VMware Horizon Community
Mark808
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

AV 2.12 Error following latest Windows Server update - 'Sync computer "xxx || conflicted 1290" with Active Directory'

I'm running the latest AppVol 2.12 with instant clone VMs and following the January Windows Server Update I see several instances of the error message above in my Pending Actions log.

The Dashboard also reports an increasing Computer Utilization count of Online Computers which no longer exist.

The specific System Messages being generated by AV are:

     Error perform_search (exception Encoding::CompatibilityError): (giving up)

     Job error: Sync Computer #<Thread:0x00000000a7cec0> incompatible character encodings: ASCII-8BIT and UTF-8

Is this a known problem?  Any recommended course of action?

-Mark

25 Replies
fdrietatns
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

What agent version are you running?

I upgraded to 2.12 the other day (have not MS patched for Jan.).

I haven't updated one of our test pools so it's still on 2.11 agent and i'm getting the same messages about those machines. followed by failed syncs because of the '||'.

Could also be AD replication issue. Is your pool set to delete or refresh? Are you re-using computer AD accounts?

I'll post up if i find anything more out.

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fdrietatns
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Looks like a manual sync from AV Manager\Directory\Computers cleared up my observations.

The conflicted machines were still 'Enabled' on my system After the manual sync they show disabled.

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matthiasFF
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I'm seeing the same error Messages. I've issued a ticket with VMWare Support - hoping to get a reply soon.

What language is your Active Directory running? I suspect it's because certain Group names are German in my Environment.

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Mark808
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I have had a trouble ticket open since Monday as well.  No significant contact other than updating logs so far.  Once a solution is reached I will reply back here.

FYI - I am running English so language localization would not be the problem for me.

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anvr
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Same issue here, in a Multi domain environment.

Appvolumes: 2.12.0.70

Horizon View: 7.0.2 (floating pools, composer, delete on logoff.

vCenter: 6.0.0

AD Domain functional level: 2008R2 (english)

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Mark808
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Thanks for the suggestions.

I am exclusively running AV 2.12 clients from the V_212_121516 iso (2.12.0.32U).

I'm using instant-clones and confirmed that the VMs Delete upon user logout.

AD Domain Controller lists the expected active VMs and they seem to be added and deleted in real time as expected.

The Manual Sync you suggested still gives me Status: Failed for Action: Sync Computer, but only for a small few that also appear as Enabled in Directory Computers, but are not spun up in any pool.

In the AV Dashboard under Computer Utilization, my Online Computers count also never decreases.  The vast majority of this count comes from Computers listed as Disabled (in Directory | Computers | Show All).

Still getting "incompatible character encoding" in System Messages which is the most telling.

Hopefully the Trouble ticket I have open with VMware Tec support will result in a fix.  They are combing thru my detailed logs now.

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doddsington
Contributor
Contributor

I opened a case on this as well. In my environment, it's RDS hosts on View 6.2.3 with the issue. It seems to occur when I remove a host from the RDS farm (which deletes the VM and computer account, just like a desktop).

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jahegyi
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I just opened a ticket this morning for the same thing. I am on 2.12.0.74, which is a Hotfix version VMWare provided me last month to fix a whole subset of other issues. Not a peep from them so far besides logs.

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jmatz135
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Does anyone have an update on this?  I am having the same issue.

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Mark808
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I'm still working with Technical Support on this issue.

Is anyone else who is seeing this error message also experiencing occasional instances where AppVol will not take action (or log) a Logon or Logoff event?

FYI - While debugging this issue I learned that that if AppVolumes does not need access to your entire Active Directory tree, limiting the scope of AV searches can eliminate some odd problems.

It did not solve this particular problem for me, but it's probably a good idea to populate this field anyway so you always know where AppVol is looking.

     In AppVolumes Manager.  Under Configuration | Active Directory, specify an appropriate LDAP Base for your environment (as opposed to leaving the field blank).

Other than that.  No update at this time.

-Mark

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doddsington
Contributor
Contributor

I'm still waiting on feedback from engineering on my case as they have not been able to reproduce the issue internally.

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Mark808
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

FYI - I was informed by Technical Support that these specific issues (the "||-Conflicted" activity log message, the ever increasing number of online computers reported in the AppVolumes Manager, and occasional AppStacks failing to attach to the VM), are slated to be fixed in the upcoming AppVolumes 2.12.1 release.

  

Apparently only very a small subset of users who either use AppVolumes and Instant Clones like myself, or linked clones in which the VM is set to immediately delete after logoff, are affected.

Until the 2.12.1 release, if an end user experiences a writable volume, or other AppStack, not attaching at login, the workaround is for the user to logoff, wait for the background processing to finish, and log back on again to a new VM.

-Mark

jmatz135
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Do you happen to know when the 2.12.1 release is supposed to be coming?

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doddsington
Contributor
Contributor

I got the same response today. According to my account peeps, 2.12.1 is supposed to be available in about two weeks.

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anvr
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

28-03 release appvolumes 2.12.1

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jmatz135
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

They had this up on the documentation page for App Volumes supposedly for a release on 03/28, but they removed that on 03/28 so I guess that isn't happening.  I wonder if they'll update anyone on this at some point.

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doddsington
Contributor
Contributor

I got an update today from my account team, it is being delayed again. Maybe next week...

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Mark808
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Last week Tuesday I heard 2.12.1 would be coming out "very soon".  If there aren't further delays, I'm hopeful it will be released ... well ... very soon. 

It won't been soon enough for my environment.  I'm definitely looking forward to it.

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doddsington
Contributor
Contributor

I don't know how confidential the information I've gotten from BCS is, but it is definitely coming. I haven't heard new dates yet, but I'm thinking next week.

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