vCenter Server Appliance checking for update hangs

[schepp]

Hey all,

I just wanted to update a vCSA appliance. Unfortunately it hangs in the status "Checking for aivailable updates..." as has no internet access.

I changed the settings to CD-ROM  updates, mounted the update-repo iso and restarted the appliance, but no luck, it's still in the checking for updates mode.

Anyone has an idea how to stop this process? As the check and install update buttons are disabled during the update search.

Thanks

Tim

[vNEX]

Hello Tim,

I would take a look at the log file in opt/vmware/var/log/vami/updatecli.log

Do you have enough disk space on VCSA for update process?

Regards,

P.

[schepp]

Hello vNEX,

Thanks for your answer. I already checked for that log.

It doesn't exist yet as the update process didn't start start.

HDD space is also available.

[a_p_]

Only a thought. Maybe the current issue is related to the fact that checking for updates over the Internet was started without Internet access, which may have caused a process to hang or even die!? IMO the most straight forward way to resolve this might be - unless already done - to reboot the appliance and run the update check with the CD-ROM as the source already selected.

André

[schepp]

Hey André,

that's what I did. Selected CD ROM, rebooted the appliance. But it still says checking for updates after the reboot. Even though I didn't click the search button.

Tim

[a_p_]

I tried a few things in my lab (which however is already on v5.5 U1a).

If the update URL cannot be resolved (i.e. no DNS entry found) an error message shows up after a few seconds and the Check Updates button is enabled again.

Failed to check for updates(Error downloading manifest. Please contact your vendor. Couldn't resolve host 'vapp-updates.vmware.com' URL: https://vapp-updates.vmware.com/vai-catalog/valm/vmw/8e70f769-fd50-4a7a-bee2-2c0d945e23b0/5.5.0.10100.latest/manifest/manifest-latest.xml) on Sunday, April 27, 2014 11:50:07 AM GMT+02:00

If the URL can be resolved, but cannot be accessed, a different error shows up.

Failed to check for updates(Error downloading manifest. Please contact your vendor. couldn't connect to host URL: https://vapp-updates.vmware.com/vai-catalog/valm/vmw/8e70f769-fd50-4a7a-bee2-2c0d945e23b0/5.5.0.10100.latest/manifest/manifest-latest.xml) on Sunday, April 27, 2014 12:01:27 PM GMT+02:00

For the test I added 127.0.0.1 vapp-updates.vmware.com to the vCenter Server appliance's /etc/hosts file.

It might be worth a try adding the line to the hosts file, so that the update process can find a web server at this address and hopefully returns with an error message. If this doesn't help, please post the version/build of the appliance you are trying to update.

André

[schepp]

Hey André,

thanks, good idea, I'll try the local hosts entry on monday.

It's version 5.5U1. I'll look up the build number on monday.

Tim

[vNEX]

Hello Tim,

my second thought...if vCSA is stuck at checking for updates from "external" sources (stubborn to use URL source) it might be worth a try configuring it

for zipped update bundle (Use Specified Repository).

See:

vSphere 5.5 Documentation Center

http://www.virtuallyghetto.com/2013/05/how-to-create-offline-update-repository.html

Regards,

P.

[schepp]

Thanks for the help guys,

unfortunately, the process wasn't willing to time out, even with local hosts entries.

So I opened a SR and the guys from GSS were able to help me.

The solution was to trigger the scan and update from the command line. So the appliance is updated now and the Update Tab in in the web frontend works as intended now.

  1. Log into Appliance with SSH

  2. /opt/vmware/bin/vamicli update --check

  3. /opt/vmware/bin/vamicli update --install latest --accepteula

Regards

Tim

[mssc74482]

How do I change the default repository to the specific repository from CLI?

[dalexiev]

The process gets stuck if you use  an unsupported ISO. Check the upgrade path and as long as you go in the right order, it works every time. Forcing the update using hte proposed commands worked and I ended up reverting to snapshot because the appliance was totally screwed. Here is what i found at the time of writing:

       vRA      – SRM – upgrade order. SRM requires interim 6.0 vcenter. vRA 6.12 cannot go to 6.5. Using vCenter migration tool 5.5 to 6.5 will require you to rebuild all your SRM and vRA configs.

1. 5.8.1.3 – 5.8.1.1
2. 6.0.0.3 – 6.0.0.1
3. 6.1.2    – 6.1.2
4. 6.5.0    – 6.5

[btechit]

Amazing this bug still exists in VCSA7!  For me it appeared to happen when I checked for updates when internet service hadn't been restored (during a planned outage).  UI is stuck at checking for update 10% since last Saturday.  There is no way to cancel the update and it hasn't timed out on it's own after three days.   There should be an option to cancel the update check and or the update check should timeout after a given time.