Error: Unknown source type azure-arm : ubuntu-22.04

[SPALLADI]

Description

I m creating a packer image using ubuntu-22.04. The error message indicates that No plugins requirement found and pointing to line number 169
No plugins requirement found, make sure you reference a Packer config
containing a packer.required_plugins block. See
https://www.packer.io/docs/templates/hcl_templates/blocks/packer
for more info.
Error: Unknown source type azure-arm
on /home/vsts/work/1/s/ado_agent/images/ubuntu/templates/ubuntu-22.04.pkr.hcl line 169:
(source code not available)
The source azure-arm is unknown by Packer, and is likely part of a plugin that
is not installed.
You may find the needed plugin along with installation instructions documented
on the Packer integrations page.

Platforms affected

• Azure DevOps
• GitHub Actions - Standard Runners
• GitHub Actions - Larger Runners

Runner images affected

• Ubuntu 20.04
• Ubuntu 22.04
• Ubuntu 24.04
• macOS 13
• macOS 13 Arm64
• macOS 14
• macOS 14 Arm64
• macOS 15
• macOS 15 Arm64
• Windows Server 2019
• Windows Server 2022
• Windows Server 2025

Image version and build link

Runner Image
Image: ubuntu-22.04
Version: 20250302.1.0

Is it regression?

no

Expected behavior

Packer should run successfully.

Actual behavior

Erroring out as above

Repro steps

git clone --quiet "https://github.com/actions/runner-images.git" $targetDirName
Set-Location $targetDirName
$runnerTag = git tag --list "$image*" | Select -Last 1

[hemanthmanga]

Hi @SPALLADI, Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention. We will look into this issue and will update you after investigating.


[SPALLADI]

Hi @SPALLADI, Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention. We will look into this issue and will update you after investigating.

@hemanthmanga , any update as it is impacting all the pipelines using packer with git runner images

[erik-bershel]

Ref:

We strongly encourage customers to build their own images using the main branch. This repository contains multiple branches and releases that serve as document milestones to reflect what software is installed in the images at certain point of time. Current builds are not idempotent and if one tries to build a runner image using the specific tag it is not guaranteed that the build will succeed.

[SPALLADI]

@erik-bershel , I am using main branch
git clone --quiet "https://github.com/actions/runner-images.git" $targetDirName

[erik-bershel]

Hey @SPALLADI!

I am using main branch

Correct me if I wrong, please. As I see you selecting the latest image related tag here: $runnerTag = git tag --list "$image*" | Select -Last 1. This way you skip all other commits form main that haven't been committed yet in that branch.

UPD: I don't know what happens next in your pipeline, but it looks like the build might be coming from the latest release branch, and they're not suitable for that.

[SPALLADI]

Hey @SPALLADI!

I am using main branch

Correct me if I wrong, please. As I see you selecting the latest image related tag here: $runnerTag = git tag --list "$image*" | Select -Last 1. This way you skip all other commits form main that haven't been committed yet in that branch.

UPD: I don't know what happens next in your pipeline, but it looks like the build might be coming from the latest release branch, and they're not suitable for that.

Thank you. Then what is the best/stable way to deal this so that it doesn;t break

[erik-bershel]

I can recommend to use our guide: https://github.com/actions/runner-images/blob/main/docs/create-image-and-azure-resources.md#manual-image-generation

At the moment it says to do the next:

git clone https://github.com/actions/runner-images.git
Set-Location runner-images
Import-Module .\helpers\GenerateResourcesAndImage.ps1
...