vCenter 6.5 U1 installation fail with vAPI and 1603

[kcen]

Struggling with vCenter 6.5 U1 installation in a lab environment.  This is a fresh Windows install, just the Windows OS.  Fresh vCenter install (not an upgrade).  Installation persistently produces 2 errors.

Error 1

Error: An error occurred while starting service 'vapi-endpoint'. Failed to start the vAPI Endpoint Service. Failed to configure vAPI Endpoint Service at the firstboot time. Please file a bug against VAPI. (only option is to click OK)

Error 2

Installation of component vcsservicemanager failed with error code 1603

The server environment and steps tried
1.  Windows 2012 R2 Standard, .Net 3.5 and .Net 4.5 features are installed (Windows firewall disabled, no Antivirus)

2.  Ran Windows update and reboot until there is no more updates available

3.  Server is in workgroup setting, not joined to AD (the installation doc doesn't state AD is a requirement, aware of some features may not work)

4.  VM with 16GB ram, 4 processors at 2.5Ghz. 100GB SSD, 2 NICS (1 facing the Internet and 1 facing private network)

5.  Computer name and FQDN names are the same.  Server name is VC651, FQDN name is VC651.domain.com.  The FQDN resolves over DNS forward lookup
6.  Netsh shows 3 IPV4 adapters, loopback, Ethernet0 and Ethernet1

7.  Tried IPV6 checked and unchecked with installation, makes no difference

8.  SSO password does not contain restricted characters (no -, ?, _, (, =, !,,)

9.  Installation is embedded, everything on the same server, using all installation defaults (options and ports)

10.  UAC is disabled

11.  Launched the installer with Run-As-Administrator

12. Attempted installation with Local System Account, same errors
13. Attempted installation with an Admin account (with logon batch service right) with full administrator privilege, same errors

15. Windows installer is in manual start mode, but the service itself is in started state

16. Schtasks shows Windows Scheduler task is running

17. One of the VMWare resolution article states to modify "Software Restriction Policies" section in the group/machine policy and allow permissions for Java.  There is no software restriction policy defined on the server, not sure if this is applicable

I am sure someone out there has successful installations.  Your help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

-Ken

[Camero]

>5.  Computer name and FQDN names are the same.  Server name is VC651, FQDN name is VC651.domain.com.  The FQDN resolves over DNS forward lookup

Can you confirm the reverse lookup works for IP to FQDN ?

please make sure the reverse lookup returns the IP

Documentation: DNS Requirements for vCenter Server and Platform Services Controller on Windows

Windows requirements: vCenter Server for Windows Requirements

[kcen]

Hi Camero

Thanks for the reply.  I did come across on the reverse lookup, but never set it up.  I have updated DNS server so forward lookup and reverse lookup return the same. 

Nslookup vc651.domain.com returns 192.168.1.133, and nslookup 192.168.1.133 returns vc651.domain.com

Performed the installation again, same error....The same vAPI error and 1603 error...

I looked at the logs, can't decipher what went wrong...

Thanks,

-Ken

[Camero · Accepted solution]

Can you check the following logs for any errors and cut paste the error portion

firstbootInfrastructure.log

vMon.log

and any event failures from Event Viewer which has description similar to "Windows cannot log you on because your profile cannot be loaded...." or "Windows cannot copy file..."

and check if the system as the following user profile created "C:\Users\vapiEndpoint"

[kcen]

Hi Camero

By the time I had received your advise, the Windows installation was already blown away and reimaged to a refresh install of Windows, old logs were gone.  However, I did check the C:\users\default folder permissions, it was missing Everyone and users permission.  Updated the correct permissions to the default user folder, ran the installation and it went thru without any errors.

I did, took the time to re-imaged the server again (3rd time), this time - deleted the reverse DNS mapping, leaving only the forward DNS, it also installed fine.  I just wanted to "prove" to the other users that reverse DNS is not required for the installation

Thanks,

-Ken