQL 2005 servers as virtual
machines in my VMware environment. The .ovf files used to create the servers
are standard Windows 2003 R2 x64 images that we have used dozens of times
successfully. I am not installing a cluster, just standard sql servers.

The issue is that after bringing up the VM, and doing the baseline config
like generating a New SID, assigning IP's, addiding HDD's, etc, we move on to
install SQL. The installs have been failing because there is a COM+ error,
caused because the MSDTC service will not start. When attempting to start it
manually, it generates the standard "terminated unexpectedly" error.

I have tried pretty much all the solutions I've found here that are relevant
to this such as verifying registry values in the
HKLM/Software/Microsoft/MSDTC and MSDTC/Security Hives, uninstalling and/or
reinstalling the MSDTC service, reinstalling COM+, etc. So far, nothing has
availed.

The stumper is that this installation process, using these exact images, has
worked successfully many times. Any ideas?