vCenter converter fails to install agent

[jhoge]

I'm trying to do a P2V transition for a Windows Server 2003 machine using vCenter Converter. For some reason, I get an error that says

"unable to complete installation/uninstallation of vCenter Coverter agent on 'myserver.mydomain.local'

There doesn't seem to be any more detail available than that.

[a_p_]

There could be a couple of reasons for this. Did you already check the log files and Windows event logs for errors?

Are there any "left overs" from another/failed Converter installation in "Add/Remove Programs"? If so, remove them and reboot the server.

Temporarily disable AV and firewall on the Windows 2003 server before starting P2V.

Use the local Administrator's credentials for the P2V.

André

[jhoge]

Andre,

I didn't find anything in Add/Remove programs, but I did find this error in the System event log:

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Service Control Manager
Event Category: None
Event ID: 7034
Date:  12/19/2010
Time:  11:27:44 AM
User:  N/A
Computer: AUM
Description:
The courier-nvzhcrdibbrbrmrp service terminated unexpectedly.  It has done this 1 time(s).

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

It seems to have happened each time I tried to do the conversion. Anti-Virus is not running on this box and the Firewall has been disabled for the p2v conversion.

Thanks,

John

[a_p_]

Please read http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1023795 to see whether this applies to your issue.

André

[jhoge]

Andre,

I looked at that article and couldn't find any of those registy keys. I did find the leftover vmware-ufad-p2v-XXXXX files in the C:\Windows directory and deleted them, but that seemed to have no effect.

Thanks,

John

[a_p_]

John,

not easy to say what's wrong without sitting in front of the system.

What you can do as a workaround is either to install the Converter on the Windows 2003 server locally or use the Coldclone CD to P2V the server.

BTW: Which version of Converter are you using and on which OS is it installed. You may try to start the Converter by right clicking it and choose "Run As" "Administrator" (not just an account with administrative permissions)

André

[J1mbo]

I realise this is an old thread, but for the benefit of the search, Coldclone ISO is no longer maintained and is only available to Enterprise+ customers.

The agent can be installed directly from the 'complete' vmware converter msi (deselect the other bits), and there it can give some more helpful info on the cause of the issue, policy restriction for example (if running a DC in AD recovery mode).

[JCObermeier]

Hi,

I ran into the exact same issue with VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 5.0.

I found out the cause and solution for my case which might not apply to others.

In my case, I had the VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 5.0 fully and only installed on my desktop (Windows 7 64bit).

1. I was logged into my desktop with my domain user (DOMAIN1\USER1) and therefore launched the converter app with its credentials (important info).
   
2. I then filled out the credentials for the "Remote machine" (Windows 2008 R2) with the local administrator (as recommended by VMware).
   
3. I clicked next, got the Uninstall Agent options and picked the auto uninstall on successful import, clicked yes
   
4. Got the exact same error.
   

I investigated a little and found in the security logs of my target machine the entries for a successful logon of the local administrator (as expected), but I also found an entry (after the others) of an successful logon of DOMAIN1\USER1. DOMAIN1\USER1's domain has a trust relationship with the targets computer domain (DOMAIN2), but DOMAIN1\USER1 was not part of any local security group.

Solution: I then added DOMAIN1\USER1 (the users whose credentials I started the convert in on my desktop) to the local adminstrators group of the target machine and it worked right away.

I also tried to find if this is documented somewhere already, official VMware KB or communities, but could not find it, so I am sharing this with you now.

Cheers,

JC

P.S. Just for completion, here an excerpt from C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\logs\vmware-converter-worker-1.log

2011-10-27T09:58:21.092-07:00 [02992 info 'Default'] [AgentManager] Install Agent on %computername%
2011-10-27T09:58:21.092-07:00 [02992 info 'Default'] [ufaUtilsWin32,208] Connecting to ADMIN$ on %computername% as %computername%\administrator
2011-10-27T09:58:23.510-07:00 [02992 info 'Default'] [ufaUtilsWin32,211] Successfully connected to ADMIN$ on %computername%
2011-10-27T09:58:23.776-07:00 [02992 info 'Default'] [,0] MakeSafeDirectory: directory exists, skipping safety check
2011-10-27T09:58:23.807-07:00 [02992 info 'Default'] [,0] Opening service control manager to [%computername%] with access 983103 failed: 5
2011-10-27T09:58:23.807-07:00 [02992 warning 'Default'] [,0] Courier error: Service management problem: Service control manager error
2011-10-27T09:58:23.807-07:00 [02992 error 'Default'] [AgentDeployment] Clean up temporary directory ADMIN$\vmware-converter-install-pyjinpbywlstsnod on %computername%
2011-10-27T09:58:23.822-07:00 [02992 info 'Default'] [ufaUtilsWin32,81] Disconnecting %computername% on ADMIN$
2011-10-27T09:58:23.822-07:00 [02992 error 'Default'] [AgentDeployment] Deployment on %computername% failed: Unspecified error in remote execution mechanism
2011-10-27T09:58:23.822-07:00 [02992 error 'Default'] [AgentDeployment] Install of Agent failed on %computername%
2011-10-27T09:58:23.822-07:00 [02992 error 'Default'] [AgentManager] Install Agent failed: converter.fault.AgentDeploymentFault

[HarryHolt]

I cannot find a solution for this issue using Converter 5.  The converter will not work under Windows 7 without using "run as administrator".  When the converter tries to install the converter agent, it doesn't seem to want to use the credentials supplied in the dialog box, it uses the workstation credentials instead.

Of course, that fails when converting a Windows Server 2008 R2 server.  The security logs display the failures, using the Windows 7 account instead of the "Administrator" account as specified in the converter dialog box.  I can think of some ways around this, but they all require adding the source machine to a Windows Domain, not an acceptable solution.

Is there any work around for this?

[DonChino]

JCObermeier

     You da man.

Basically, I am trying to convert a Hyper-V machine on a Windows 2008 R2 server that is registered on the DOMAIN, but I was using a LOCAL ADMIN account on that machine to try and connect to install the Converter Agent. That works but you would get an error stating:

"unable to complete installation/uninstallation of vcenter converter agent"

Then I read your post and added my DOMAIN account on that remote machine and converter worked, so even though I am RDP'ing through a local (remote) Admin account, installing the converter agent with a local (remote) Admin account, etc it seems you NEED to add the DOMAIN account you are using on YOUR local machine to the ADMINISTRATORS group on that Remote Machine. Yes, you are NOT using your DOMAIN account for ANYTHING, but it seems that the agent install will FAIL unless the account you are running on your LOCAL machine is an ADMIN on that remote machine although I STILL used a LOCAL ADMIN account that resides on THAT machine to run everything.

Does not make sense, but it now works for me...

Thanks...

:smileydevil:

[donpostjr]

JCObermeier's solution worked for me.  this is crazy... i have migrated many machines and have NEVER had to do this before.

thanks.