ESXI host failed to patch with an error message " The host returns esxupdate error code:99"

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• Patching host using LCM fails with an error message: The host returns esxupdate error code:99. An unhandled exception was encountered. Check the Lifecycle Manager log files and esxupdate log files for more details.
• In /var/run/log/esxupdate.log, Below error is seen:

YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS Er(11) esxupdate[2101664] An unexpected exception was caught:
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS Er(11) esxupdate[2101664] Traceback (most recent call last):
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS Er(11) esxupdate[2101664] File "/usr/sbin/esxupdate", line 378, in main
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS Er(11) esxupdate[2101664] cmd.Run()
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS Er(11) esxupdate[2101664] File "/lib64/python3.11/site-packages/vmware/esx5update/Cmdline.py", line 121, in Run
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS Er(11) esxupdate[2101664] metavibs += meta.vibs
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS Er(11) esxupdate[2101664] File "/lib64/python3.11/site-packages/vmware/esximage/VibCollection.py", line 69, in __iadd__
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS Er(11) esxupdate[2101664] self.AddVib(v)
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS Er(11) esxupdate[2101664] File "/lib64/python3.11/site-packages/vmware/esximage/VibCollection.py", line 103, in AddVib
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS Er(11) esxupdate[2101664] self[vibid] = self[vibid].MergeVib(vib]
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS Er(11) esxupdate[2101664] File "/lib64/python3.11/site-packages/vmware/esximage/Vib.py", line 1985, in MergeVib
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS Er(11) esxupdate[2101664] retvib = BaseVib.MergeVib(self, other)
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS Er(11) esxupdate[2101664] File "/lib64/python3.11/site-packages/vmware/esximage/Vib.py", line 797, in MergeVib
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS Er(11) esxupdate[2101664] raise ValueError(msg)
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS Er(11) esxupdate[2101664] ValueError: VIBs Dell_bootbank_iSM_1.0-0000 and Dell_bootbank_iSM_1.0-0000 have unequal values of the 'payloads' attribute: '[iSM: 225.194 KB]' != '[iSM: 225.192 KB]'
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS Db(15) esxupdate[2101664] <<<

• Below command yields no output.
  • esxcli software vib list | grep -i iSM

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 7.x

VMware vCenter Server 8.x

Cause

This is caused by the old-predefined patches in the LCM that are conflicting with the newer ESXi version. Expunging the LCM database should clear out the old patches and get new ones.

Resolution

 

 Follow the steps in the KB to reset VMware Update Manager Database on the vcenter to fix the issue: Resetting VMware Update Manager Database in vCenter Server Appliance 6.5/6.7/7.0/8.0