Generating an ESX log bundle fails with the errors: "Status: missing" or "Have you run out of disk space?"

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• Generating an ESX host log bundle from the GUI (from vCenter Server and vSphere Client) fails with the error:
  
  Status: missing
  
  
• The vpxd.log contains the entry:
  
  [2011-01-18 09:39:51.342 03608 info 'App'] [VpxdMoDiagnosticManager] Bundler threw vmacore exception on host-9384: vmodl.fault.SystemError
  
  
• Gathering an ESX host log bundle manually from the Service Console with the command vm-support fails.
• You see the error:
  
  
  • Preparing files:
    Could not copy /vmware-vmx-zdump.147 to tar area (/tmp/vm-support-co1vmware3-2011-01-18--09.43.29345) (err 1).
    Have you run out of disk space?
    
    
  • Cannot create a diagnostic bundle
    

Environment

VMware ESX 4.1.x
VMware ESX 4.0.x

Resolution

This issue can occur if the root partition is running out of space. The issue may occur even if the output of the vdf -h command indicates that the root partition has disk space.

To resolve this issue, review the root partition and look for files (such as old zdump files) that can be deleted. For more information, see Investigating disk space on an ESX or ESXi host (1003564).

Old vm-support logs stored in /usr/lib/vmware/hostd/docroot/downloads/ may also take up space on the root partition. Delete these files to free up disk space. For more information, see vmsupport files left on ESX or ESXi host fill the filesystem on which they reside (1026359).

Additional Information

Investigating disk space on an ESX or ESXi host
vmsupport files left on ESX or ESXi host fill the filesystem on which they reside