Been trying to upgrade to 6.0U3e (from 6.0U3d) all morning and it is constantly failing on the "VMware python components" right at the beginning of the install with the dreaded 3010 error. I've upgraded this vCenter countless times so I am familiar with all the files that get locked and cause 3010s (see VMware Knowledge Base). This is the first time I have seen the 3010 appear on the Python components part though. Prior to the install, none of the python files from C:\Program Files\VMware\vCenter Server\python are open in memory, as seen through Process Explorer. While the "VMware Python components" section is displaying in the upgrade, if you refresh a search for open "python" files in Process Explorer, you can clearly see that the install itself has now opened quite a few files in C:\Program Files\VMware\vCenter Server\python. The install then crashes with a 3010 error. Checking the pkgmgr-comp-msi.log afterwards, you see these errors occurred:
MSI (s) (A8:48) [12:49:37:515]: Executing op: RegisterSharedComponentProvider(,,File=python27.dll,Component={8C4A7097-E243-54DF-82C4-F45CA52DE496},ComponentVersion=2.7.13150.1013,ProductCode={DDB1C8B6-82DB-4FD5-A7AB-B1DA7B31E771},ProductVersion=6.0.0,PatchSize=0,PatchAttributes=0,PatchSequence=0,SharedComponent=0,IsFullFile=0)
MSI (s) (A8:48) [12:49:37:531]: Executing op: FileCopy(SourceName=python27.dll,SourceCabKey=python27.dll,DestName=python27.dll,Attributes=1536,FileSize=3046328,PerTick=65536,,VerifyMedia=1,,,,,CheckCRC=0,Version=2.7.13150.1013,Language=0,InstallMode=126353408,,,,,,,)
MSI (s) (A8:48) [12:49:37:547]: File: C:\Program Files\VMware\vCenter Server\python\python27.dll; Overwrite; Won't patch; Existing file is of an equal version
MSI (s) (A8:48) [12:49:37:547]: Source for file 'python27.dll' is compressed
MSI (s) (A8:48) [12:49:37:547]: Re-applying security from existing file.
MSI (s) (A8:48) [12:49:37:547]: Note: 1: 2205 2: 3: Error
MSI (s) (A8:48) [12:49:37:547]: Note: 1: 2228 2: 3: Error 4: SELECT `Message` FROM `Error` WHERE `Error` = 1603
MSI (s) (A8:48) [12:49:37:547]: Product: VMware-python. The file C:\Program Files\VMware\vCenter Server\python\python27.dll is being used by the following process: Name: python , Id 5368.
MSI (s) (A8:48) [12:49:37:547]: Verifying accessibility of file: python27.dll
Info 1603.The file C:\Program Files\VMware\vCenter Server\python\python27.dll is being held in use. Close that application and retry.
MSI (s) (A8:48) [12:49:36:938]: Executing op: FileCopy(SourceName=python.exe,SourceCabKey=python.exe,DestName=python.exe,Attributes=1536,FileSize=42936,PerTick=65536,,VerifyMedia=1,,,,,CheckCRC=0,,,InstallMode=126353408,HashOptions=0,HashPart1=269396038,HashPart2=-283905172,HashPart3=994898176,HashPart4=-1453880127,,)
MSI (s) (A8:48) [12:49:36:938]: File: C:\Program Files\VMware\vCenter Server\python\python.exe; Overwrite; Won't patch; Existing file is unversioned and unmodified - hash doesn't match source file
MSI (s) (A8:48) [12:49:36:938]: Source for file 'python.exe' is compressed
MSI (s) (A8:48) [12:49:36:938]: Re-applying security from existing file.
MSI (s) (A8:48) [12:49:36:938]: Note: 1: 2205 2: 3: Error
MSI (s) (A8:48) [12:49:36:938]: Note: 1: 2228 2: 3: Error 4: SELECT `Message` FROM `Error` WHERE `Error` = 1603
MSI (s) (A8:48) [12:49:37:375]: Product: VMware-python. The file C:\Program Files\VMware\vCenter Server\python\python.exe is being used by the following process: Name: python , Id 5368.
MSI (s) (A8:48) [12:49:37:375]: Verifying accessibility of file: python.exe
Info 1603.The file C:\Program Files\VMware\vCenter Server\python\python.exe is being held in use. Close that application and retry.
It's pretty clear that the installation is creating its own locks on the files in C:\Program Files\VMware\vCenter Server\python and thus causing the 3010 errors. The only way I was able to get around this problem was to launch the install and before it gets to the "VMware Python components" part (which is right near the start), quick rename the entire C:\Program Files\VMware\vCenter Server\python folder. The install then seems to completely skip over that component as it does not put the C:\Program Files\VMware\vCenter Server\python folder back, so before the install finishes, you need to quick rename C:\Program Files\VMware\vCenter Server\python back again. This was not a one-off as it took me 6 install attempts to debug what was actually causing this problem. The sad thing is that if you manually install X:\vCenter-Server\Packages\VMware-python.msi, the files in it are exactly the same as those installed by 6.0U3d so it's not even necessary that this package be reinstalled. If you run into this problem coming from anything besides 6.0U3d, you may need to manually install X:\vCenter-Server\Packages\VMware-python.msi.
I know VMware has effectively given up on the Windows vCenter, but the lack of QA on these releases is astounding. I mean seriously, when the 3010 error appears, at least give a retry option so you don't have to wait an hour for the entire f'in install to roll back before you can attempt to fix the problem.
