Installing VSphere 7: A problem occured while reading the OVA-FIle, Type Error

[gabeBU]

Hello Everyone

I am trying to install VCenter VSphere 7.0.3 for the first time, but I always get this error:

I also tried to install Version 8, but I think i need 7 since i am also using ESXi 7... here's the installer log:

2023-09-16T10:07:10.528Z - info: installerLogFile: C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Temp\vcsaUiInstaller\installer-20230916-120710525.log
2023-09-16T10:07:10.533Z - info: networkLogFile: C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Temp\vcsaUiInstaller\network-20230916-120710525.log
2023-09-16T10:07:10.544Z - info: [AppComponent] Locale initialised: English
2023-09-16T10:07:10.544Z - info: [AppComponent] Product: vcsa
2023-09-16T10:07:10.551Z - info: [AppService] Using cached ovfOptions
2023-09-16T10:07:10.557Z - info: [AppComponent] version.js buildnumber: 18570431
2023-09-16T10:07:10.557Z - info: [AppComponent] App runtime buildnumber: 18570431
2023-09-16T10:07:10.557Z - info: [AppComponent] Build numbers matched
2023-09-16T10:07:10.558Z - info: [AppComponent] Found ovftool with correct version from the discovered path
2023-09-16T10:07:10.558Z - info: [AppComponent] Saved OVA folder path: K:\vcsa
2023-09-16T10:07:10.558Z - info: [AppComponent] Saved ovftool path: K:\vcsa\ovftool\win32\ovftool.exe
2023-09-16T10:07:13.882Z - debug: wizardTitle: Install - Stage 1: Deploy vCenter Server
2023-09-16T10:07:13.882Z - debug: wizardTitle: Install - Stage 1: Deploy vCenter Server
2023-09-16T10:07:28.323Z - info: THUMBPRINT(Target): DC:B0:4C:69:A3:2C:86:AE:46:A9:60:69:B1:F5:00:57:D6:F8:CE:14
2023-09-16T10:07:29.414Z - info: login() to 192.168.1.52
2023-09-16T10:07:29.414Z - info: initializing vsphere API connection to 192.168.1.52:443
2023-09-16T10:07:29.678Z - info: vimService apiType: HostAgent, version: 7.0.2
2023-09-16T10:07:29.698Z - debug: session does not exist: 192.168.1.52, root
2023-09-16T10:07:29.698Z - debug: Logging in to 192.168.1.52:443 as root
2023-09-16T10:07:29.737Z - info: Logged in to 192.168.1.52:443 as root, session: 52965ea9-c051-d1e1-2781-747d0d9bd58a
2023-09-16T10:07:29.737Z - debug: After successful login, initiate pingTimer with delay: 300000
2023-09-16T10:07:29.770Z - debug: admin roles:[
  {
    entity: { value: 'ha-folder-root', type: 'Folder' },
    principal: 'vpxuser',
    group: false,
    roleId: -1,
    propagate: true
  },
  {
    entity: { value: 'ha-folder-root', type: 'Folder' },
    principal: 'dcui',
    group: false,
    roleId: -1,
    propagate: true
  },
  {
    entity: { value: 'ha-folder-root', type: 'Folder' },
    principal: 'root',
    group: false,
    roleId: -1,
    propagate: true
  }
]
2023-09-16T10:07:29.771Z - debug: user: root, userPrincipal: root
2023-09-16T10:07:29.771Z - debug: userHasAdminRole: root: root: has admin role
2023-09-16T10:07:29.771Z - debug: adminRole: true
2023-09-16T10:07:29.771Z - info: host target precheck
2023-09-16T10:07:30.056Z - info: hostPrecheck: HRZESX02.home, ha-host
2023-09-16T10:07:30.056Z - info: ESXi hostVersion=7, minVersion=6.5
2023-09-16T10:07:30.056Z - info: lockdownMode: 'lockdownDisabled'
2023-09-16T10:07:30.057Z - info: inMaintenanceMode: false
2023-09-16T10:07:30.057Z - info: hostPrecheck succeeded: HRZESX02.home
2023-09-16T10:07:30.057Z - info: ESXi hostCheck was successful
2023-09-16T10:07:30.083Z - debug: [object Object]
2023-09-16T10:07:45.794Z - info: vmName: VMware vCenter Server
2023-09-16T10:07:45.838Z - debug: token:undefined, length:2, running total:2
2023-09-16T10:07:45.838Z - info: number of vms with name, VMware vCenter Server: 0
2023-09-16T10:07:45.851Z - debug: Deployment size page description: Select the deployment size for this vCenter Server.
2023-09-16T10:07:45.852Z - info: ovftoolCmd: K:\vcsa\ovftool\win32\ovftool.exe
2023-09-16T10:07:45.853Z - debug: ovaFileNameRe: /.*_OVF10.ova$/
2023-09-16T10:07:45.854Z - debug: files in K:\vcsa: VMware-vCenter-Server-Appliance-7.0.3.00000-18700403_OVF10.ova,ovftool,version.txt
2023-09-16T10:07:45.854Z - info: ovaFile: K:\vcsa\VMware-vCenter-Server-Appliance-7.0.3.00000-18700403_OVF10.ova
2023-09-16T10:07:47.453Z - info: probeOvf exited with status 1
2023-09-16T10:07:47.454Z - debug: probeRes: Error: Invalid Locale.
Completed with errors

2023-09-16T10:07:47.467Z - info: layout file: K:\vcsa-ui-installer\win32\resources\app\dist\resources\layout.json
2023-09-16T10:07:47.468Z - error: probeOvf unexpected error: TypeError: Cannot read property 'length' of undefined
    at OvfProbeService.push../application/app/core/ovf-probe.service.ts.OvfProbeService.parseDeploymentOptions (file:///K:/vcsa-ui-installer/win32/resources/app/dist/main.js:3645:52)
    at OvfProbeService.push../application/app/core/ovf-probe.service.ts.OvfProbeService.probeOvf (file:///K:/vcsa-ui-installer/win32/resources/app/dist/main.js:3594:38)
    at SelectSizePageV1.push../application/app/pages/select-size/select-size-v1.ts.SelectSizePageV1.getProfileLayoutData (file:///K:/vcsa-ui-installer/win32/resources/app/dist/main.js:27731:50)
    at SelectSizePageV1.push../application/app/pages/select-size/select-size-v1.ts.SelectSizePageV1.onLoad (file:///K:/vcsa-ui-installer/win32/resources/app/dist/main.js:27574:14)
    at VcsaWizard.push../application/app/wizard/vcsa-wizard.ts.VcsaWizard.onLoad (file:///K:/vcsa-ui-installer/win32/resources/app/dist/main.js:37526:26)
    at VcsaWizard_ng_container_14_clr_wizard_page_1_Template_clr_wizard_page_clrWizardPageOnLoad_0_listener (file:///K:/vcsa-ui-installer/win32/resources/app/dist/main.js:37486:826)
    at executeListenerWithErrorHandling (file:///K:/vcsa-ui-installer/win32/resources/app/dist/vendor.js:29613:16)
    at wrapListenerIn_markDirtyAndPreventDefault (file:///K:/vcsa-ui-installer/win32/resources/app/dist/vendor.js:29648:22)
    at SafeSubscriber.schedulerFn [as _next] (file:///K:/vcsa-ui-installer/win32/resources/app/dist/vendor.js:40205:17)
    at SafeSubscriber.push../node_modules/rxjs/_esm5/internal/Subscriber.js.SafeSubscriber.__tryOrUnsub (file:///K:/vcsa-ui-installer/win32/resources/app/dist/vendor.js:133666:16)
2023-09-16T10:07:47.468Z - error: OVF probe error: TypeError: Cannot read property 'length' of undefined

 Do you guys know what I have to do first?

Thank you for your help.

Kind regards,

Gabe

[a_p_]

Can you confirm that the downloaded installation image's checksum matches that shown on the download site, to ensure that the installation package is ok?

André

[markey165]

@gabeBU  - Are you deploying vCenter from a Redhat workstation by any chance?

If so try installing the libnsl package via the command dnf install libnsl then then try deploying again!

Source: issue JIT-246511 on the following Dell Tech article

HTH

[gabeBU]

Hello Markey

No, I'm running it on Windows 10...I saw that info before..is there anything I need to do on Windows?

Kind regards,

Gabe

[gabeBU]

Here's the checksum: 1dedd84fb704503dc388299c597975fa117c9d48

I downloaded both files multiple times...so I don't think its that, but you'll never know.

[markey165]

I'm also running Windows 10 (Enterprise 22H2) and the installer works just fine for me.

So just to confirm the basics, you're downloading the ISO, mounting the ISO (which is mounting to K:\), then you're running the following exe:

K:\vcsa-ui-installer\win32\installer.exe?

Can you also confirm the filename you have downloaded? And are you downloading from official source?

If the issue persists, i would try either downloading a different build, or try deploying from a different workstation, just to rule these both out as well 👍

HTH

[a_p_]

The checksum is ok, so that should not be the issue.
Anyway, what you may try is to download/install a current version (e.g. 7.0 U3n) rather than the initial Update 3 version.

André

[Alex_Romeo]

Hi,

Try installing from a virtual machine that belongs to the esxi host where you place the vCenter.

Regards,

Alex_Romeo

[battybishop · Accepted solution]

Make sure your not mounting the ISO on a remote machine like your laptop and then trying deploy the image over your VPN connection to your ESXi host in your server room. Try mounting on a machine/VM that's close to the EXi host network.