Unable to Remediate Host due to Error while waiting for untar process
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Unable to Remediate Host due to Error while waiting for untar process

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Article ID: 372062

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Updated On: 05-06-2025

Products

VMware vSphere ESXi VMware vSphere ESXi 7.0 VMware vSphere ESXi 8.0

Issue/Introduction

ESXi hosts booting from SD card (Note: SD Card revised guidance) may experience single image managed cluster remediation failures.

Remediation of cluster failed:

Remediation failed for Host : <esxi_hostname>

<esxi_hostname> - Failed to remediate host

 

Lifecycle log file on the ESXi will show errors similar to below snippets :

/var/run/log/lifecycle.log

Er(11) lifecycle[2119667]: imagemanagerctl:96 [InstallationError]
Er(11)[+] lifecycle[2119667]: VMware_locker_tools-light_12.3.5.22544099-23305545: Error while waiting for untar process '['/bin/tar', 'xzf', '-', '-C', '/locker/packages/']': Timeout (30 seconds) expired waiting for output from command '['/bin/tar', 'xzf', '-', '-C', '/locker/packages/']', pid '2119711'.
Er(11) lifecycle[2119667]: imagemanagerctl:101 Traceback (most recent call last):
Er(11) lifecycle[2119667]: imagemanagerctl:101   File "/tmp/esx-update-2119667/lib64/python3.8/site-packages/vmware/esximage/Installer/LockerInstaller.py", line 107, in close
Er(11) lifecycle[2119667]: imagemanagerctl:101   File "/lib64/python3.8/site-packages/vmware/runcommand.py", line 290, in waitProcessToComplete
Er(11) lifecycle[2119667]: imagemanagerctl:101 vmware.runcommand.RunCommandError: Timeout (30 seconds) expired waiting for output from command '['/bin/tar', 'xzf', '-', '-C', '/locker/packages/']', pid '2119711'.
Er(11) lifecycle[2119667]: imagemanagerctl:101 
Er(11) lifecycle[2119667]: imagemanagerctl:101 During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:
Er(11) lifecycle[2119667]: imagemanagerctl:101 
Er(11) lifecycle[2119667]: imagemanagerctl:101 Traceback (most recent call last):
Er(11) lifecycle[2119667]: imagemanagerctl:101   File "/tmp/esx-update-2119667/lib64/python3.8/site-packages/vmware/esximage/HostImage.py", line 947, in _download_and_stage
Er(11) lifecycle[2119667]: imagemanagerctl:101   File "/tmp/esx-update-2119667/lib64/python3.8/site-packages/vmware/esximage/HostImage.py", line 816, in _verify_and_write_payload
Er(11) lifecycle[2119667]: imagemanagerctl:101   File "/tmp/esx-update-2119667/lib64/python3.8/site-packages/vmware/esximage/Installer/LockerInstaller.py", line 112, in close
Er(11) lifecycle[2119667]: imagemanagerctl:101 esximage.Errors.InstallationError: Error while waiting for untar process '['/bin/tar', 'xzf', '-', '-C', '/locker/packages/']': Timeout (30 seconds) expired waiting for output from command '['/bin/tar', 'xzf', '-', '-C', '/locker/packages/']', pid '2119711'.



In case of a baseline cluster, using pre-defined baselines, below would be the error message and respective log snippets:

During Install, it would error out with : "An error occurred during host configuration".

Log snippets:
vmware-vum-server.log:

yyyy-mm-ddT info vmware-vum-server[09945] [Originator@6876 sub=VciRemediateTask.RemediateTask{603}] [vciTask
Base 1372] SerializeToVimFault fault:
--> (integrity.fault.VcIntegrityFault) {
-->    faultCause = (vmodl.MethodFault) null,
-->    faultMessage = <unset>
-->    msg = "Install error on host: , error details: Platform Configuration Error: /usr/sbin/esxupdate returned with exit status: 15"
--> }
--> Converted fault:
--> (vim.fault.ExtendedFault) {
-->    faultCause = (vmodl.MethodFault) null,
-->    faultMessage = <unset>,
-->    faultTypeId = "com.vmware.vcIntegrity.VcIntegrityFault",
-->    data = (vim.KeyValue) [
-->       (vim.KeyValue) {
-->          key = "faultCause",
-->          value = ""
-->       },
-->       (vim.KeyValue) {
-->          key = "faultMessage",
-->          value = ""
-->       }
-->    ]
-->    msg = "Install error on host: , error details: Platform Configuration Error: /usr/sbin/esxupdate returned with exit status: 15"
--> }

 

hostd.log:

yyyy-mm-ddT info hostd[2100677] [Originator@6876 sub=Hostsvc.VmkVprobSource] VmkVprobSource::Post event: (vim.event.EventEx) {
-->    key = 58,
-->    chainId = 1025431560,
-->    createdTime = "",
-->    userName = "",
-->    host = (vim.event.HostEventArgument) {
-->       name = "",
-->       host = 'vim.HostSystem:ha-host'
-->    },
-->    eventTypeId = "esx.problem.esximage.install.stage.error",
-->    arguments = (vmodl.KeyAnyValue) [
-->       (vmodl.KeyAnyValue) {
-->          key = "1",
-->          value = "(Updated) Cisco-UCS-Custom-ESXi-7-15843807_4.1.1-a"
-->       },
-->       (vmodl.KeyAnyValue) {
-->          key = "2",
-->          value = "VMware_locker_tools-light_12.3.5.22544099-23794019: Error while waiting for untar process '['/bin/tar', 'xzf', '-', '-C', '/locker/packages/']': Timeout (30 seconds) expired waiting for output from command '['/bin/tar', 'xzf', '-', '-C', '/locker/packages/']', pid '2171551'."
-->       }
-->    ],
-->    objectId = "ha-host",
-->    objectType = "vim.HostSystem",
--> }
yyyy-mm-ddTinfo hostd[2100677] [Originator@6876 sub=Vimsvc.ha-eventmgr] Event 7601 : Could not stage image profile '(Updated) Cisco-UCS-Custom-ESXi-7-15843807_4.1.1-a': VMware_locker_tools-light_12.3.5.22544099-23794019: Error while waiting for untar process '['/bin/tar', 'xzf', '-', '-C', '/locker/packages/']': Timeout (30 seconds) expired waiting for output from command '['/bin/tar', 'xzf', '-', '-C', '/locker/packages/']', pid '2171551'.

 

esxupdate.log:

esxupdate.1:yyyy-mm-ddT esxupdate: 2171510: vmware.runcommand: INFO: runcommand called with: args = '['/usr/lib/vmware/vob/bin/addvob', 'vob.user.esximage.install.stage.error', '(Updated) Cisco-UCS-Custom-ESXi-7-15843807_4.1.1-a', "VMware_locker_tools-light_12.3.5.22544099-23794019: Error while waiting for untar process '['/bin/tar', 'xzf', '-', '-C', '/locker/packages/']': Timeout (30 seconds) expired waiting for output from command '['/bin/tar', 'xzf', '-', '-C', '/locker/packages/']', pid '2171551'."]', outfile = 'None', returnoutput = 'True', timeout = '0.0'.
esxupdate.1:yyyy-mm-ddT esxupdate: 2171510: esxupdate: ERROR: esximage.Errors.InstallationError: Error while waiting for untar process '['/bin/tar', 'xzf', '-', '-C', '/locker/packages/']': Timeout (30 seconds) expired waiting for output from command '['/bin/tar', 'xzf', '-', '-C', '/locker/packages/']', pid '2171551'.
esxupdate.1:yyyy-mm-ddT esxupdate: 2171510: esxupdate: ERROR: esximage.Errors.InstallationError: VMware_locker_tools-light_12.3.5.22544099-23794019: Error while waiting for untar process '['/bin/tar', 'xzf', '-', '-C', '/locker/packages/']': Timeout (30 seconds) expired waiting for output from command '['/bin/tar', 'xzf', '-', '-C', '/locker/packages/']', pid '2171551'.
esxupdate.6:yyyy-mm-ddT esxupdate: 2139653: esxupdate: ERROR: esximage.Errors.InstallationError: Error while waiting for untar process '['/bin/tar', 'xzf', '-', '-C', '/locker/packages/']': Timeout (30 seconds) expired waiting for output from command '['/bin/tar', 'xzf', '-', '-C', '/locker/packages/']', pid '2139687'.
esxupdate.6:yyyy-mm-ddT1 esxupdate: 2139653: esxupdate: ERROR: esximage.Errors.InstallationError: VMware_locker_tools-light_12.3.5.22544099-23794019: Error while waiting for untar process '['/bin/tar', 'xzf', '-', '-C', '/locker/packages/']': Timeout (30 seconds) expired waiting for output from command '['/bin/tar', 'xzf', '-', '-C', '/locker/packages/']', pid '2139687'.
esxupdate.7:yyyy-mm-ddT esxupdate: 2139653: vmware.runcommand: INFO: runcommand called with: args = '['/usr/lib/vmware/vob/bin/addvob', 'vob.user.esximage.install.stage.error', '(Updated) Cisco-UCS-Custom-ESXi-7-15843807_4.1.1-a', "VMware_locker_tools-light_12.3.5.22544099-23794019: Error while waiting for untar process '['/bin/tar', 'xzf', '-', '-C', '/locker/packages/']': Timeout (30 seconds) expired waiting for output from command '['/bin/tar', 'xzf', '-', '-C', '/locker/packages/']', pid '2139687'."]', outfile = 'None', returnoutput = 'True', timeout = '0.0'.

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 7.x

VMware vSphere ESXi 8.x

 

Cause

  • This issue is caused when untar operation of individual VIBs takes more than the default 30 seconds timeout during the remediation process. For environments using SD card as the OSData partition, there are chances that VMware tools untar process takes slightly higher duration.

Resolution

This is a known issue with vSphere ESXi 7.x & 8.x, engineering is actively working towards fixing this issue in a future release.

 

Workarounds

 

Workaround 1:

 

Step 1: Manually increase the timeout of the untar process:

 

Note: 

These steps are non-persistent and will revert back to default after the host undergoes reboot.

The "Step 1" procedure is necessary to avoid a timeout error during the manual upgrade in "Step 2".

  • Login to ESXi host using SSH

  • Execute below vsish command to allow file modification

    vsish -e set /config/VisorFS/intOpts/VisorFSPristineTardisk 0

  • Take backup of file /lib64/python3.8/site-packages/vmware/esximage/Installer/LockerInstaller.py

    cp /lib64/python3.8/site-packages/vmware/esximage/Installer/LockerInstaller.py /tmp/LockerInstaller.py

  • Take another backup of the file copied in /tmp before editing it

    cp /tmp/LockerInstaller.py /tmp/LockerInstaller.py.bak

  • Change permission of file /tmp/LockerInstaller.py

    chmod 777 /tmp/LockerInstaller.py

  • Edit the file /tmp/LockerInstaller.py to increase the timeout from 30 to 120 seconds

    vi /tmp/LockerInstaller.py

    Change value of timeout to 120

       def close(self, timeout=30):  <<<<<< make this value 120
          '''Close untar stream and wait for process completion.
             Parameters:
                * timeout - the amount of time in seconds, to wait for output
                            or completion of the process.
          '''

    After modification:

       def close(self, timeout=120):
          '''Close untar stream and wait for process completion.
             Parameters:
                * timeout - the amount of time in seconds, to wait for output
                            or completion of the process.
          '''

    Save the changes and exit 'vi' editor using !wq

  • Move /tmp/LockerInstaller.py to /lib64/python3.8/site-packages/vmware/esximage/Installer/LockerInstaller.py and overwrite it.

    mv /tmp/LockerInstaller.py /lib64/python3.8/site-packages/vmware/esximage/Installer/LockerInstaller.py

  • Execute below vsish command to default value to disable file modifications

    vsish -e set /config/VisorFS/intOpts/VisorFSPristineTardisk 1

Step 2: For VLCM, manually upgrade VMware Tools that is in the version mentioned in the vLCM Image desired state.

 

  • Download the desired state ESXi zipped bundle from Broadcom Download Portal and upload to a datastore.

    Note: The complete version of VMware Tools can be found from the logs (Installation Error message) 

  • Upgrade VMware Tools using esxcli command

    esxcli software component apply -n VMware-VM-Tools -d /<path>/VMware-ESXi-X.0-XXXXXXXX-depot.zip


 

Step 3: Proceed Remediation

 

  • Login to vCenter Server UI and select Lifecycle Manager

  • Check the Cluster Compliance and execute the remediation.

 

Workaround 2:

Step 1:  Create a new baseline or modify the existing baseline or image with a newer VMware Tools package (eg 12.4.x or newer)


Step 2:  Proceed Remediation

  • Login to vCenter Server UI and select Lifecycle Manager

  • Check the Cluster Compliance and execute the remediation.

 

 

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