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mattjk
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

BIG bug in ESX 3.5 Update 2 - If you're using 3.5u2 read this now! - A general system error occurred: Internal Error

The express patches have been posted. This thread is long.

Please post technical experiences here and non-technical feedback here. --JohnTroyer

Hi all,

We've just encountered a serious bug with our ESX cluster - serious enough that I thought I should post about it here as a prior warning for others running ESX 3.5 Update 2.

The VMWare tech support person we spoke to wouldn't 100% confirm whether this was / would be affecting all ESX3.5u2 installs, but he strongly alluded that it was widespread. For others sake I hope I'm wrong and it's limited.

The bug:

Starting this morning, we could not power on nor VMotion any of our Virtual Machines. The VI Client threw the error "A general system error occurred: Internal Error".

Further digging lead us to messages like this one in /var/log/vmware/hostd.log, and the log file for any virtual machine we tried to power on or VMotion:

Aug 12 10:40:10.792: vmx| This product has expired.

Aug 12 10:40:10.792: vmx| Be sure that your host machine's date and time are set correctly.

Aug 12 10:40:10.792: vmx| There is a more recent version available at the VMware Web site: "http://www.vmware.com/info?id=4".

A call to tech support confirmed this as a known problem with a temporary workaround.

The work-around:

Turn off NTP (if you're using it), and then manually set the date of all ESX 3.5u2 hosts back to 10th of August. This can be done either through the VI Client (Host -> Configuration -> Time Configuration) or by typing date -s "08/10/2008" at the Service Console command line on the ESX hosts.

As soon as the date was reset to the 10th - problem solved.

Note that running VMs were operating fine, this only seems to affect initial VM power-on (including from suspended state) and VMotion.

So, it sounds like a serious licensing bug has crept into 3.5u2. Further testing shows that the problem begins as soon as the date hits 12th August - 10th is fine, 11th is fine, 12th and the problem appears.

There wasn't any real reference to similar problems in the forums as far as I could see, but it's quite possible we're seeing this before most of the rest of the world as we're in Australia, and therefore the date here ticked over to the 12th "before" those in Europe, America, etc.

Hope this helps others... took us a couple of hours to get this far - at least we can power on VMs again though!

Cheers,

Matt Kilham

Stratton Car Finance

Message was edited by: JohnTroyer to add new thread links.

Cheers, Matt
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mcowger
Immortal
Immortal

I have an open SR for this, and will get back to you on VMware's findings.

--Matt

--Matt VCDX #52 blog.cowger.us
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admin
Immortal
Immortal

Dear VMware Customers,

In addition to the express patch and the re-issued ESX/ESXi 3.5 Update 2 release, we now have an alternative installation process for customers who haven't applied either to hosts that were affected by the product expiration issue.

Below are the details we list at http://www.vmware.com/landing_pages/esxexpresspatches.html:

*Known VMware ESX 3.5 Update 2 Express Patch Installation Challenges

The following message is applicable ONLY for customers who had installed the impacted release of ESX 3.5 Update 2 (build number 103908), but not yet applied the express patch.

We are aware that you may encounter the following challenges installing the express patches needed to correct the problem:

  • Internal change control procedures

  • No available server to VMotion running VM's onto

  • Unable to schedule a maintenance window

If you experience one of the challenges listed above, please contact your support provider and indicate you need assistance with the U2 Alternative Install Process (U2 AIP). The support team can assist customers with this alternative installation procedure.

Thank you,

The VMware ESX Product Team

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dipaksharma
Contributor
Contributor

Hi All,

I am running ESXi 3.5 Update 2 and would like to apply the patch that was release. I have downloaded the patch from this link[http://www.vmware.com/go/esxiu2patch081208]

The problem is i do not know how do i install this patch. I read on the forum that i need Update manager, but i do not have that software. Also, please note i am using the free version as i am portioning only one single server.

Please advice how i do install this patch.

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

D

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kstailey
Contributor
Contributor

Author : dipaksharma

Profile : http://communities.vmware.com/people/dipaksharma

Message:

http://...

I read on the forum that i need Update manager, but i do not have that

software.

http://...

When you install ESX (or just boot it once it has been installed it puts a

URL (http://blah..) on the console (monitor)

On a Windows system put that URL in a browser and a page will come up with a

link to the Windows-only software.

If you are running a Mac or Linux or Solaris or HP-UX or BSD or VMS or ITS

or TOPS-20 system feel free to go all http://tinyurl.com/323g9h about it.

Thanks,

Ken

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dipaksharma
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Guys,

I did have a look at the URL and i am attaching the screen shot (image_2) here. I am also attaching another screen shot (image_1) that shows what ESX server i am running.

Can you please advice how can i install the patch with the setup that i have?

Thank in advance.

Regards,

D

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