"License key has expired. License Expired, "Check system date or install a new license" all operation on ESXi host fails
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"License key has expired. License Expired, "Check system date or install a new license" all operation on ESXi host fails

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Article ID: 389204

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Updated On:

Products

VMware vCenter Server 7.0 VMware vCenter Server 8.0 VMware vSphere ESXi 7.0 VMware vSphere ESXi 8.0

Issue/Introduction

  • Licenses applied to the ESXi hosts are valid.

  • While powering ON a VM or performing a vMotion, might receive the below error: License key has expired. License Expired, "Check system date or install a new license"



  • In vCenter similar log entries could be seen, log file location:/var/log/vmware/vpxd/vpxd.log 
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z error vpxd[#####] [Originator@1234 sub=vpxLro opID=###] [VpxLRO] Unexpected Exception: N3Vim5Fault14LicenseExpired9ExceptionE(Fault cause: vim.fault.LicenseExpired
--> )
--> [context]###[/context]
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.851Z info vpxd[#####] [Originator@1234 sub=vpxLro opID=###] [VpxLRO] -- FINISH lro--###
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.851Z error vpxd[#####] [Originator@1234 sub=Default opID=###] [VpxLRO] -- ERROR lro--###--  --  -- VmprovWorkflow: :vim.fault.LicenseExpired
--> Result:
--> (vim.fault.LicenseExpired) {
-->    faultCause = (vmodl.MethodFault) null,
-->    faultMessage = (vmodl.LocalizableMessage) [
-->       (vmodl.LocalizableMessage) {
-->          key = "com.vmware.vim.license.error.LicenseExpired",
-->          arg = (vmodl.KeyAnyValue) [
-->             (vmodl.KeyAnyValue) {
-->                key = "info",
-->                value = "expired"
-->             }
-->          ],
-->          message = "License Expired, Check system date or install a new license."
-->       }
-->    ],
-->    licenseKey = "#####-#####-#####-#####-#####"
-->    msg = "License key has expired."
--> }
--> Args:
-->
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z warning vpxd[#####] [Originator@1234 sub=drsExec opID=###] Caught MethodFault Fault cause: vim.fault.LicenseExpired
--> . Failing powerOn

 

  • In ESXi host similar log entries could be seen, log file location: /var/run/log/hostd.log 
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.674Z In(166) Hostd[#######]: [Originator@1234 sub=Vimsvc.TaskManager opID=### sid=### user=vpxuser] Task Completed : haTask--vim.dvs.HostDistributedVirtualSwitchManager.retrieveDVPortgroupConfigSpec-########## Status success
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.673Z In(166) Hostd[#######]: [Originator@1234 sub=AdapterServer opID=CdrsLoadBalancer-### sid=### user=vpxuser:<no user>] AdapterServer caught exception; <<<UUID>, <TCP '127.0.0.1 : 8307'>, <TCP '127.0.0.1 : 36101'>>, ha-vmotionmgr, vim.host.VMotionManager.initiateDestination, <vim.version.v8_0_2_0, internal, 8.0.2.0>, [N11HostdCommon18VmomiAdapterServer19ActivationResponderE:0x##############]>, N3Vim5Fault14LicenseExpired9ExceptionE(Fault cause: vim.fault.LicenseExpired
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ Db(##) Hostd[#######]: [Originator@1234 sub=Solo.Vmomi opID=CdrsLoadBalancer-### sid=###user=vpxuser:<no user>] Arg migrationId:
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ Db(##) Hostd[#######]: --> #################
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ Db(##) Hostd[#######]: --> "/vmfs/volumes/<Datastorename>/VM_name/VM_name.vmx"
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ In(##) Hostd[#######]: [Originator@1234 sub=Solo.Vmomi opID=CdrsLoadBalancer-### sid=### user=vpxuser:<no user>] Throw vim.fault.LicenseExpired
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ In(##) Hostd[#######]: [Originator@1234 sub=Solo.Vmomi opID=CdrsLoadBalancer-###  sid=### user=vpxuser:<no user>] Result:
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ In(##) Hostd[#######]: --> (vim.fault.LicenseExpired) {
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ In(##) Hostd[#######]: -->    faultMessage = (vmodl.LocalizableMessage) [
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ In(##) Hostd[#######]: -->       (vmodl.LocalizableMessage) {
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ In(##) Hostd[#######]: -->          key = "com.vmware.vim.license.error.LicenseExpired",
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ In(##) Hostd[#######]: -->          arg = (vmodl.KeyAnyValue) [
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ In(##) Hostd[#######]: -->             (vmodl.KeyAnyValue) {
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ In(##) Hostd[#######]: -->                key = "info",
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ In(##) Hostd[#######]: -->                value = "expired"
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ In(##) Hostd[#######]: -->             }
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ In(##) Hostd[#######]: -->          ],
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ In(##) Hostd[#######]: -->       }
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ In(##) Hostd[#######]: -->    ],
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ In(##) Hostd[#######]: -->    licenseKey = "#####-#####-#####-#####-#####",
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ In(##) Hostd[#######]: -->    msg = ""
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ In(##) Hostd[#######]: --> }
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ Er(##) Hostd[#######]: [Originator@1234 sub=Vmsvc.vm:/vmfs/volumes/######-#####-####-########/VM_name/VM_name.vmx opID=CdrsLoadBalancer-### sid=### user=vpxuser:<no user>] CheckLicenses: ha-license-manager failed power check

Environment

vCenter 8.x

ESXi 8.x

Cause

In the ESXi host, hostd service does not have the correct information regarding the License assigned to the ESXi host.

Resolution

To resolve the issue, refresh the license information in the host

Follow the below steps:

  1. SSH to the ESXi host in question
  2. Run the below commands

    touch /etc/vmware/license.cfg
    vim-cmd vimsvc/license --show

    These commands force hostd to recheck the license and refresh the correct expiration date.

  3. Try to power on the VM from vCenter or ESXi now.

If the above commands do not work, restarting the hostd service on ESXi host or rebooting the affected host may resolve the issue. 

/etc/init.d/hostd restart 

NOTE: 

  • The first procedure is the least impactful, however, other options are listed below.
    • Restarting hostd service accomplishes the same end but is a full service restart.
  • vCenter upgrade triggers the same refresh on the host when the vCenter contacts the host for the first time.  However, since this requires an upgrade it is the most impactful. 
  • Any of these solutions are a valid work-around for this issue. 
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