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RAiseng
Contributor
Contributor

Host Update Utility cannot download patches

I just installed VMWare vSphere Client and VMWare vSphere host update Utility. I have one ESXi 3.5 server and one ESXi 4 server. When I run the vSphere Host Update Utility, a messaga comes up telling me that it need to download patches from the VMWare patch repository in order to activate the patch funcitonality. When I click Yes, I get an error - "An error has occured. Download failed." Host Update Utility is running on 32-bit Win2K3. I turned off proxy, but that didn't help. There doesn't seem to be any logs to give me a more descriptive error.

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AndreTheGiant
Immortal
Immortal

Check in your proxy log to see if VUM is trying to make the download.

Do you have some content filter check in your proxy?

Andre

Andrew | http://about.me/amauro | http://vinfrastructure.it/ | @Andrea_Mauro
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sanderss
Contributor
Contributor

I got the same problem. Did you find a solution for this?

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kooltechies
Expert
Expert

Look at this thread

http://communities.vmware.com/message/1308326

Thanks,

Samir

P.S : If you think that the answer is helpful please consider rewarding points.

Blog : http://thinkingloudoncloud.com || Twitter : @kooltechies || P.S : If you think that the answer is correct/helpful please consider rewarding points.
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AndrewHarlan
Contributor
Contributor

I'm having the same problem....and no, sadly it's not a proxy configuration error. It just doesn't work, and I ran out of ideas :smileygrin:

Anyone had luck fixing this?

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sanderss
Contributor
Contributor

I had the same problem with update host utility. And it was not a proxy problem to me either. I have read thru all the forums and they have only discussed its a proxy problem but I think it must be some other problem with. But I suggest you use the VMware Speher CLI and update your host with the vihostupdate.pl if you use esxi 4.0 or vihostupdate35.pl if you use esxi 3.5. I think it will be faster to use the CLi instead of finding the solution why update host utility work. I guess it will come a new version for it soon. If you need help with CLI just contact me.

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sanderss
Contributor
Contributor

I didnt find a solution in that thread its not a proxy problem for me. We have never used proxy at other company. Can I post a bug ticket to vmware?

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AndrewHarlan
Contributor
Contributor

So, any of you guys are using a non-english version of Windows XP/2003 to try the Host Update Utility?

I tried installing it on one english-version Win2k3 and NOW it appears to be working, I think it has some hardcoded paths somewhere.

Hope it helps you guys.

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Sreejesh_D
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Try the following steps...

1. Open the vHUU config file "settings.config", its located in the vHUU installation folder. Eg:- E:\Program Files\vmware\Infrastructure\VIUpdate 4.0\

2. And set the value for the tag <add key="ProxyServer" value="" />.

Eg: <add key="ProxyServer" value="proxy.test.com:3128" />.

3. Restart vHUU and select Yes from the message "Download Patches from VMware".

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanx!

Regards,

Sreejesh

Sreejesh_D
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

If you find this or any other answer useful please consider awarding points by marking the answer correct or helpful.

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KEPete
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I believe you might be having the same issue I did when I first upgraded my 3.5i to 4.0i. That message you are getting, if it's related to what I've experienced, will only happen when the Host Update Utility detects anything lower than a 4.0 host. You can still use it to apply the upgrade from the zip file, but you have to just ignore the option to download patches and manually upload the zip. After all of your hosts in the environment is 4.0, then the update downloads should work. At least that is how it was for me.

RAiseng
Contributor
Contributor

In my case, the proxy is blocking the download site. Where is the Host Update Utility download its updates from? vwmare.com and downloads.vmware.com are not blocked by my proxy.

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KEPete
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

It appears to be here: "https://hostupdate.vmware.com/software/VUM/PRODUCTION/index.xml" according to the settings.config. Unless I'm reading the wrong file...

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RobertoRosa
Contributor
Contributor

Yeah Andrew,

You're right. It's NOT a PROXY problem. People here keep saying that, but it's NOT a PROXY related problem. I'm using a Brazilian Portuguese XP version , and it just doesn't work. BUT, using an English (American) XP version works ok. The thing is: I just used an English version to test. I don't have a license for that, and don't wanna have one either.

VMware should fix this, as they have customers all over the world - not just in countries that speak English. This problem is related to parsing XML files - it just can't parse the files, maybe because some .NET or Windows specific language issue.

Although the log file says "download error", I repeat (to be VERY clear): it's NOT a PROXY related problem - the "download error" message is "generic" and is quite obvious: if you can't process the file (due to XML parsing errors), the patches won't be downloaded !

I can confirm Andrew's solution - VIU works only in English XP versions. I don't know about Windows 2003, Vista and stuff, because I haven't tested VIU on these OSes. All computers in the building are using XP, and upgrading to Vista is NOT a solution - that kind of solution would be ridiculous. I hope not to hear that from someone at VMware...

I'm attaching the VIU log. We are using ESX4i here, on a Dell PowerEdge 840, with 8 Gb RAM. If someone needs more detail, just post here.

Regards,

Roberto

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deejinoz
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Roberto,

I'm using English (Australian) as the language for my OS and I'm still having the same problem. There is a possibility that there are different causes with the same symptoms with this one. Unless the XML parsing you are referring to is specific about the OS having to be set to English (United States)!?

This thread seems to have gone cold, so I'm off to see if others are still experiencing this problem (in English! :smileyshocked:) ...

Regards,

David

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bajt
Contributor
Contributor

Hi all, seems that for Update Utility is problem an unicode character in application data user profile path as "Application Data"  which is different in each MS Windows XP localisation.

SOLUTION:

I only opened settings file "settings.config" located in vUU install directory and change tag "LocalDepot" value to C:\VMware\VMware VI Update\ instead of original location in default user profile (mostly path string include an unicode character what is the base point of the problem) .

Do not forget to create new Local Depot directory path and restart vUU App.

It´s work for me.

p.s. look´s like any value string from the config file cannot be include an unicode character, so you may have to change all the values from config file, ​​that will contain Unicode character

Sry for me english. TY

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