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mplubratt
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After update, ESX Server 3i will not auto-start VMs

Hello!

I'm running ESX Server 3i, 3.5.0 and recently updated to build 158869. I have 5 VMs set in VIC for auto-start. Up until the last two updates, the auto-start happens without a problem when ESX is restarted. Lately, however, I've had to manually restart my 5 VMs after starting ESX.

Has anyone else run into this problem? There aren't any messages on any of the Event tabs for the VMs in VI Client. Since I'm running the free version, I don't have a CLI either.

I've tried turning off all of the auto-starts, rebooting, then restoring all of the auto-starts and rebooting - no luck. I've also tried toggling maintenance mode - no luck.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Mark

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Dave_Mishchenko
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I tried it with a system that was Update 3 --> patched to Update 4 and now patched to the latest and the autostart option is still working OK. I presume your auto start setting are still configured.

Autostart log data will be in /var/log/vmware/hostd.log. In the log you should see

Datastore alias configuration file is /etc/vmware/hostd/datastores.xml

VM autostart configuration: /etc/vmware/hostd/vmAutoStart.xml

Could not establish init directory for service vmware-vpxa

followed later by start tasks.

Task Created : haTask--vim.host.AutoStartManager.autoPowerOn-6

Task Created : haTask-80-vim.VirtualMachine.powerOn-7

Event 5 : vima-ovf-124830 on host localhost.localdomain in ha-datacenter is starting

State Transition (VM_STATE_OFF -> VM_STATE_POWERING_ON)

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mplubratt
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Thanks, David.

I found the first part of the log files:

Datastore alias configuration file is /etc/vmware/hostd/datastores.xml

VM autostart configuration: /etc/vmware/hostd/vmAutoStart.xml

Could not establish init directory for service vmware-vpxa

However, I couldn't find anything from the TaskManager regarding AutoStartManager.

I have a LOT of these:

: User root

Event 4 : Failed to login user root@127.0.0.1: No permission

Activation : Invoke done on

Throw vim.fault.NoPermission

Result:

(vim.fault.NoPermission) {

dynamicType = ,

object = 'vim.Folder:ha-folder-root',

privilegeId = "System.View",

msg = ""

}

So, I don't know if it's not starting, or what the problem may be...

But, If I search all of the hostd logs, I only find the one reference to 'AutoStartManager' (above).

Any other ideas?

Thanks!

Mark

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mplubratt
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Problem solved.

I'm running my ESXi system all by itself. As a security precaution, I enabled Lockdown Mode. Apparently if the system isn't part of a VirtualCenter, this can cause problems. I disabled Lockdown Mode and everything is now working as it should.

-Mark

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