vCenter 6.5 unable to deploy OVF

[wreedMH]

I am on VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.5.0.12000 and I cannot deploy OVF files via the web interface. I am ran thru article VMware Knowledge Base  to no avail.

Any ideas?

[daphnissov]

Go through the steps in the KB again. This should solve the problem for you and has been tested and performed countless times. If it doesn't, can you show your vCSA and how the instructions are validated in your setup?

[wreedMH]

Now it says the rpm file doesnt exist.

root@RT-DW-VC1 [ /etc/vmware-content-library/config ]#

root@RT-DW-VC1 [ /etc/vmware-content-library/config ]# cd /etc/vmware-content-library/config/

root@RT-DW-VC1 [ /etc/vmware-content-library/config ]#

root@RT-DW-VC1 [ /etc/vmware-content-library/config ]# cp ts-config.properties ts-config.properties.orig

root@RT-DW-VC1 [ /etc/vmware-content-library/config ]# cp ts-config.properties.rpmnew ts-config.properties.rpmnew.origcp: cannot stat 'ts-config.properties.rpmnew': No such file or directory

root@RT-DW-VC1 [ /etc/vmware-content-library/config ]# mv ts-config.properties.rpmnew ts-config.properties

mv: cannot stat 'ts-config.properties.rpmnew': No such file or directory

root@RT-DW-VC1 [ /etc/vmware-content-library/config ]#

What do I do now?

[wreedMH]

Also get this

root@RT-DW-VC1 [ /etc/vmware-content-library/config ]# service-control --start vmware-content-library

Perform start operation. vmon_profile=None, svc_names=['vmware-content-library'], include_coreossvcs=False, include_leafossvcs=False

2017-12-06T17:37:56.310Z   Service content-library state STOPPED

Error executing start on service content-library. Details {

    "resolution": null,

    "detail": [

        {

            "args": [

                "content-library"

            ],

            "id": "install.ciscommon.service.failstart",

            "localized": "An error occurred while starting service 'content-library'",

            "translatable": "An error occurred while starting service '%(0)s'"

        }

    ],

    "componentKey": null,

    "problemId": null

}

Service-control failed. Error {

    "resolution": null,

    "detail": [

        {

            "args": [

                "content-library"

            ],

            "id": "install.ciscommon.service.failstart",

            "localized": "An error occurred while starting service 'content-library'",

            "translatable": "An error occurred while starting service '%(0)s'"

        }

    ],

    "componentKey": null,

    "problemId": null

[wreedMH]

Got past the service not starting via this link but I still get the error message.

https://johannstander.com/2017/10/11/vcenter-server-6-5-error-cannot-start-content-library-service/

[wreedMH]

Anyone else?

[jasnyder]

I don't have any tips to fix it, but I had a broken vCenter with this issue for about a year (whenever 6.5 was released), and they've "fixed" this issue in the last 3 patches I think without actually fixing it in all ways it could be broken.  So it seems like maybe you have a case which somehow hasn't been fixed.

In the meantime I've been working around the issue using OVFTool and PowerCli scripts to deploy OVAs.  I then got sick of going through that nonsense for things I didn't necessarily want scripted for the future (as it often requires trial and error and sometimes there are hidden properties that OVFTool doesn't find on the OVA) and I built a nested vCenter + ESXi environment.  On the nested appliance (which was a brand new deployment not an upgrade) I was able to deploy OVF.  So I would deploy it in the virtual environment, remove from inventory there, and register the VM in the main environment as a work around.  Obviously that approach requires sharing storage between the environments.  It adds about 4 or 5 clicks to the total deploy OVF steps, but it did work.

Just thought I would offer those tips as workarounds if you aren't already using them.

[daphnissov]

Did you chown the file like was written?

[wreedMH]

I dont know, can you elaborate and I can try it?

[daphnissov]

At the end of Johann's blog post you quoted is a step to change ownership (chown) on ts-config.properties. Did you do that?

[wreedMH]

Yes most absolutely. I ran “chown content-library:cis ts-config.properties”

That fixed the service from not starting. But I still get the error in vSphere Web Client when trying to deploy a OVF.

[daphnissov]

Is this a new deployment or an upgrade? If an upgrade, from which version?

[wreedMH]

It has been upgraded as far as I can remember. All the way from a Windows 5.5 server to a VCSA now on 6.5 with external PSC.

It has been from 5.5 to 6.0 to now VCSA 6.5. I dont remember all the builds it been on, but this is my home lab so its been thru alot.

It was converted to a VCSA from a Windows 6.0 server I believe.

[daphnissov]

This issue is known to occur in several configurations, and the scenario you have (coming from 5.5) seems to be the one that isn't addressed by the KB. I don't have a solution for you if the steps in that KB didn't work, and since this is a lab environment you may just want to deploy a fresh vCSA and move your things over.

[wreedMH]

Yeah that is not really something I am looking to do at this exact second, even though I say lab this does host some productions things. I will keep looking to see if I can fix this. I have VMWare support, I may just call them.