Cannot remove or disable unwanted plugin from VMware vCenter Server

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vCenter Server 8.0
• VMware vCenter Server 7.0
• VMware vCenter Server 6.0

Issue/Introduction

This article provides the steps to remove or disable any unwanted plugin from vCenter Server (MOB page).

 

• Cannot remove plugin from the vSphere Client, the error message presented is similar to:

vCenter {Plugin Name} Disabled {Plugin Name} vCenter plugin The following error occurred while downloading the script plugin from https:///vmware/Plugin-NamePlugin.xml:Invalid URI: The host name could not be parsed.

• Even though uninstalled plugin from the Windows machine on which vCenter Server is running, the plugins are still in the Plug-in Manager in the vSphere Client. (For vCenter version prior to 6.7)

 

Resolution

Note: If vCenter Server is in linked mode, perform this procedure on the vCenter Server that is used to install the plugin initially, then restart the vCenter Server services on the linked vCenter Server.

To resolve this issue, remove unwanted plugin from the available plugin list using vCenter Manage Object page.

1. In a web browser, navigate to https://vCenter_Server_name_or_IP/mob.
   
   Where vCenter_Server_name_or_IP/mob is the name of the vCenter Server or its IP address. Log in with the vCenter SSO admin credentials.
   
   Note: If you are receiving "HTTP Status 401 - Unauthorized" error in the browser, please refer this KB - "HTTP Status 401 - Unauthorized", accessing vCenter MOB fails from Edge & Chrome browsers
    
2. Click Content.
3. Click ExtensionManager.
4. Select and copy the name of the plug-in to remove from the list of values under Properties. For a list of default plugins, see the Additional Information section of this article.
5. Click UnregisterExtension. A new window appears.
6. Paste the key of the plugin and click Invoke Method. This removes the plugin and results in void.
7. Close the window.
8. Refresh the Managed Object Type:ManagedObjectReference:ExtensionManager window to verify that the plugin is removed successfully.

Note: If the plugin still appears in UI, a restart of the vSphere Client may be required.

 

To disable the plugin through the Client PlugIn manager within the vSphere Web Client 5.1 and later:

1. Log in to the vSphere Web Client with an vCenter Server Administrative user.
2. When the error appears, click No.
3. Navigate to Administration > Client Plug-Ins.
4. Locate the client plug-in to disable.
5. Right-click this entry and select Disable.
6. Click Yes on the pop-up box for disabling the plugin.

Additional Information

Default vSphere extensions

 

Extension Name	Service Description
com.vmware.vim.eam	vSphere ESX Agent Manager
com.vmware.vim.inventoryservice	vCenter Inventory Service
com.vmware.vim.ls	Licensing Services
com.vmware.vim.sms	VMware vCenter Storage Monitoring Service
com.vmware.vim.sps	VMware vSphere Profile-drive Storage Service
com.vmware.vim.stats.report	Performance charts built-in extension
com.vmware.vim.stats.vsm	Service Manager
cim-ui	vCenter Hardware Status
health-ui	vCenter Service Status
hostdiag	Internal extension to declare diagnostic events from VMware Host systems
VirtualCenter	VirtualCenter dynamic events and tasks
com.vmware.h4	VMware Cloud Provider Services Plugin
com.vmware.orchestrator	VMware vRealize Orchestrator plugin (formerly known as VMware vCenter Orchestrator plug-in)
com.vmware.rbd	Auto Deploy
com.vmware.syslog	VMware Syslog Collector Configuration
com.vmware.vcDr	VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager Extension
com.vmware.vcHms	vSphere Replication Management (VRM)
com.vmware.vcIntegrity	VMware vSphere Update Manager Extension
com.vmware.vShieldManager	vShield Manager
vCloud Director-1	vCloud Director
com.vmware.vcops	vRealize Operations Manager (formerly known as vCenter Operations Manager)
com.vmware.vadm	VMware vRealize Infrastructure Navigator (formerly known as vCenterInfrastructure Navigator)
com.vmware.vdp	vSphere Data Protection 5.1
com.vmware.vdp2 com.vmware.vdp2.config	vSphere Data Protection 5.5/5.8
com.vmware.vsan.health	vSAN Health Check Plug-in
com.vmware.heartbeattasks	vCenter Server Heartbeat
com.vmware.hbwc	vCenter Server Heartbeat
com.vmware.heartbeat	vCenter Server Heartbeat
com.neverfail.heartbeat	vCenter Server Heartbeat