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SaranyaM
Contributor
Contributor

VMWare VirtualCenter Server service (5.1) is stuck on starting process then its fails

I have lots of problem with vCenter 5.1. My environment there's no AD so I use local admin to logon.

1st Problem: vCenter cannot start after reboot.

     Solution : New install vCenter and then change sequence of services before restarting. By the following :

                  vCenter Single Sign On Service - from Automatic (Delay) to Automatic
                  VMware vCenter Inventory Service - from Automatic to Automatic (Delay)
                   VMware vSphere Profile-Driven Storage Service  - from Automatic to Automatic (Delay)

                   VMwareVCMSDS  - from Automatic to Automatic (Delay)

     Then everything is running fine, I tested fail-over and vMotion. vCenter is able to start

2nd Problem : After running it one day, I tested fail-over (VMWareHA) again then the "VMWare VirtualCenter Server service" stuck on starting state then it fails T_T

Could anyone can suggest the solution?

I think VMWare should release patch to fix vCenter 5.1 bugs immediately.

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Linjo
Leadership
Leadership

Its hard to suggest something with very little info as this.

But to start with make sure that the database is running before the vCenter is starting.

I have not heard of this to be a known bug so if this is a production environment you should contact VMware support to file an SR.

// Linjo

Best regards, Linjo Please follow me on twitter: @viewgeek If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".
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SaranyaM
Contributor
Contributor

Thank you. Database is start completely. Now I do fresh install again. And not adjust the time zone, let it be United State as default.

I will inform the result again if time zone is really my problem.

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mobcdi
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

If the database is on a different server to vCenter could the problem be down to time differences between the 2 vm's (if there isn't a AD controller's/common time source to sync both servers to) ....just a thought

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johonetdesign
Contributor
Contributor

Having the same problem as SaranyaM. After vCenter (Simple) installation completes succesfully I can connect using vSphere client. But after first reboot the VirtualCenter service don't start and I cannot connect. I you SQL express and no AD. DNS A/PTR i ok..

================

In Event viewer I see error: 1000

In vpxd I see:

2013-01-22T15:34:47.124+01:00 [03020 error 'HttpConnectionPool-000001'] [ConnectComplete] Connect failed to <cs p:00000000082f0850, TCP:10.10.10.80:7444>; cnx: (null), error: class Vmacore::SystemException(No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it. )
2013-01-22T15:34:47.124+01:00 [02816 error '[SSO][SsoCertificateManagerImpl]'] [CreateAdminSsoServiceContent] Failure while trying to connect to SSO Admin server: No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it.  . Will retry in 10 seconds.

==============

Dont want to fix with SaranyaM workaround if there are still bugs.

Could this be a microsoft patch. I did a windows update before installation.

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mobcdi
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Does that sound like a firewall blocking the SSO ports from accepting connections?

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johonetdesign
Contributor
Contributor

SSO, vCenter and SQL Express is installed on the same server. I don't think that the firewall should interfere..

I don't know if SaranyaM problem after HA is firewall related?

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LennieDH
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Don't know if this is your case but I would investigate in networking related issue...

Have you checked IP/DNS configurations on vCenter?

Is first installation of vCenter or there are previsouly ones??If it's not the first installation the IP address is different or equal than old ones??

IPv6 enabled? Could you give a try disabling it both from vCenter and from ESXi in case it is enabled??

Hope this could help!!

If you find this information useful please mark it as "Helpful" or "Correct".
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mobcdi
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

To try ruling out Account Details Can you try

From vm running SSO, vCenter, SQL Express

  1. Try connecting using the full vSphere Client i.e. not the web version
  2. Try coonecting using the vSphere web client
  3. While on this vm see what identity sources are listed in SSO configuration and check to see if the local machine's i.e the machine running vCenter Administrators group is listed and if your account is listed as a member of that group

From your desktop or another location

  1. Try connecting using the full vSphere Client i.e. not the web version
  2. Try coonecting using the vSphere web client

For above tests can you try with each of the following accounts

  • SSO admin username & password i.e admin@system-domain
  • Account with vCenter Administration premissions
  • Your "normal " account if its different to the 1st two listed
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SaranyaM
Contributor
Contributor

Hi, All. I come back to inform you guys that after fresh installation and change sequenes services as I did last time and no change on time zone keep it as US. vCenter is running completely.

PS. I disabled IPv6 and check synchronizing time as usual

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johonetdesign
Contributor
Contributor

@mobcdi

After reboot I cannot even connect using vSphere Client. The "VirtualCenter server service" doesn't start.

It was atually under the Web Client Server install i notise that I had a problem. I did a simple install which completed succesfully. Then I connected using vSphere Client an added two hosts. Then I restarted the vCenter VM and started the "Web Client Server" installer. In the wizard when SSO info, including username/password and lookup service URL. This failed and I started troubleshooting. Then I noticed that two services didn't come back up after reboot: "VMware VirtualCenter Management Webservices" and "VMware VirtualCenter Server service".

In the vpxd logs I see:

2013-01-22T15:34:58.169+01:00 [03020 error 'HttpConnectionPool-000001'] [ConnectComplete] Connect failed to <cs p:00000000082f0850, TCP:10.10.10.80:7444>; cnx: (null), error: class Vmacore::SystemException(No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it. )

I have a snapshot just before rebooting the vCenter VM. I snapshooted back and what I see is that SSO which is listning on port 7444 before reboot is OK

25-01-2013 08-54-44.png

After reboot it's not:

25-01-2013 08-55-33.png

I have also tried installing the SSO, inventory service and vCenter seperatly. Still with same result.

I will try installing an earlier version of vCenter 5.1.

Regards

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johonetdesign
Contributor
Contributor

@SaranyaM

I will try disabling ipv6 and check timesync. I'm I timezone CET.

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SaranyaM
Contributor
Contributor

Change the sequence of services before restart server after installing vCenter.

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johonetdesign
Contributor
Contributor

VMware support found the problem. I'm using the default SQL Express which default uses dynamic ports. When the vCenter server reboots the SQL port change. SSO should see this port change and reconfigure to use this port to connect to the database, but it don't.

To verify if you are affected:

Is SSO listing on port TCP/7444 - it should be:

netstat -a | find "7444"

See the SQL TCP/IP connection setting. Check the port under IP ALL dynamic ports (should be something like 49XXX).

Check the SSO connection properties:

C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\SSOServer\webapps\lookupservice\WEB-INF\classes\config.properties

If the ports dont match you may be affected...

Solution:

1) Stop SSO service

2) Change TCP dynamic port to static:

In Sql Server Configuration Manager > TCP/IP > IP ALL > remove port in Dynamic Ports and type 1433 in TCP port.

Restart the SQL express service.

2) Navigate to C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\SSOServer\utils

ssocli configure-riat -a configure-db --database-host hostname_of_vcenter --database-port 1433 -m SSO_Admin_Password

3) Edit the following text file to replace the port number with the new value in the line that begins with db.url=:

C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\SSOServer\webapps\lookupservice\WEB-INF\classes\config.properties

Reboot the server and see that vCenter service starts

Try:

netstat -a | find "7444"

Thank for the pointers all..

Regards

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KraL
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hello,

I had the same issue. Fixing the SQL Express configuration resolved the issue.

To avoid any future problem on rebooting, you can just add vpxd service dependency to ssoserver, as mentionned on previous posts or kb 2035933

sc config vpxd depend= ssotomcat

Thanks you for your help johonetdesign Smiley Happy

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