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Cannot re add host

darrelleddy

darrelleddyJun 16, 2009 04:17 AM

  • 1.  Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 04:05 AM

    I had two host in a cluster in VC with an iSCSI SAN. I got an error that one of the host was unavailable. I then removed the host and tried to reconnect with no success. I then wen to the console and tried userdel -r vpxuser. It comes back with the following error: userdel: unable to lock group file. How do I fix this?

    Darrell Eddy



  • 2.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 04:15 AM

    You must remove the VC agent, not only the user.

    Witch version of ESX do you have?

    Andre

    **if you found this or any other answer useful please consider allocating points for helpful or correct answers



  • 3.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 04:17 AM

    3.5.4

    Darrell



  • 4.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 04:21 AM

    You can follow this instruction (could be fine also for 3.5):

    Andre

    **if you found this or any other answer useful please consider allocating points for helpful or correct answers



  • 5.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 04:42 AM

    I ran the command then rebooted the host. I watched the ocnsole and I saw something flash by about a disk full error. How can I review the console log?

    Darrell



  • 6.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 04:46 AM

    You can use:

    tail -f /var/log/messages

    or

    dmesg (if are kernel errors)

    or

    tail -f /var/log/vmware/*log (for vmware related logs)

    Andre

    **if you found this or any other answer useful please consider allocating points for helpful or correct answers



  • 7.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 02:05 PM

    In the var/log directory, there are several versions of ksyms., spooler., vmkernel.*. I cannot connect to the host via winscp because the network services will not log. A message flashed on the console about being out of space. I could not read it because it was too fast. What files can I safely delete in the /var/log directory to regain space? WHat other directory should I check for space issues?

    Darrell



  • 8.  RE: Cannot re add host
    Best Answer

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 03:08 PM

    Run df -h and see which partition is full. Free some space by moving some files to another location and restart hostd. This should resolve the issue.

    -Sandeep



  • 9.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 06:14 PM

    OK,

    I deleted some ISO's to free space. I rebooted the host and I still cannot connect va the VC client. Ping from a windows box does not respond. When I run esxcfg-vswif -l there some how DHCP is enabled. A quick on the other host shows the defined settings. Is there a configuration file where this is stored on the host that I can use to change it back to what it was or do I just manually put it back?

    Darrell



  • 10.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 06:49 PM

    tail var/log/vmkwarning reveals the following "Initialization for vmfs2 failed with -1"

    I did not find anything in the forums on this but does it mean?

    Darrell



  • 11.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 06:51 PM

    VMFS2 is the old filesystem of ESX2.

    I do not think that this could be the problem.

    Andre



  • 12.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 07:45 PM

    esxcfg-vswif -l reveals that it is set to DHCP. This is not how I had it setup originally.



  • 13.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 17, 2009 03:50 AM

    This could be a problem.

    Fix the IP, fix the FQDN DNS resolution and add again.

    Andre



  • 14.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 17, 2009 01:07 PM

    Ok,

    Fixed IP, checked DNS and all seems good. Not when I try to reconnect, the alarms show "Login failed due to a bad username and password". I have an identical second host that connects just fine. There are two VM's that are assigned to this disconnected host. Is htere way to manually move them tothe second HOST if I can't connect to the disconnected host via the VI client. I can only access the console.

    Darrell



  • 15.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 17, 2009 03:37 PM

    To manually remove the old agent follow this infos:

    (see the rpm part where you can remove the package)

    Andre



  • 16.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 17, 2009 04:22 PM

    When I do this: "rpm -qa | grep vpxa" it returns nothing like it is not installed. I restarted the host and tried to add the host to VC and get the same error.

    Darrell



  • 17.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 17, 2009 04:26 PM

    Have you tried to use VIC from VC to connect to the esx, using the same name that you use when you try to add into VC?

    Just to be sure that VC can reach (at least with VIC) the host.

    Andre



  • 18.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 17, 2009 04:35 PM

    Sure did. I tried it both from withing VC and VIC. I can only access the console from my KVM. No remote SSH or anyting. I can ping out from the box, but I cannot ping into the box.



  • 19.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 17, 2009 04:38 PM

    First you have to solve the network issue.

    Ping and VIC must work.

    Check netmask settings using esxcfg-vswif -l

    Check also the cable.

    Andre



  • 20.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 17, 2009 04:47 PM

    esxcfg-vswif -l results are identical to second working host except for different IP address cable checked and verified.

    Darrell



  • 21.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 17, 2009 05:37 PM

    But you say that network does not work correctly.

    Try also to change switch port and be sure that IP is not in use.

    Andre



  • 22.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 18, 2009 02:46 PM

    Changed physical switch port. I can ping out but I can't ping the console IP address. I would just reinstall if I could manually reassign the two VM's to the second host. :smileysad:

    Darrell



  • 23.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 18, 2009 03:20 PM

    Some good news. After trying the manual vpxa remove a few times, and then trying to re add the host to VC, it would still show as disconnected. But, this morning, the two VM's that I really needed finally shows up and are now assigned to the second host. I should be able to safely reinstall the failed ESX host from scratch. Is there a way to capture the settings from the second host, modify them for the correct name and IP settings, and apply them to the new host?

    Darrell



  • 24.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 18, 2009 03:40 PM

    Is there a way to capture the settings from the second host, modify them for the correct name and IP settings, and apply them to the new host?

    There isn't a automatic way to do.

    But ESX configuration is very simple, using two VIC (one to your ESX "master" and one on your "new" ESX) you can replicate configuration in a few of minutes.

    Andre



  • 25.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 19, 2009 06:15 AM

    You can use host profiles to copy and apply settings from one host to another. But the hosts should be 4.0.

    -Sandeep



  • 26.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 17, 2009 04:40 PM

    Forgot to mention. When I do an add host, it adds the host to VC, but is gets addedd as "disconnected". That is when I see the error "login failed due to bad username or password" listed under recent task.

    Darrell



  • 27.  RE: Cannot re add host

    Posted Jun 18, 2009 05:38 AM

    After removing the vpxa from the host, remove it from inventory and re-add the host. I think this should work.

    -Sandeep