VUM on vSphere Failed to download updates

[ShaneWendel]

I'm getting this message suddenly:

VMware vCenter Update

Manager had an unknown

failure. Check Tasks

and Events tab and logs

for more details.

What logs do I need to look at to find this error? Anyone else currently having issues downloading patches?

-

---

Shane Wendel, VCP

http://fatalsync.wordpress.com

[petkom]

Hi Shane,

go to VUM -> Configuration -> Patch Download Settings and try to find which exactly url is broken. Select them one by one and use Download Now button. If it fails for all of them you should look at the network configuration, proxies, DNSes, etc.

[Dr_Whom]

I'm having the same problem.

The Test Connection button shows I can get to and , but when I try to pick up v4 patches at , VUM fails.

Just typing the URL into Internet Explorer 8 gives me a 404 error (not found). Has the page been moved?

[Dr_Whom]

Correction, the url is

and it does open in the browser when I spell it correctly.

[petkom]

add this url as a single patch source and check test the connection - if it doesn't succeeds then check your connection - if it is OK then should be something related to VUM or the patch source itself

[Dr_Whom]

I tried adding the URL in the Add Patch Source popup, but it said the URL already existed. However, when I pressed the Validate URL button on that same popup, it said "Connected." So reaching the source isn't the problem.

What would be next on the troubleshooting list?

[Dr_Whom]

Would this have anything to do with running in Evaluation Mode?

[jaspain]

Does anybody have any additional thoughts on this issue?

I don't think it relates to evaluation mode, as my copy of vCenter server is licensed, and I get the same error message every time I attempt to download patch definitions.

It may be worth noting that despite this error, my Update Manager > Admin View > Patch Repository tab shows a lengthy list of patches including 14 for ESX 4.0.0, which is, I believe, all that there are. I was able to successfully remediate all of my ESX 4 hosts as well.

Finally I have a case open with VMware support on this issue. No resolution as yet.

[jaspain]

I found one possible explanation for this problem. I'm using the vCenter Mobile Access appliance. It is described at and available for download at http://communities.vmware.com/community/beta/vcmobileaccess. This appliance is built with VMware Tools for ESX 3.5, which are therefore out of date with ESX 4. The release notes for VMware Update Manager v4 b162871 () describe a known issue that may relate to this:

VMware Tools Upgrade Remediation Might Fail with a Misleading Event Error Message
When you try to upgrade VMware Tools on a virtual machine with no installed VMware Tools, the remediation fails with a misleading error message:<code>VMware vCenter Update Manager had an unknown failure. Check Tasks and Events tab and logs for more details.</code>Update Manager does not support VMware Tools upgrade for virtual machines on which VMware Tools is not installed.

In my case the "unknown failure" error occurs every time the VMware Update Manager attempts to download patch updates. There are always three associated messages in the event log:

1. Task: Download Patch Definitions (info)

2. Repository address not set for virtual appliance vCenter Mobile Access, it doesn't support updates by VC. (error)

3. Failed to scan vCenter Mobile Access for VA upgrades (error)

When the vCenter Mobile access appliance is shut down, the "unknown failure" error does not occur and the patch definition download succeeds.

Shane, I wonder in your case if you have any virtual machines with VMware Tools that are either out of date or not installed at all? If so, does shutting down those VMs or installing/upgrading the VMware tools mitigate the problem?

Jeff.

[jaspain]

I was able to upgrade the VMware Tools in the vCenter Mobile Access appliance to the ESX 4 version. Unfortunately this did not solve the "unknown failure" with each attempt to download patch definition updates. Nor did removing the VMware tools altogether. The only way I have found to prevent this error is to shut down the vCenter Mobile Access appliance. My sense at this point is that this is a defect in the VMware Update Manager. I have a tech support case open, but no resolution as yet. Jeff.

[Dr_Whom]

Support was able to resolve my issue.

Look in the file Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\Update Manager\vci-integrity.xml

and check that the line that looks like "<patchStore>C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware Update Manager\Data\</patchStore>"

actually points to a directory that exists.

[FrostByte_VA]

I am having a similar issue with Update Manager and vcmobile. By shutting down the VM, I was able to get the new patches.

Per the <patchStore> refrence, I do have a valid directory specified, I believe...

<patchStore>D:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware Update Manager\Data\</patchStore>

I did install to the D drive by default so vCenter made this directory for me.

[NWP_Tom]

I'm seeing the exact same thing as you.

If I shutdown the VC Mobile access app the patch download works. If it's running, the patch download errors:

Task: Download Patch Definitions

Repository address not set for virtual appliance vCenter Mobile Access, it doesn't support updates by VC

Failed to scan vCenter Mobile Access for VA upgrades

Hopefully this will be resolved in a future patch.

[jaspain]

On my system, vci-integrity.xml contains the line:

<patchStore>C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware Update Manager\Data\</patchStore>

and this is in fact the existing directory where downloaded patches are being stored.

Based on the error message I am getting "Repository address not set for virtual appliance vCenter Mobile Access, it doesn't support updates by VC. (error)", my hypothesis is that the VMware web site from which patches are normally downloaded isn't properly configured to handle the vCenter Mobile Access appliance. Or perhaps there is some additional configuration needed in VMware Update Manager to tell it how to handle patches, or the lack thereof, for the vCenter Mobile Access appliance.

In any event, as things stand, the VMware Update Manager certainly isn't failing gracefully and isn't being particularly informative in its error messages. I still have a case open with VMware Tech Support, and will post to this thread any additional information or resolution that they provide. Thanks. Jeff.

[FrostByte_VA]

According to a message I got from NWP_Tom, this is a known issue and "Hopefully this will be resolved in a future patch."

[anujmodi1]

What is apprx time for this patch....

Anuj Modi,

If you found my answer to be useful, feel free to mark it as Helpful or Correct.

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