vLCM image draft validation fails with Component VMware-VM-Tools:PM_DELETED_BY_USER cannot be removed because it is not found in the image.

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

When switching from the baselines to vLCM images, the draft validation fails with 'Component VMware-VM-Tools:PM_DELETED_BY_USER cannot be removed because it is not found in the image'.

vmware-vum-server.log will report similar error messages:

info vmware-vum-server[10727] [Originator@6876 sub=ServiceProvider] [ImageService 372] Run command: --taskid 52a62f53-1615-5da5-2da0-XXXXXXXXXXXX --threadid 10727 software --validate
info vmware-vum-server[10727] [Originator@6876 sub=ServiceProvider] [EmbeddedPyServiceProvider 1548] Draft validation results: {"info": [], "warnings": [], "errors": [{"id": "com.vmware.vcIntegrity.lifecycle.EsxImage.RemovedComponentNotFound", "message": {"id": "com.vmware.vcIntegrity.lifecycle.EsxImage.RemovedComponentNotFound", "default_message": "Component VMware-VM-Tools:PM_DELETED_BY_USER cannot be removed because it is not found in the image.", "args": ["VMware-VM-Tools:PM_DELETED_BY_USER"]}, "resolution": null, "time": "YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS378Z"}]}
info vmware-vum-server[10727] [Originator@6876 sub=DraftsManager] [DraftsManager 1224] ValidateHardwareSupportSpec called
info vmware-vum-server[10727] [Originator@6876 sub=DraftsManager] [DraftsManager 1586] Draft validation results: {
-->     "errors": [
-->         {
-->             "id": "com.vmware.vcIntegrity.lifecycle.EsxImage.RemovedComponentNotFound",
-->             "message": {
-->                 "args": [
-->                     "VMware-VM-Tools:PM_DELETED_BY_USER"
-->                 ],
-->                 "default_message": "Component VMware-VM-Tools:PM_DELETED_BY_USER cannot be removed because it is not found in the image.",
-->                 "id": "com.vmware.vcIntegrity.lifecycle.EsxImage.RemovedComponentNotFound",
-->                 "localized": null,
-->                 "params": null
-->             },
-->             "originator": null,
-->             "resolution": null,
-->             "retriable": null,
-->             "time": "YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.378Z",
-->             "type": null
-->         }
-->     ],
-->     "info": [],
-->     "warnings": []
--> }

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 8.X

Cause

This issue occurs when the image is initially created with additional components and later the additional component was deleted. 

Resolution

1. Create a "dummy" vSphere Cluster that will be used to define the custom ESXi image with the same version, add-ons and components. Make sure the "Manage all hosts in the cluster with a single image" option is selected which enables vLCM and then choose the "Compose a new image" setting. Specify the same version ESXi base image for the cluster.

Note : During the creation of a vSphere Cluster, you can NOT add additional components or add-ons to ESXi base image, this must be done after.

Create a vSphere Cluster with the vSphere Client

2. Associate the same add-ons and missing additional component shown in the error message to the image.

 Click on the vSphere Cluster and navigate to Updates->Hosts->Image and click on the Edit button. Click on the Add Components and select the missing components shown in the error.

3. Export the image into a JSON file by clicking on the "three dots" and then select Export and choose JSON format.

4. Now import the image into the problematic cluster.  

5. Validate the image.