virtual center server service fails to start

[admin]

Folks, I am facing problems in starting VC server service on Windows XP system. The below message is taken from the system event log

"The VMware VirtualCenter Server service terminated with service-specific error 2 (0x2)"

This happened when I rebooted my VC system (XP). The service is set to start Automatic but didnt start at all. Whenever I try start it manually, it gives the message "windows could nto start Virtual Center Service on your Local Computer...."

Do you know the reason why this happens?

[weinstein5]

First spot I would check is communication to the VC database - also on your vc server there is a file called vpx.log - this will contain vc specific log entries -

[polysulfide]

Are there any other messages in your event logs?

What database are you using?

If it was useful, give me credit

http://communities.vmware.com/blogs/polysulfide

VI From Concept to Implementation

[jyvesd]

VC service does not start (most likely a dB/ODBC problem), there are a few things you can do:

1. Check the Event viewer on the VC server (check for ID 1000)

2. You will need to check the vpxd-#.log

3. Check your SQL dB and ODBC connection to your SQL dB

[admin]

I tried re-installing VC and this time it worked. But if I reboot my Windows, the problem comes again.

SQL database is running without any issues. The VC service fails to start whenever I reboot the system. I did check for any dependency services including SQL and everything is running without any problem.

Any ideas on the root cause?

[Troy_Clavell]

maybe this KB will help

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1003926

[admin]

Thanks for the KBs. Below given is the snip from vpxd.log. Do you know how to fix the registry problem that is logged here?

2008-07-08 14:26:58.691 'App' 744 info] 34 max LROs

6 reserved internal LROs

6 reserved blocker LROs

6 reserved short LROs

4 reserved long LROs

600-second task lifetime

Couldn't read registry entry vmdbPort

Couldn't read registry entry managedIP

Invoking callbacks for key vpxd.npivWwnGeneration.singleNodeWwn

Invoking callbacks for key vpxd.npivWwnGeneration.portWwnNumber

Locale subsystem initialized from C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\VirtualCenter Server\locale/ with default locale en.

Initializing SSL Contexts

Setting VerifySSLCertificates to FALSE

Failed to initialize: not well-formed (invalid token)

Failed to intialize VMware VirtualCenter. Shutting down...

Forcing shutdown of VMware VirtualCenter now

[kjb007]

Check event log and make sure DEP is turned off. That could be causing the service to not start properly.

-KjB

[jamieorth]

Have you found a resolution to this problem yet? Our VC is doing the exact same thing.

Regards...

Jamie

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[leeroyrichardso]

I have been advised by vmware that the fix for this is to upgrade to VC 2.5 u2.

Lee Richardson

[jamieorth]

VC 2.5 U2 did fix our service issue - but it broke our SRM. Also we were one of the many that had U2 of ESX as well after the 10th..... OOPS!!!!

Regards...

Jamie

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[SafetyMan]

seems like the problem ...I have been experiencing also. Virtual Center just decided to die(stop working)///service would not work.

When I try to manually start it. I get this error: windows could not start the vmware vitualCenter server on Local computer. For more information, review the system event log. If this is a non-microsoft service, contact the service vendor, and refer to service-specific error code 2.

Most of my messages appear on this thread:

http://communities.vmware.com/message/1024259#1024259

I also tried changing the the odbc connection to named pipes / window authentication and every combination their of.....hmmmm very discouraging.

I will attempt to download this upgrade....but I hear from VMWARE that this version has a bug(2.5 U2) in it and the patch may or may not be released as of 2008-08-14.

Thanks,

Doug Lubey of Louisiana

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

OK-UPDATE and fixed at 7:16pm on 8/14/2008

VMWARE VIRTUAL CENTER UPDATE 2 (2.5 Update 2 - 7/25/2008) build 104263 seemed to fix the problem. This version also upgraded the database(in other words I choose not to overwrite the old database) and it seemed to work just fine. So after 3 hours of research and trying to use the reinstall using the current version I had previously downloaded. This new update did the trick.

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

OK-UPDATE 2008-08-15 at 9:00am in Louisiana

To NOTE: Virtual Center (Virtual Infrastructure) does not have a bug in the latest version on the downloads page(version 2.5 U2) the bug is in the ESX hosts. The bug was reported in the ESX version 3.5-U2-103908. And Yes I have this version which I will be patching over the weekend....whether the problem I recieved in the Virtual Center is related, I do not know....but it was quite a coincidence. Any how, the direct problem that I was experiencing with virtual center is now corrected(to note: make sure you choose to upgrade the Virtual Center Database(not overwrite) and the whole process takes 15 minutes. I am not going to try and VMOTION or anything else until the faulty ESX box (which has 3.5-U2-103908 installed) has the patches applied.

[leeroyrichardso]

I have just installed the VC 2.5 U2 patch and this has got our VC back online.

Lee Richardson

[leeroyrichardso]

Unfortuntely even though the VC is back online I still cannot migrate any running vms which prevents me from carrying out the fixes. Anyone any ideas?

Lee Richardson

[weinstein5]

What errors are you getting when you attempt to vmotion -

[jamieorth]

So you can't vmotion - what version are your hosts on? U2 (unpatched) - if so you will not be able to vmotion unless you do one of the following:

1) Change 1 host date back prior to the 10th. Vmotion servers that would be unaffected by time to this server then patch other host. Change date back on original host. Vmotion to patched host. Patch remaining hosts by vmotioning servers to patched hosts.

2) Shut down VM's on one host. Patch host. Restart VM's.

Regards...

Jamie

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[kamatayan201110]

Stop SQL SRS services