Virtualcenter server not starting..service hangs on "starting" status

[iainh667]

Hi, I have a problem with a virtualcenter server than I have inherited.

I needed to reboot the VC server this morning, but the virtualcenter server service is stuck on a "Starting" status.  I've attached the log below, but can't see any firm errors.

The VC server uses an Oracle Database held on another server, which I suspect is the problem.  I'm not 100% certain if other Databases are also on the Oracle server, so I'm reluctant to just bounce it.

Any advice would be appreciated.

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Log for VMware VirtualCenter, pid=4604, version=2.5.0, build=build-174768, option=Release, section=2
[2011-03-09 13:19:37.699 'App' 3248 info] Current working directory: C:\WINNT\system32
[2011-03-09 13:19:37.699 'Libs' 3248 info] HOSTINFO: Seeing Intel CPU, numCoresPerCPU 1 numThreadsPerCore 2.
[2011-03-09 13:19:37.699 'Libs' 3248 info] HOSTINFO: This machine has 2 physical CPUS, 2 total cores, and 4 logical CPUs.

[2011-03-09 13:19:37.699 'App' 3248 info] Log path: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\Logs

[2011-03-09 13:19:37.699 'App' 3248 info] Initializing SSL
[2011-03-09 13:19:37.699 'Libs' 3248 info] Using system libcrypto, version 90709F
[2011-03-09 13:19:39.368 'App' 3248 info] Vmacore::InitSSL: doVersionCheck = true, handshakeTimeoutUs = 30000000
[2011-03-09 13:19:39.383 'App' 3248 info] Starting VMware VirtualCenter 2.5.0 build-174768
[2011-03-09 13:19:39.383 'App' 3248 info] Log directory: C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Local Settings\Application Data\VMware\vpx.

[2011-03-09 13:19:39.383 'App' 3248 info] Account name: SYSTEM
[2011-03-09 13:19:39.383 'App' 3248 info] Total virtual memory available for the process 2097024 KB
[2011-03-09 13:19:39.383 'App' 3248 info] [VpxOsLayer] Enabled low-frag process heap.
[2011-03-09 13:19:39.383 'App' 3248 info] [VpxOsLayer] Enabled low-frag crt heap.
[2011-03-09 13:19:39.383 'App' 3248 info] [VpxLRO] 34 max LROs
[2011-03-09 13:19:39.383 'App' 3248 info] [VpxLRO] 6 reserved internal LROs
[2011-03-09 13:19:39.383 'App' 3248 info] [VpxLRO] 6 reserved blocker LROs
[2011-03-09 13:19:39.383 'App' 3248 info] [VpxLRO] 6 reserved short LROs
[2011-03-09 13:19:39.383 'App' 3248 info] [VpxLRO] 4 reserved long LROs
[2011-03-09 13:19:39.383 'App' 3248 info] [VpxLRO] 600-second task lifetime

[alefestaedist]

I would place the services in manual mode, restart the Vc and try to start Vmware services one by one.

Alex

[iainh667]

I've tried that,

- "VMware Enterprise Converter", VMware Capacity Planner" and "VMware Infrastructure Web Access" all start fine.

- "VMware Update service" Hangs on a "Starting" status

- "VMware virtualCenter Server" also hangs on a "Starting" status

[alefestaedist]

Ok I suppose you have to reboot again and just start the virtual server service and NOT the update manager..

I would try to see if any event was thrown too.

Alex

[iainh667]

Okay, managed to fix it.  The root cause was the Oracle server.  I was able to confirm the problem by checking the ODBC (data sources) application and testing the connection.  The application should come back with a response, even if its just an "incorrect login", however ODBC decided to hang, (just like virtualcenter).

I then decided to bounce the Oracle box (restarting the Oracle DB service didn't work for some reason), waited 10 mins and restarted the VC server.

Everything worked.