vSphere 5.5: Problem updating the "Update Manager" to U3e

[haen]

Hello,

we're using a single VCenter server (for a small DEV environment), i.e. all VCenter components on one Windows Server 2008R2.

Last update was a few months ago to U3b.

Today wanted to upgrade to U3e (which is necesary before applying latest updates to ESXi afaik).

The installation went OK for the first few steps:

1. vCenter Single Sign-On

2. vCenter Inventory Service

3. vSphere Web Client

4. vCenter Server

Step 5 was supposed to be the Update Manager, which fails with this strange error message:

Transcribed error message (supporting search):

VMware Workstation unrecoverable error: (vthread-3)

GetProcAddress: Failed to resolve ENGINE_load_aesni: 127

I tried searching the community, KB and also Dr.Goo, but the only references to this specific error message were related to the installing the VCenter client 6.0

https://communities.vmware.com/thread/519724?start=0&tstart=0

I have tried the fixes suggested there already:

I removed the VCenter client, I removed the client integraton plugin, and verified that the specific path

c:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\VMware\VMware Remote Console Plug-in 5.5   is actually gone

And yes, also rebooted the server in the meantime.

Re-attempted the install ... same error message 😞

The VCenter runs as a VM on our vSphere cluster. And for sure there is NO VMWare Workstation ever installed there.

Right now the situation is that VCenter is "working", all services are UP. However this means that 4 components were updated to U3e, but not the update manager, which would still be at level U3b.

I do certainly not want leave it there...

Any ideas?

   Thanks, Herbert

[haen]

Hello,

nobody any ideas?

I tried many things, but still no luck. 😞

I still think that the error message in my original post must be the key. Maybe some kind of "dll" incompatibility?

The error message that follows after the first one (the one with the "GetProcAddress: Failed to resolve ENGINE_load_aesni: 127") also does not bring me further. this seems to be pretty generic.

The only thing that this next error message clarifies is the STEP that fails, it is the registration of the Update Manager. I found also the related entry in the vmist.log. But the error code 25085 doesn't help. It mostly points to unrelated issues, e.g. older versions, the Account not being authorized (account in my case is Administrator@vsphere.local, which has full rights, unrestricted).

VMware Update Manager-build-4118384: 08/19/16 08:28:15 ---------- Begin Logging ----------

VMware Update Manager-build-4118384: 08/19/16 08:28:15 --- CA exec: VMRegisterExtension

VMware Update Manager-build-4118384: 08/19/16 08:28:15 INFO: Reg/UnReg extn command: ["-v <ip-address> -p 80 -U "Administrator@vsphere.local" -P *** -S "C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure\Update Manager\extension.xml" -C "C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure\Update Manager\\" -L "C:\Users\ADMINI~1\AppData\Local\Temp\\" -O extupdate"]

VMware Update Manager-build-4118384: 08/19/16 08:28:15 AppendPath::done Path: C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure\Update Manager\vciInstallUtils.exe

VMware Update Manager-build-4118384: 08/19/16 08:28:15 Found "C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure\Update Manager\vciInstallUtils.exe"

VMware Update Manager-build-4118384: 08/19/16 08:28:21 Process returned 4294967295

VMware Update Manager-build-4118384: 08/19/16 08:28:21 Error:: Other runtime error

VMware Update Manager-build-4118384: 08/19/16 08:28:21 ERROR: VUM registeration with VC failed

VMware Update Manager-build-4118384: 08/19/16 08:28:21 Posting error message 25085

VMware Update Manager-build-4118384: 08/19/16 08:28:23 MsiProcessMessage returned: 1

VMware Update Manager-build-4118384: 08/19/16 08:28:23 ---------- End Logging----------

OK, so next investigation step was to check this "vciInstallUtils.exe".

During the update installation, this executable is installed in a new version, but the new version is the one that throws this error message. I.e. vciInstallUtils.exe does NOT work on my system. I can even check this out by going with the command prompt to the specific location. When I run the old version without parameters, it give a usage output. When the error message is shown, before the rollback starts, I can execute the new version, which give me the error message:

So something is wrong with vciInstallUtils.exe or any of the "libraries" that it includes...

   Kind Regards,

         Herbert

[ph1l1pp · Accepted solution]

Hi, I had the same problem today when I was upgradeing to u3e. Resolved by uninstalling vSphere Client, Update Manager and all installed vSphere Client Update Manager plugins. Then installing the Update Manager and connecting to the existing database and pointing the upate store path to the existing one. And then installing the vsphere client und UM plugin. Now update manager is working again.

[LucianoPatrão]

Hi,

You always uninstall VUM and install again.

[haen]

Thanks for the input.

I guess I was too nervous to uninstall VUM, as it is right now working (despite older version), and if I remove it and then cannot install, I'm stuck without any VUM ... that would be really bad.

BTW: I have updated SW already 3-4 times, starting with U1, then U2x then U2y, then U3b ... each time without removing any SW before the update. Worked each time so far.

But if this worked for you, I will give it a try. Fortunately the machine is a VM, so I can take a snapshot before doing it. Paranoia usually serves well... until Murphy happens anyway.

  Thanks, Herbert

[LucianoPatrão]

Hi,

is just VUM there is no big settings on it. You csn easily install it again.

But for safe side, yes you can do a snapshot.

I have done upgraded many without issues, but also with some issues. And we spend to mutch time fixing when is easy just to uninstall and install it again.

[haen]

OK, thanks again for the tip.

Indeed after uninstalling VUM completely (and also VCenter client and UM plugin), the new installation worked without problem.

[ShaneIRL]

Hi All, I had the same issue upgrading from U2b to U3e. Uninstalled VI Client, VUM Plugins & VUM and reinstalled - fixed the issue. Thanks!

[GeraldoMagellaJ]

Thanks guys for sharing this workaround.

I'm getting really sick with the low effectiveness of VMWare's QA lately. I have done upgrades in the past with no issues, but this is the second upgrade procedure that I go and have issues with Update Manager.
Last time (upgrade to 5.53d), apart for the installation actually not upgrading UM, it didn't update correctly all references on vCenter... the plugin available (installer) was an older version. I had to look for the installer on the ISO and run it from there, the "pseudo-link" on the autorun was completelly off. Impressive how things are going lately.

Anyways. I can confirm that the proposed workaround worked for me as well (removing UM, Vsphere Client and all plugins).

Thanks again.