ESXI host fails to join domain (start of lwsmd service will fail with error "LW_ERROR_NO_SUCH_SERVICE")

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

ESXi will fails to join the AD domain
Starting the lwsmd will throw the below error.	/etc/init.d/lwsmd start Starting Likewise Service Manager [memory reservation set] SUCCESS [starting lsass service] Starting service dependency: netlogon Error: LW_ERROR_SERVICE_UNRESPONSIVE (41203) The service is not responding to requests Failed to query status from LSA service.  Error code 2 (ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND). [retrying start of lsass service] Starting service dependency: netlogon Error: LW_ERROR_SERVICE_UNRESPONSIVE (41203) The service is not responding to requests Failed to query status from LSA service.  Error code 2 (ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND). Failed to query status from LSA service.  Error code 2 (ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND). Failed to query status from LSA service.  Error code 2 (ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND). Failed to query status from LSA service.  Error code 2 (ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND). [lsass service startup failure] ...ok
Errors in Active Directory operations

 

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 7.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 8.x

Cause

The likewise DB contains unexpected entries.

Location of the DB: /etc/likewise/db/registry.db

Resolution

Copy the likewise DB file from a working host.

• Connect to ESXi host through ssh.
• Take a backup of /etc/likewise/db/registry.db
  • #cp /etc/likewise/db/registry.db /etc/likewise/db/registry.db.bak
• Connect to another working host which is joined to domain and copy /etc/likewise/db/registry.db to the host with problem.
• change the permission to read/write :
  • #chmod 600 /etc/likewise/db/registry.db
• Restart lwsmd service. 
  • /etc/init.d/lwsmd restart
• Verify that all likewise service are started correctly
  • #/usr/lib/vmware/likewise/bin/lwsm  list
  • 
• Attempt to join host to domain. 
  • Configuring the ESXi host with Active Directory authentication