vCenter fails to start after DR recovery from full backup

[KenMCC]

Had a working vCenter and did DR backup with Symantec Backup Exec.

Restored the backup to a different drive on the same server.

Everything works except vCenter - service is not starting:

The description for Event ID 1000 from source VMware VirtualCenter Server cannot be found. Either the component that raises this event is not installed on your local computer or the installation is corrupted. You can install or repair the component on the local computer.
If the event originated on another computer, the display information had to be saved with the event.
The following information was included with the event:
Error getting configuration info from the database
the message resource is present but the message is not found in the string/message table

The VMware VirtualCenter Server service terminated with service-specific error The system cannot find the file specified..

The service specific error is 2.

I have search and these are common error issues, but the solutions do not seem to work for me.

My next step is probably to R&R the vCenter software, but I would rather not if someone has an idea here.  This needs to be part of by DR process.

Thanks.

[vmroyale]

Hello and welcome to the communities.

Note: Discussion successfully moved from VMware vCenter™ Server to Backup & Recovery

Had a working vCenter and did DR backup with Symantec Backup Exec.

Was the backup a file-level backup or a full VM image? Sounds like it might have been a file-level.

Restored the backup to a different drive on the same server.

Can you describe the restore process you used?

Everything works except vCenter - service is not starting:

What is "everything" here? Where is your db located - same machine?

[KenMCC]

Thanks for your reply:

Yes it was a file level backup - Symantec Simplified DR with a full backup of C and system state.

I followed the Symantec DR process - boot from a recovery image created by BackupExec and full restore.

Everything is the full 2008R2 server, backup exec with its databases and the SQL (express) server. Yes db in on same server.

Of the VMware services: Log browser, USB artitration, vCenter Invetory, vSphere update manager, and vSphere web client start.

[vmroyale]

Start with http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1003926 and see if that helps at all.

[KenMCC]

Thanks.  Working through it - the DSN test fails with my login, but I am not sure what login should be used - System?

In the local groups I see SQLServerSQLAgentUser$xxx$VIN_SQLExp with user NT Service\SQLAgent$VIM_SqlExp (sid)

But I do not see that this user exists on the machine...

[KenMCC]

Spent 1.5 hours with VMware support and they concluded that the database must be corrupted.  Suggestion was to try a restore of the database or R&R vCenter.

I did restore the database and then had to undo some of the changes we made while trying to get things working.  The DSN connector now passes the test, but the server still does not start :smileycry:

Going through the checklist, above, things are looking ok.  I am still not sure about the credentials and whether the SQL users and groups listed in my previous note are required / used.  I guess I can try to create a user with rights and run the service accordingly... will update ..

[KenMCC]

Ongoing...

Discovered that these users are 'virtual users' (new in Server 2008 and Win7) for services.  Creating them did not allow me to get vc working.

Resorted to uninstall and reinstall but tried to keep existing database. Reinstall of vCenter failed in creating directory services instance; had to restore original vpxd.cfg file and get rights to it and then the reinstall completed.  SQL_Agent for VIM_SQLEXP waas then able to start!

SSO did not connect to AD (why does it try to discover the whole forest?)  Tried to fix by logging into web client as local admin, but the SSL chain is broken - found the issue with this and replaced with old SSL certificate. That was nice and easy, but now the web client cannot connect to the vCenter SSO - looks like a registration caveat with 5.1 on reinstall.  After following this (http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=2033620&sl...) instruction to register vCenter I get an "Internal Error / 254".  Now the SSL chain is broken again. :smileyangry:

I sure am glad this is not important.