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vCenter Server agent service does not install or upgrade on ESX/ESXi 4.0 hosts (1016262)

Symptoms

If you try to add an ESXi 4.0 host to vCenter Server 4.0 or 4.0 Update 1, remove and then re-add an ESXi 4.0 host back to vCenter Server 4.0 or 4.0 Update 1, or upgrade vCenter Server from 4.0 to 4.0 Update 1, you may experience these symptoms:
  • vCenter Server reports the error:

    Cannot install the vCenter agent service. Unknown Installer error
     
  • After the error, the host does not display in vCenter Server or stays disconnected.
  • All attempts to add or reconnect the host to vCenter Server fails.
  • The /var/log/vmware/vpx-iupgrade.log file on the ESXi 4.0 host contains the error: 

    Acquiring lock /tmp/bootbank.lck
    Copying vpxa.vgz to /bootbank/vpxa.vgz
    Editing /bootbank/boot.cfg to add module vpxa.vgz
    [90597] 2009-11-30 15:21:49: status = 0
    [90597] 2009-11-30 15:21:49: exec /sbin/vmkramdisk vpxa.vgz
    Failed to mount archive: Out of memory

Resolution

ESXi 4.0

Install the VMware ESXi 4.0, Patch Release ESXi400-200912001 patch prior to upgrading to vCenter Server 4.0 Update 1. For more information, see VMware ESXi 4.0, Patch Release ESXi400-200912001 (1016462).
 
Note: If Cisco Nexus 1000v is installed on these ESXi hosts, do not install this patch at this time. For more information, see Cannot use VMware Update Manager to upgrade Nexus 1000V from 4.0(4)SV1(1) to 4.0(4)SV1(2) on ESX / ESXi hosts running certain patch levels (1017069).
 
If you have already installed vCenter Server 4.0 Update 1 prior to installing the patch:
  1. Schedule downtime for the virtual machines running on the affected ESXi hosts.
  2. Install the patch.
  3. Reboot and add the hosts to vCenter Server.
Note: VMware recommends that you apply the patch. However, if you cannot schedule downtime for the virtual machines on the affected hosts, contact VMware support for a temporary workaround. For more information on contacting VMware support, see How to Submit a Support Request.
 

ESX 4.0

To resolve this issue in ESX 4.0 hosts, check if the host has sufficient free disk space.
 
To check the available disk space on a host, run this command:

df -h.
 

Additional Information

If you encounter the Cannot install the vCenter agent service. Not enough space to install agent error, see Adding an ESXi Host into vCenter Server fails with the error: Cannot install the vCenter agent service. Not enough space to install agent (1031005).
 
For more information on log files,see:

See Also

This Article Replaces

1014554

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