ESXi 7.0 packages folder symlink corrupt, cannot upgrade host

[Eds89]

Hi,

 

I'm trying to patch my ESXi 7.0 U2 host using an ISO on bootable USB, and get the below error when attempting to install the upgrade:

vmware.esximage.Errors.DatabaseIOError: ('vmfs/voumes/60bfb4e3-.../packages/var/db/locker' , Database directory /vmfs/volumes/60bfb4e3-..../packages/var/db/locker' does not exist.')

In an SSH session, if I go to that volumes, I can see a packages folder, but it is pointing to a volume that does not seem to exist:

[root@ESXi:/vmfs/volumes/60bfb4e3-b7b25a7c-7cbe-001f295d0c5d] ls -ltrh
total 0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 65 Jun 8 2021 packages -> /vmfs/volumes/60bfb5c0-ea52cc5a-35b4-001f295d0c5d/locker/packages
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 6 Jan 8 14:27 store -> /store


[root@ESXi:/vmfs/volumes] ls -l
total 3584
drwxr-xr-x 1 root root 8 Jan 1 1970 60bfb31b-c6aa4c70-34d2-f4521484a970
drwxr-xr-t 1 root root 73728 Jan 8 14:27 60bfb4e3-b7b25a7c-7cbe-001f295d0c5d
drwxr-xr-t 1 root root 77824 Jan 8 14:15 61005ad3-525ef326-b840-001f295d0c5d
drwxr-xr-t 1 root root 77824 Jan 8 14:20 6101b713-4340586b-ed3a-001f295d0c5d
drwxr-xr-x 1 root root 8 Jan 1 1970 88b3ace5-c140f79e-339b-e961dfb5b8e8
lrwxr-xr-x 1 root root 35 Jan 8 14:37 BOOTBANK1 -> 60bfb31b-c6aa4c70-34d2-f4521484a970
lrwxr-xr-x 1 root root 35 Jan 8 14:37 BOOTBANK2 -> 88b3ace5-c140f79e-339b-e961dfb5b8e8
lrwxr-xr-x 1 root root 35 Jan 8 14:37 Eds-FS-HDD-Datastore-2 -> 6101b713-4340586b-ed3a-001f295d0c5d
lrwxr-xr-x 1 root root 35 Jan 8 14:37 Eds-FS-SSD-Datastore-1 -> 61005ad3-525ef326-b840-001f295d0c5d
lrwxr-xr-x 1 root root 35 Jan 8 14:37 LOCKER-60bfb4e3-b7b25a7c-7cbe-001f295d0c5d -> 60bfb4e3-b7b25a7c-7cbe-001f295d0c5d

I assume then that the symlink for "packages" has been corrupted, and needs to be recreated, but I don't know where it should be pointing to?

Can someone offer me some guidance on how to correct this please?

Thanks

Eds

[Eds89]

Anyone able to offer me any advice please?

 

Cheers

Eds

[Ben891]

Hey Eds89,

did you find a solution? I have the same error trying to upgrade my Hosts from 7 to 8. Thanks 

[Ben891]

My Error:

and my Solution was to creat the missing symlink:

1. cd /vmfs/volumes/63981 ........ / 

2. ln -snf locker/packages packages

[Bernhard Rohrer]

actually that created locker/packages/packages

correct:

ln -s locker/packages packages