To workaround this issue, reinstall the ESXi host or copy the imgdb.tgz file from the other working ESXi host

• When installing an extension, patch, or incompatible VIB on an ESXi host using vSphere Update Manager, the operation fails with the error:
  
  esxupdate error code 15
   
• You may see the error:
  
  DEBUG: Creating an empty ImageProfile for bootbank /bootbank
• On the Update Manager, you see this error:

• In the /var/log/esxupdate.log file, you see entries similar to:
  
  esxupdate: esxupdate: ERROR: An esxupdate error exception was caught:
  esxupdate: esxupdate: ERROR: Traceback (most recent call last):
  esxupdate: esxupdate: ERROR: File "/usr/sbin/esxupdate", line 216, in main
  esxupdate: esxupdate: ERROR: cmd.Run()
  esxupdate: esxupdate: ERROR: File "/build/mts/release/bora-469512/bora/build/esx/release/python-2.6-lib-zip-stage/469512/visor/pylib/python2.6/site-packages/vmware/esx5update/Cmdline.py", line 144, in Run
  esxupdate: esxupdate: ERROR: File "/build/mts/release/bora-469512/bora/build/esx/release/python-2.6-lib-zip-stage/469512/visor/pylib/python2.6/site-packages/vmware/esximage/Transaction.py", line 218, in InstallVibsFromSources
  esxupdate: esxupdate: ERROR: File "/build/mts/release/bora-469512/bora/build/esx/release/python-2.6-lib-zip-stage/469512/visor/pylib/python2.6/site-packages/vmware/esximage/Transaction.py", line 122, in GetProfile
  esxupdate: esxupdate: ERROR: InstallationError: (None, 'No image profile is found on the host or image profile is empty. An image profile is required to install or remove VIBs. To install an image profile, use the esxcli image profile install command.')

1. Connect to the ESXi host with an SSH session.
2. Navigate to /vmfs/volumes/ with this command:
   
   cd /vmfs/volumes
    
3. Search for the imgdb.tgz file:
   
   find * | grep imgdb.tgz
   
   Note: This command normally results in two matches. For example:
   
   0ca01e7f-cc1ea1af-bda0-1fe646c5ceea/imgdb.tgz
   edbf587b-da2add08-3185-3113649d5262/imgdb.tgz
    
4. Run this command on each match:
   
   ls -l match_result
   
   For example:
   
   ls -l 0ca01e7f-cc1ea1af-bda0-1fe646c5ceea/imgdb.tgz
   
   -rwx------ 1 root root 26393 Jul 20 19:28 0ca01e7f-cc1ea1af-bda0-1fe646c5ceea/imgdb.tgz
    
5. The default size for the imgdb.tgz file is approximately 26 KB. If one of the files is only a couple of bytes, it indicates that the file is corrupt.

• Rebuild the ESXi host.
• Copy the imgdb.tgz file from a known good ESXi host with the same VIBs, upgrades and Patches.
  
  To copy the imgdb.tgz file from a ESXi host::
  1. On the working ESXi host, copy a imgdb.tgz file by running this command:
     
     cp /bootbank/imgdb.tgz /vmfs/volumes/shared-LUN
      
  2. On the corrupt host, move the imgdb.tgz file to /tmp by running this command:
     
     cp /vmfs/volumes/shared_LUN/imgdb.tgz /tmp
     cd /tmp
     tar -xzf imgdb.tgz
      
  3. Copy profile files to the profile directory by running this command:
     
     cp /tmp/var/db/esximg/profiles/* /var/db/esximg/profiles/
      
  4. Copy VIBs to the VIB repository by running this command:
     
     cp /tmp/var/db/esximg/vibs/* /var/db/esximg/vibs/
      
  5. Remove the corrupt imgdb.tgz from the bootbank by running this command:
     
     rm /bootbank/imgdb.tgz
      
  6. Move the correct imgdb.tgz file into the bootbank by running this command:
     
     cp /tmp/imgdb.tgz /bootbank/
      
  7. Backup configuration changes by running this command:
     
     /sbin/auto-backup.sh
      
  8. Restart the ESXi host.
  9. Attempt to install or patch the host again using vSphere Update Manager.