VMware Communities: Unable to start VMWare VirtualCenter Server service.

Reply Re: Unable to start VMWare VirtualCenter Server service. Apr 12, 2007 3:46 PM

in response to: ITThies

mnasir 136 posts since
Jan 31, 2007

Guys,

I had the same issue, here how to fix it:

Server: Windows 2003 Ent. SP
DB: sql 2000 SP4
Env: VC and License server installed with my account ( member of Domain Admins)

* After that just rerun the whole setup, it may give you warning that it will over write Virtual Center database, make sure you select "Yes"

It will work,
I did it several times, it worked all the time.

Reply Re: Unable to start VMWare VirtualCenter Server service. May 22, 2007 8:04 AM

in response to: mnasir

mnasir 136 posts since
Jan 31, 2007

I update to 2.0.1.4064, it handles connection with Remote sql db much better.

Reply Re: Unable to start VMWare VirtualCenter Server service. Sep 9, 2007 2:32 PM

JonsInferno 1 posts since
Sep 9, 2007

I have this same issue, have SQL 2005 SP2 and the Virtual Center Database running in native 2005 server. Tried virtual all the suggestions here, I even uninstalled the Dell OpenManage application as it runs on 443 - no luck. Anyone have any other suggestions?

Reply Re: Unable to start VMWare VirtualCenter Server service. Sep 11, 2007 4:54 AM

sasser 9 posts since
Jul 30, 2007

I have the same problem, here is my solution:

The problem is the same TCPIP Port with another webside. Show the vpxd-x.log for this entry -> http proxy failed on port 80:
Show IIS Manager for used Website Ports. Reinstall VC Management Server and use free Ports for VMWARE and now the service starts.

Bye and thanks for all helpers !!! This forum are great.

Reply Re: Unable to start VMWare VirtualCenter Server service. Dec 23, 2007 10:40 AM

in response to: ITThies

lascer 3 posts since
Dec 23, 2007

sasser: I had a similar issue, after installing virtual center the service won't start. I used your solution, it has worked in my case. Thanks!

Reply Re: Unable to start VMWare VirtualCenter Server service. Dec 25, 2007 10:07 PM

in response to: lascer

Andi65 1 posts since
Mar 9, 2007

I had this Error after upgrading to ESX 3.5 / VC 2.5. Directly after the update (without a restart of the server) everything works fine. Then i did a restart of the machine (w2k3 german version) wich hosts the VC. Then the Error in the Eventlog is the following: "Failed to intialize VMware VirtualCenter. Shutting down...."

The vpxd-x.log says:
Log for VMware VirtualCenter, pid=3936, version=2.5.0, build=build-64192, option=Release, section=2
~~2007-12-26 06:01:23.484 'App' 3964 info~~ Current working directory: C:\WINDOWS\system32
~~2007-12-26 06:01:23.484 'BaseLibs' 3964 info~~ HOSTINFO: Seeing Intel CPU, numCoresPerCPU 1 numThreadsPerCore 2.
~~2007-12-26 06:01:23.484 'BaseLibs' 3964 info~~ HOSTINFO: numPhysCPUs is 0, bumping to 1.
~~2007-12-26 06:01:23.484 'BaseLibs' 3964 info~~ HOSTINFO: numCores is 0, bumping to 1.
~~2007-12-26 06:01:23.484 'BaseLibs' 3964 info~~ HOSTINFO: This machine has 1 physical CPUS, 1 total cores, and 1 logical CPUs.
~~2007-12-26 06:01:23.484 'App' 3964 info~~ Log path: C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\All Users\Anwendungsdaten\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\Logs
~~2007-12-26 06:01:23.546 'App' 3964 info~~ Initializing SSL
~~2007-12-26 06:01:27.562 'BaseLibs' 3964 info~~ Using system libcrypto, version 90709F
~~2007-12-26 06:01:29.562 'App' 3964 info~~ Vmacore::InitSSL: doVersionCheck = true, handshakeTimeoutUs = 120000000
~~2007-12-26 06:01:29.796 'App' 3964 info~~ Starting VMware VirtualCenter 2.5.0 build-64192
~~2007-12-26 06:01:29.796 'App' 3964 info~~ Account name: SYSTEM
~~2007-12-26 06:01:29.796 'App' 3964 info~~ VpxOsLayer Enabled low-frag process heap.

~~2007-12-26 06:01:29.812 'App' 3964 info~~ VpxOsLayer Enabled low-frag crt heap.

~~2007-12-26 06:01:29.859 'App' 3964 info~~ VpxLRO 34 max LROs
~~2007-12-26 06:01:29.875 'App' 3964 info~~ VpxLRO 6 reserved internal LROs
~~2007-12-26 06:01:29.875 'App' 3964 info~~ VpxLRO 6 reserved blocker LROs
~~2007-12-26 06:01:29.875 'App' 3964 info~~ VpxLRO 6 reserved short LROs
~~2007-12-26 06:01:29.875 'App' 3964 info~~ VpxLRO 4 reserved long LROs
~~2007-12-26 06:01:29.875 'App' 3964 info~~ VpxLRO 600-second task lifetime
~~2007-12-26 06:01:37.281 'BaseLibs' 3964 warning~~ VpxdOsLayer Couldn't read registry entry vmdbPort
~~2007-12-26 06:01:37.281 'BaseLibs' 3964 warning~~ VpxdOsLayer Couldn't read registry entry managedIP
~~2007-12-26 06:01:37.343 'App' 3964 info~~ VpxdMoOptionManager Invoking callbacks for key vpxd.npivWwnGeneration.singleNodeWwn
~~2007-12-26 06:01:37.359 'App' 3964 info~~ VpxdMoOptionManager Invoking callbacks for key vpxd.npivWwnGeneration.portWwnNumber
~~2007-12-26 06:01:37.937 'App' 3964 error~~ VpxdMain Failed to initialize: not well-formed (invalid token)
~~2007-12-26 06:01:37.937 'App' 3964 error~~ Failed to intialize VMware VirtualCenter. Shutting down...
~~2007-12-26 06:01:37.937 'App' 3964 info~~ Forcing shutdown of VMware VirtualCenter now

I think its not a port-problem. Has anyone a hint how i can solve this problem?

Greetings Andi

Reply Re: Unable to start VMWare VirtualCenter Server service. Dec 26, 2007 6:06 AM

in response to: Andi65

bludden 22 posts since
Oct 6, 2005

I just wanted to pass along that I got this problem after the long holiday weekend, the service-specific error 2...but I could successfully connect to the VC database with the SQL user and all that so it was not a permissions issue.

After tracing back the errors to the first occurence, I found a Transaction Log full error so had do some SQL maintenance (well actually the DBA had to do it

) so check that as well for this error! Thanks to all for the interesting reading -

Brian

Reply Re: Unable to start VMWare VirtualCenter Server service. Dec 26, 2007 6:19 AM

in response to: bludden

lascer 3 posts since
Dec 23, 2007

A friend of mine got a similar issue after upgrading ESX to 3.5, the VirtualCenter won't start. He told me that in their case it turned out that the service virtual center service on the windows server was configured to start as local system, after changing the logon credential of the virtual center service on windows server to admin he was able to get the virtual center to start.

Reply Re: Unable to start VMWare VirtualCenter Server service. Mar 25, 2008 3:27 PM

in response to: mnasir

airborneric 2 posts since
Mar 15, 2007

Believe it or not - I stopped the default web service and it started right up. Purely on a whim......weird.

Reply Re: Unable to start VMWare VirtualCenter Server service. Mar 25, 2008 4:23 PM

in response to: airborneric

tom howarth 7,299 posts since
Jul 25, 2005 Moderator

that is because VC uses TomCat and does not co-exist well with IIS, I would disable your IIS service so that you do not get the same issue on a reboot.

Tom Howarth
VMware Communities User Moderator

Reply Re: Unable to start VMWare VirtualCenter Server service. May 5, 2008 10:55 AM

in response to: markok

pacorabane 11 posts since
Mar 5, 2008

I have the same problem. i had rename my virtualcenter server, since i can't start the virtualcenter service. Inthe vpxd-xxx.log i see that it is a problem of connecting to database. I have a MSDE database.

Reply Re: Unable to start VMWare VirtualCenter Server service. Jun 23, 2008 3:32 PM

lalo_llanos 1 posts since
Feb 5, 2008

I need help

I am currently running VirtualCenter 2.5 as a Windows 2003 Server Enterprise VM on a VMware Server boxI am currently running VirtualCenter 2.0 as a Windows 2003 Server Enterprise VM on a VMware Server box

The description for Event ID ( 1000 ) in Source ( VMware VirtualCenter Server ) cannot be found. The local computer may not have the necessary registry information or message DLL files to display messages from a remote computer. You may be able to use the /AUXSOURCE= flag to retrieve this description; see Help and Support for details. The following information is part of the event: Failed to intialize VMware VirtualCenter. Shutting down....

Reply Re: Unable to start VMWare VirtualCenter Server service. Error 1000 Aug 14, 2008 3:51 PM

in response to: lalo_llanos

SafetyMan 22 posts since
Oct 30, 2006

Currently I created and started a maintenance job using the SQL 2000 (sp4) Database Maintenance Plan to see if the database is corrupt of not properly indexed.

The job does the following:

Integrity Checks/ Optimizations(reindexes the tables)/ Database Backup/Transaction Log Backup

I will see what happens .....

But here is the background information:

Windows 2003 Enterprise Server: Service Pack 2 v.4035
SQL SERVER 2000 version 8.00.2039 (SP4)
Virtual Center Installed from VMware-VIMSetup-2.5.0-64201

Virtual Center was at 2.0 until an upgrade in March 2008 to 2.5.0-64201
I have rebooted the VC several times since...but when I tried to log into it
just today(yes, yesterday it worked). Found out the service was not started

The server is hosted on it's own WorkGroup and the name has never changed, nor
has the ip addresses or really nothing at all.

SEARCH:
Vmware VirtualCenter Server does not start Event ID 1000
Vmware virtualCenter Server Event ID ( 1000 )
Vmware virtualCenter Server Event ID 1000
Vmware virtualCenter Server Event ID 1000 AUXSOURCE= flag

Event Type: Error
Event Source: VMware VirtualCenter Server
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1000
Date: 8/14/2008
Time: 4:13:32 PM
User: N/A
Computer: SCVMCENTER1
Description:
The description for Event ID ( 1000 ) in Source ( VMware VirtualCenter Server ) cannot be found. The local computer may not have the necessary registry information or message DLL files to display messages from a remote computer. You may be able to use the /AUXSOURCE= flag to retrieve this description; see Help and Support for details. The following information is part of the event: Failed to intialize VMware VirtualCenter. Shutting down....

==============================================================================================

One hit but not the answer for me.

our sql server is up to date (sql 2000 with SP4 and authentication works fine)
http://communities.vmware.com/message/457617#457617

==============================================================================================
another hit: check the log files,

Ok I check the logs files and also ran a backup on the database.
Our sql server as unlimited log files and the database files can grow to more than 20 gig
Currently it is at 278MB in size.

Right now space available is at 160 MB...
http://communities.vmware.com/thread/36941;jsessionid=61150D2CC70E004F347253A0A52DFEBA?tstart=0

==============================================================================================
Another hit: the server was renamed. ( I did not rename the server)
http://timjacobs.blogspot.com/2008/05/renaming-virtualcenter-25-server.html

==============================================================================================
Another hit: IIS or Reporting Services was also installed which caused the problem
(no I do not have IIS installed or any other web server installed beside apache)
http://communities.vmware.com/thread/34232;jsessionid=2B64AF3A425B6E99C3F5D1B74C6079C1?tstart=60

==============================================================================================
ATTEMPTED: to user the local administrator account to start the service "VMWARE VirtualCenter Server" service
and it did not start. Same error message
reference:
http://communities.vmware.com/thread/49717?tstart=0&start=10

Thanks,

Doug Lubey of Louisiana

www.douglubey.com

Reply Re: Unable to start VMWare VirtualCenter Server service. Error 1000 Aug 15, 2008 7:08 AM

in response to: Andi65

SafetyMan 22 posts since
Oct 30, 2006

After various attempts to use my previous install version and updates from March 2008....only the newest update worked. Things are back to normal...and I even did 2 reboots after it was installed to make sure the new installation and verison to stay...

*****In other words...just install the this patch(w/o overwritting the database ...just upgrade it) and everything will be back to normal...By doing this you will save yourself 3 hours of research*****

OK-UPDATE and fixed at 7:16pm on 8/14/2008

VMWARE VIRTUAL CENTER UPDATE 2 (2.5 Update 2 - 7/25/2008) build 104263 seemed to fix the problem. This version also upgraded the database(in other words I choose not to overwrite the old database) and it seemed to work just fine. So after 3 hours of research and trying to use the reinstall using the current version I had previously downloaded. This new update did the trick.

Again Error reference: The description for Event ID ( 1000 ) in Source ( VMware VirtualCenter Server ) cannot be found. The local computer may not have the necessary registry information or message DLL files to display messages from a remote computer. You may be able to use the /AUXSOURCE= flag to retrieve this description; see Help and Support for details. The following information is part of the event: Failed to intialize VMware VirtualCenter. Shutting down....

Doug Lubey of Louisiana http://www.douglubey.com/

Another related thread I posted to is located here:

http://communities.vmware.com/message/1024596

Reply Re: Unable to start VMWare VirtualCenter Server service. Error 1000 Aug 25, 2008 9:44 PM

in response to: SafetyMan

rgv75 50 posts since
Nov 30, 2007

I just want to pitch in. I had the same problem whereby I was getting Error 2 when trying to start the Vmware VirtualCenter Service and I get a "Failed to initialize: not well-formed" error in the log. I updated to VC 2.5 Update 2 as well and that fixed my problem. I reinstalled VC three times and it didn't fix it, so that true solution thus far has been using VC 2.5 Update 2.

With the recent problem where by ESX Update 2 caused VMs to expire on 8/12/08, plus this one with the VC, it seems like Citrix XenServer keeps getting more and more of a better solution for me. I hope Vmware will improve their Quality Control and Patch Management testing to avoid future problems like this!

This Question is Possibly Answered

Currently I created and started a maintenance job using the SQL 2000 (sp4) Database Maintenance Plan to see if the database is corrupt of not properly indexed.

The job does the following:

Integrity Checks/ Optimizations(reindexes the tables)/ Database Backup/Transaction Log Backup

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