Exporting the system logs for ESXi host fails with the error: A general system error occurred: internal error

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• Exporting the system logs for an ESXi host by connecting to the host directly using vSphere Client fails.
  
• You see the error:
  
  A general system error occurred: internal error
  
  
• The /var/log/messages log on the ESXi host contains entries similar to:
  
  May 18 02:41:54 Hostd: VMware ESX Support Script 1.33
  May 18 02:41:54 Hostd: Could not set working directory to '/usr/lib/vmware/hostd/docroot/downloads/'.
  May 18 02:41:54 Hostd: [2011-05-18 02:41:54.348 30670B90 warning 'HostsvcPlugin' opID=2805D4DA-00000045] /usr/sbin/vm-support: cd: line 2448: can't cd to /usr/lib/vmware/hostd/docroot/downloads/
  May 18 02:41:54 Hostd: [2011-05-18 02:41:54.348 30670B90 warning 'HostsvcPlugin' opID=2805D4DA-00000045] === END COMMAND OUTPUT ===
  May 18 02:41:54 Hostd: [2011-05-18 02:41:54.348 30670B90 info 'TaskManager' opID=2805D4DA-00000045] Task Completed : haTask-ha-host-vim.DiagnosticManager.generateLogBundles-542800 Status error

scratch-partition export-system-logs esxi-logging

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 4.1.x
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Embedded

Resolution

This issue occurs if there is no scratch partition on the ESXi host or the /usr/lib/vmware/hostd/docroot/downloads directory is not accessible.

To resolve this issue:

1. Create a scratch partition on the ESXi host. For more information see Creating a persistent scratch location for ESXi (1033696).
2. Ensure that /usr/lib/vmware/hostd/docroot/downloads directory is accessible.
3. Create the download directory in the /scratch/downloads/ directory.

Note: The download directory in /usr/lib/vmware/hostd/docroot/downloads has a symlink to /scratch/downloads/.

Additional Information

Creating a persistent scratch location for ESXi 4.x/5.x/6.x