Adding an ESX or ESXi host to vCenter Server causes the error: The host type is not supported, or was added to a cluster but does not support clustering features

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• When adding an ESX or ESXi host to the Inventory of a VirtualCenter or vCenter Server, the following error message appears:
  
  The host type is not supported, or was added to a cluster but does not support clustering features.
  
• The error appears if the host is not being added to a VMware High Availability cluster and appears regardless of where it is added in the datacenter hierarchy.

Environment

VMware ESXi 4.0.x Installable
VMware VirtualCenter 2.0.x
VMware ESXi 3.5.x Embedded
VMware ESXi 3.5.x Installable
VMware ESX Server 3.5.x
VMware ESXi 4.0.x Embedded
VMware VirtualCenter 2.5.x
VMware vCenter Server 4.0.x

Resolution

This problem may occur if the version of the ESX or ESXi host is incompatible with the verison of VirtualCenter or vCenter Server.

Ensure that the version of VirtualCenter or vCenter Server is compatible with the version of the ESX or ESXi host being added to the Inventory.

See the ESX and vCenter Server Compatibility table in the vSphere Compatibility Matrixes for details of compatible ESX and vCenter Server versions. This document contains information for vSphere and earlier product versions.

If this issue occurs when you are trying to add an ESX or ESXi 3.5.x host to a compatible version of VirtualCenter 2.5, t ry performing a Repair of the VirtualCenter installation.

To perform a repair of the installation:

1. Login to the VirtualCenter Server as an Administrator.
2. In Control Panel click Add/Remove Programs.
3. Locate VirtualCenter Server and click Change.
4. Click Repair.
5. Follow the wizard instructions.
   
   Warning: Do not re-initialize the database.
   
   
6. When prompted, enter the new database user ID and password.
7. Complete the wizard.
8. Start VirtualCenter.

Additional Information