Migrating a virtual machine fails when entering the maintenance mode with the error: Tools installation in progress

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• When putting a host in maintenance mode, some virtual machines fail to migrate
• VMware Tools Installation appears to be in progress within the ESXi host settings
• When migrating the virtual machine, the below error can appier:
  
  

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 6.x
VMware vCenter Server 7.x
VMware vCenter Server 8.x

Cause

This issue may occur if the VMware Tools .iso image is not unmounted from the guest operating system after VMware Tools is installed or upgraded.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, disconnect the .iso image from the virtual machine, so that DRS can complete the migration.

 

To unmount the .iso image:

1. From the guest operating system, Right-click the CD drive and click Eject.
   
   
2. Right-click the virtual machine and click Guest OS > Unmount VMware Tools Installer.

Notes:

• If DRS is set to fully automated, the virtual machine begins to migrate automatically. If DRS is set to manual, migration of the the virtual machine must happen manually.
• On Linux guest operating system these steps may not resolve the issue. The virtual machine must be powered off to resolve the issue.

Additional Information

Note: If the preceding steps does not resolve the issue, shut down the virtual machine and then power it on after ensuring that the ISO is disconnected.

If the virtual machine is running on an ESXi host and if the VMware Tools installation has not completed successfully and/or cannot be canceled using the procedure specified in the resolution section:

1. Run this command to identify the virtual machine ID:
   
   # vim-cmd vmsvc/getallvms
   
   The output will be similar to:
   
   2256 testvm [datastore] testvm/testvm.vmx winNetStandardGuest vmx-07
   
   
2. Note the ID of the virtual machine with the ongoing VMware Tools installation. In this example, the virtual machine ID is 2256.
3. Run this command to stop the VMware Tools installation:
   
   # vim-cmd vmsvc/tools.cancelinstall vm_ID
   
   Where vm_ID is the ID of the virtual machine noted in Step 2.

Installing VMware Tools in a Linux virtual machine using a Compiler