VMware VirtualCenter Server Service fails to start with the vpxd log error: W32Util_RegisterEventLog: Could not open registry key

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• You cannot start the VMware VirtualCenter Server Service
• The vpxd.log contains entries similar to:
  
  [2011-07-14 14:02:29.313 06232 info 'App'] Current working directory: C:\Windows\system32
[2011-07-14 14:02:29.313 06232 info 'App'] Log path: C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\Logs
[2011-07-14 14:02:29.314 06232 info 'App'] Initializing SSL
[2011-07-14 14:02:29.314 06232 info 'Libs'] Using system libcrypto, version 9080CF
[2011-07-14 14:02:31.166 06232 info 'App'] Vmacore::InitSSL: doVersionCheck = true, handshakeTimeoutUs = 120000000
[2011-07-14 14:02:31.167 06232 warning 'Libs'] W32Util_RegisterEventLog: Could not open registry key. Error 0.
[2011-07-14 14:02:31.167 06232 warning 'Libs'] Failed to initialize event source for VMware VirtualCenter Server.
[2011-07-14 14:02:36.245 06232 info 'App'] CoreDump: Writing minidump
[2011-07-14 14:02:36.489 06232 panic 'App']

Panic: Failed to do early initialization.
Backtrace:
backtrace[00] rip 000000018010a1aa Vmacore::System::Stacktrace::CaptureWork
backtrace[01] rip 00000001800e8018 Vmacore::System::SystemFactoryImpl::CreateFileWriter
backtrace[02] rip 00000001800e850e Vmacore::System::SystemFactoryImpl::CreateQuickBacktrace
backtrace[03] rip 0000000180129205 Vmacore::PanicExit
backtrace[04] rip 0000000180129311 Vmacore::PanicExit
backtrace[05] rip 00000001800ac0b4 Vmacore::Vpanic
backtrace[06] rip 0000000140765f23 (no symbol)
backtrace[07] rip 000000013fd8bb1f (no symbol)
backtrace[08] rip 000007fefec8a82d RegisterServiceCtrlHandlerExA
backtrace[09] rip 00000000771cf33d BaseThreadInitThunk
backtrace[10] rip 0000000077302cc1 RtlUserThreadStart
  
  
• The "C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\VirtualCenter Server\vpxd -s" command also returns output similar to the above.
  
  
• The vpxd.log contains entries similar to:
  
  2012-10-30T10:00:13.210+01:00 [03604 error 'Default'] [VpxdVdb::SetDBType]: Login failure - retrying once...
2012-10-30T10:00:13.210+01:00 [03604 error 'Default'] [VpxdVdb::SetDBType] Failed to connect to database: . Retry attempt: 1 ...
2012-10-30T10:00:23.250+01:00 [03604 error 'Default'] [VpxdVdb::SetDBType] Encountered login error. Subsequent connection attempt failed: 28000
2012-10-30T10:00:23.250+01:00 [03604 error 'Default'] [VpxdVdb::SetDBType] Aborting after 1 retries.
2012-10-30T10:00:23.250+01:00 [03604 error 'Default'] Error getting configuration info from the database
2012-10-30T10:00:23.250+01:00 [03604 error 'Default'] [Vpxd::ServerApp::Init] Init failed: VpxdVdb::Init(VpxdVdb::GetVcVdbInstId(), false, false, NULL)
2012-10-30T10:00:23.250+01:00 [03604 warning 'VpxProfiler'] ServerApp::Init [TotalTime] took 10078 ms
2012-10-30T10:00:23.250+01:00 [03604 error 'Default'] Failed to intialize VMware VirtualCenter. Shutting down...
2012-10-30T10:00:23.250+01:00 [03604 info 'Default'] Wrote uptime information
2012-10-30T10:00:23.266+01:00 [03604 error 'Default'] Alert:false@ d:/build/ob/bora-455964/bora/vpx/vpxd/util/vpxdVdb.cpp:408
--> Backtrace:
--> backtrace[00] rip 000000018013d40a (no symbol)
--> backtrace[01] rip 00000001800ffa38 (no symbol)
--> backtrace[02] rip 00000001800fffee (no symbol)
--> backtrace[03] rip 0000000180094b8a (no symbol)
--> backtrace[04] rip 000000013f648763 (no symbol)
--> backtrace[05] rip 000000013ff8f5ce (no symbol)
--> backtrace[06] rip 000000013ff8f7b3 (no symbol)
--> backtrace[07] rip 00000001401adea7 (no symbol)
--> backtrace[08] rip 000007fefedba82d (no symbol)
--> backtrace[09] rip 000000007705652d (no symbol)
--> backtrace[10] rip 00000000773ec521 (no symbol)
-->
2012-10-30T10:00:23.266+01:00 [03604 info 'Default'] Registry Item DB 5 value is '50'

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 4.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 4.1.x
VMware vCenter Server 5.1.x
VMware vCenter Server 5.0.x

Cause

This issue occurs if a Windows user that is configured as the Logon User in the VMware VirtualCenter Server Service no longer exists or has been deleted, or does not have sufficient administrator privileges.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, use one of these options:

• Log in as an administrator.
  
  
• Re-create the Windows User:
  
  
  1. Right-click My Computer, then click Manage.
  2. Expand Local Users and Groups.
  3. Right-click Users and choose New User.
  4. Provide the credentials of the intended Windows user.
  5. Click Close.

Additional Information

For translated versions of this article, see:

• 日本語: VMware VirtualCenter Serverサービスがスタートに失敗しvpxdログに次のエラーが出る：W32Util_RegisterEventLog: Could not open registry key (2019924)
  

VMware VirtualCenter Server サービスの起動が次の vpxd ログ エラーで失敗する： W32Util_RegisterEventLog: レジストリ キーを開くことができませんでした