Failed to deploy template after upgrading to vCenter v4_1

[dona_dona]

Hello all,

I have updated vCenter Server from v4.0 to v4.1, and re-registered the hosts.
The virtual machines are running fine, and are able to collect performance data.

However, when I tried to deploy the template, error occurred and failed to deploy the template.

(This template was made in vCenter v4.0 environment, before upgrading to vCenter v4.1),

My customer needs to deploy the template so that he can create a new server next week...

I have looked up the Knowledge Base and found the following information.

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KB No. 1036224
VMware KB After upgrading from vCenter Server 4_0 to 4_1, deploying a template with guest customization fails

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=1036224&sl... 0 321114529

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If there are anyone who have solved this issue by following the procedures written in this KB, could you tell me to which level you updated the VMware Tools to?
Additionally, was the update of virtual hardware required to solve this issue?
(I am hoping that the virtual machine hardware is v7, which is the latest for ESXv.4.0, so update of virtual hardware is not required in my environment:)

Thank you for you information in advance!

<Environment>
Before upgrade: vCenter Server *v4.0*, ESX v4.0.0, Virtual Machine hardware v7(latest),
After upgrade: vCenter Server *v4.1*, ESX v4.0.0, Virtual Machine hardware v7(latest)
(I have specifically updated only the vCenter server, and ESX and VM(Windows/Linux) are not updated.)

[VTsukanov · Accepted solution]

Hello

Try to convert the template to a virtual machine and then back - the vm to template.

Sounds strange, but it work for us

[Troy_Clavell]

if your templates are running vHardware7 and the latest guest tools, provided by your hosts, then I would convert the template to a VM, leave it powered off, make a note of the datastore in which it's registered on, remove the VM from inventory (do not delete).  From there browse your datastore, find the vmx file and "add to inventory".  Then, convert the VM to a template and try to deploy off of it.

[dona_dona]

Thank you for your reply!

What I need to do is:
1. Right click the template and select "change to virtual machine" (convert the template to a virtual machine).
2. Right after step 1, click the virtual machine (former template) again and select "change to template" (convert the virtual machine back to template)

and this would fix the troubled v4.0 template to be deployable in vCenter v4.1 environment.

Please correct me if I am misunderstanding something. Thank you.

[dona_dona]

Thank you for the reply!

Yes, my template is running virtual hardware 7, but I am not sure of the VMware Tools level. I am positive that the VMware Tools was provided by the host, and this host has never been updated since this system was implemented.

And thank you for the detailed procedures, do you have any assumptions of why converting the template to VM and converting it back to template/re-registering to inventory works after upgrading the vCenter Server? Are there any background processes running when the conversion occurs...?

[Heimatplan]

Hi,

I had the exact same error and converted the template to a vm, unregistered it from the inventory (without deleting it) and re-registered it by browsing the data store like mentioned. That I converted it back without touching vmtools. It just worked out fine. I guess there is a discrepancy between vcenter information about the template and the information inside the template itself.

The vCenter seems to be quite unaware when it comes to templates. They are not covered by ha and drs. Sometimes the vCenter does not move them away from the host when doing maintenance. They just seem to be handled different.

[VTsukanov]

I think that the proposal of  Troy Clavell has a greater chance of success, so final version the algorithm is follow:

1) Right click on VM and and select "Convert to virtual machine"

2) Make a note of the location in which VM registered

3) Right click on VM and and select "Remove from Inventory"  (don't delete from disk)

4) Over datastore browser find your VMX (location defined on step 2), right click on vmx and register VM (right click and Add to Inventory)

5) Right click on VM and Template - Convert to template

[dona_dona]

Thank you for the sincere reply.

I understood that a vCenter is not quite capable of recognizing a template made in a different version environment. Therefore, a template needs to be converted in to a virtual machine in order to be recognized by the vCenter.

Are there any possibilities that, although it is written in the referred KB that VMware Tools/Virtual hardware needs to be updated to resolve this issue, what actually made the template visible to the vCenter was the procedure of converting the template into virtual machine, and not the upgrading?

Thank you again for the quick response.

[dona_dona]

Thank you so much for the specific procedure for this issue.

I will input this step by step procedure to my client, but right now, they are trying to upgrade the VMware Tools, since it is written in the KB.

Does anyone have any suggestion of which version they should be upgrading the VMware Tools to?
(I know it may sound absurd, but they are trying to solve the issued accodring to the KB notes...)

Thank you again for the procedure.