Upgrading VMware Tools fails with the error: No module BusLogic found for kernel x.x.xx-xx, aborting

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:
After upgrading the guest operating system virtual machine from RHEL4 to RHEL5 and migrating it to ESX 3.5 or 4.x, you experience these symptoms:

• You are unable to upgrade VMware Tools
• Upgrading VMware Tools fails
• You see the error:
  
  
  Creating a new initrd boot image for the kernel.
  No module BusLogic found for kernel 2.6.18-92.el5PAE, aborting.
  ERROR: "/sbin/mkinitrd -f --with=vmxnet --with=vmxnet3 --with=pvscsi /boot/initrd-2.6.18-92.el5PAE.img 2.6.18-92.el5PAE" exited with non-zero status.
  
  Your system currently may not have a functioning init image and may not boot properly. DO NOT REBOOT! Please ensure that you have enough free space available in your /boot directory and run this configuration script again.
  
  Execution aborted.

Environment

VMware ESXi 3.5.x Installable
VMware ESXi 3.5.x Embedded
VMware ESX Server 3.5.x
VMware ESX 4.0.x
VMware ESXi 4.0.x Installable
VMware ESXi 4.0.x Embedded

Cause

This issue occurs because the previous initrd image is loaded during VMware Tools upgrade installation that restores the /etc/modprobe.conf file with the entry alias scsi_hostadapter BusLogic. When the VMware Tools config tool tries to regenerate the new initrd image, it uses this file, but fails to find the BusLogic module.

Resolution

To workaround this issue, perform these steps during the VMware Tools installation:

1. Start regular installation procedure and wait for this message to appear:
   
   
   Restoring the kernel initrd image.:
   No module BusLogic found for kernel 2.6.18-92.el5PAE, aborting.
   
   The removal of VMware Tools 8.3.2 build-257589 for Linux completed successfully.
   
   Installing VMware Tools.
   In which directory do you want to install the binary files?
   [/usr/bin]
   
   
2. Open a new terminal window and open the /etc/modprobe.conf file.
3. Comment out the line with BusLogic and save the changes.
4. Proceed with installation.