Database in-place upgrade fails with error code 1603 while starting VMware VirtualCenter Service

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

To resolve a vCenter Server 6.0 upgrade that fails with error code 1603 when starting the vCenter service

Symptoms:

• Upgrading to vCenter Server 6.0 fails with this error:

Installation of component VCSServiceManager failed with error code '1603'. Check the logs for more details

• In the %temp%\vminst.log file, you see entries similar to:
  
  vcsInstUtil-2562624| I: ParseStatusFile: curr error msg: "VMware VirtualCenter failed firstboot."
  vcsInstUtil-2562624| I: ParseStatusFile: curr error msg: "Database in-place upgrade failed. Please see vcdb_inplace.err and vcdb_inplace.out for details."
  vcsInstUtil-2562624| E: ParseStatusFile: Displaying error message for "install.vpxd.action.failed": "VMware VirtualCenter failed firstboot.
  Database in-place upgrade failed. Please see vcdb_inplace.err and vcdb_inplace.out for details.
  Please refer to vSphere documentation to troubleshoot or Please contact VMware Support."
  
  vcsInstUtil-2562624| I: Leaving function: VM_RunLastBoot
  vcsInstUtil-2562624| E: wWinMain: MSI result of install of "install_drive:\vCenter-Server\Packages\vcsservicemanager.msi" may have failed: 1603 (0x00000643)
  vcsInstUtil-2562624| E: LaunchPkgMgr: Operation on vcsservicemanager.msi appears to have failed: 1603 (0x00000643)
  vcsInstUtil-2562624| I: PitCA_MessageBox: Displaying message: "Installation of component VCSServiceManager failed with error code '1603'. Check the logs for more details."
   
• In the install_bundle/vcs_logs/uninstall/[vCenter_name_date]/ProgramData/VMware/vCenterServer/logs/vmware-vpx\vcdb_inplace.err file, you see entries similar to:
  
  [42000](21050) [Microsoft][SQL Server Native Client 11.0][SQL Server]Only members of the sysadmin fixed server role or db_owner fixed database role can perform this operation. Contact an administrator with sufficient permissions to perform this operation.
  ERROR: not enough privileges.
  
  Note: The Install_bundle is created on the desktop of the vCenter Server machine after a failed installation or upgrade in this format:
  
  VMware-VCS-logs-<year><month><day><hourminute><second>.zip

Note: The preceding log excerpts are only examples. Date, time, and environmental variables may vary depending on your environment.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 6.0.x

Cause

This issue occurs if the user account that is connecting to the vCenter Server SQL database does not have sysadmin or db_owner permissions.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, provide sysadmin or db_owner permission for the vCenter Server database login user.

 

To provide sysadmin or db_owner permission to the vCenter Server database login user:

1. Stop the vCenter Server service.
2. Connect to the vCenter Server SQL database using SQL Management Studio as an administrative user.
3. In the left pane, expand Database > VCDB >Security > User.
4. Right-click the vCenter Server database user and click Properties.
5. In the property window, select General in the left pane.
6. In the Database Role Membership field, select db_owner.
7. In the left pane, expand Database > MSDB > Security >User.
8. Repeat step 4 to 6.
9. Perform an upgrade to vCenter Server.

Additional Information

Upgrading or installing VMware vCenter Server 6.0 fails with the vminst.log error: Error in accessing registry entry for DSN