Error: "A general system error occurred: Installing HA components failed on the cluster: domain-xxxx" when enabling vSphere HA

Products

• VMware vSphere ESX 8.x

Issue/Introduction

1. vSphere HA Remediation Fails with “A general system error occurred: Installing HA components failed on the cluster: domain-xXXXX'
2. Cannot complete the configuration of the vSphere HA agent on the host. "Applying HA VIBs on the cluster encountered a failure". Failed installing HA component on the host host-XXX
3. You may encounter the error "resource or target busy" while attempting to access the logs.

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 8.0.x

Cause

The issue occurs due to the scratch partition for affected hosts is configured to point to a shared directory. As a result, the partition becomes inaccessible, leading to the "resource or target busy" error during log access.

Resolution

• SSH into the affected ESXi host.
  
  
• Verify the configured scratch location using CLI or GUI(vSphere client):
  
  vim-cmd hostsvc/advopt/view ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation


• Confirm if the scratch partition is pointing to a location already assigned to another host either execute above mentioned command or navigate through the below given options in vSphere client. 
  
  From vCenter Server, select the host Click Software --> Advanced Settings.


• Place the host in maintenance mode using CLI or GUI. 
  
  vim-cmd /hostsvc/maintenance_mode_enter

OR

Log in to vCenter, right-click the desired host, and select  Maintenance Mode > Enter Maintenance Mode.


• Navigate to ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation and specify a valid, unique directory path:
  
  Example: /vmfs/volumes/<DatastoreUUID>/.locker-<ESXHostname> 
  
  Refer to Creating a persistent scratch location for ESXi 8.x/7.x/6.x for guidance: Creating a persistent scratch location for ESXi 8.x/7.x/6.x
  
  
•  Reboot the ESXi host to the changes to take effect. How to Reboot or Shut Down Your ESXi Host
  
  
• After reboot, exit maintenance mode using CLI or GUI.
  
  vim-cmd /hostsvc/maintenance_mode_exit

OR

Log in to vCenter, right-click the desired host, and select  Maintenance Mode > Exit Maintenance Mode.
  
  
• HA components should now install successfully once HA is re-enabled on the cluster.