Staging vCenter 7.0U3S patch from CLI fails with the error: "Stage path file doesn't exist"

Products

• VMware vCenter Server 7.0

Issue/Introduction

Stage the ISO from CLI using the commands below but failed with the error "Stage path file doesn't exist":

SSH to the vCenter and run the following commands:

Command> software-packages stage --iso
[timestamp] : Discovering updates...
[timestamp] : UpdateInfo: Using product version 7.0.3.02000 and build 24026615
[timestamp] : Target VCSA version = 7.0.3.02100
[timestamp] : Stage path file doesn't exist
[timestamp] : Staging failed. Retry to resume from the current state. Or please collect the VC support bundle.

/var/log/vmware/applmgmt/Patchrunner.log 

[timestamp] ERROR vmware_b2b.patching.phases.patcher Patch hook Patch got unhandled exception.
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/storage/seat/########-##############/stage/scripts/patches/py/vmware_b2b/patching/phases/patcher.py", line 203, in patch
    _patchComponents(ctx, userData, statusAggregator.reportingQueue)
  File "/storage/seat/########-##############/stage/scripts/patches/py/vmware_b2b/patching/phases/patcher.py", line 84, in _patchComponents
    _startDependentServices(c)
  File "/storage/seat/########-##############/stage/scripts/patches/py/vmware_b2b/patching/phases/patcher.py", line 53, in _startDependentServices
    serviceManager.start(depService)
  File "/storage/seat/########-##############/stage/scripts/patches/libs/sdk/service_manager.py", line 901, in wrapper
    return getattr(controller, attr)(*args, **kwargs)
  File "/storage/seat/########-##############/stage/scripts/patches/libs/sdk/service_manager.py", line 794, in start
    super(VMwareServiceController, self).start(serviceName)
  File "/storage/seat/########-##############/stage/scripts/patches/libs/sdk/service_manager.py", line 665, in start
    raise IllegalServiceOperation(errorText)
service_manager.IllegalServiceOperation: Service cannot be started. Error: Error executing start on service sts. Details {
    "detail": [
        {
            "id": "install.ciscommon.service.failstart",
            "translatable": "An error occurred while starting service '%(0)s'",
            "args": [
                "sts"
            ],
            "localized": "An error occurred while starting service 'sts'"
        }
    ],
    "componentKey": null,
    "problemId": null,
    "resolution": null
}
#######-####### failed. Error: {
    "detail": [
        {
            "id": "install.ciscommon.service.failstart",
            "translatable": "An error occurred while starting service '%(0)s'",
            "args": [
                "sts"
            ],
            "localized": "An error occurred while starting service 'sts'"
        }
    ],
    "componentKey": null,
    "problemId": null,
    "resolution": null
}

[timestamp] WARNING root stopping status aggregation...
[timestamp] ERROR __main__ Patch vCSA failed

Note: The above log snippet shows service as STS. This can appear for other services as well depending on the failure. 

Environment

vCenter server 7.0

Cause

This issue is observed if a previous patching attempt was failed and was ignored. The RPMs are already installed thus not allowing to download and install RPMs again. 

Resolution

Restore the vCenter from Backup