Unable to clone and edit VM settings in vCenter UI: "Error Loading Data"

Products

• VMware vSphere Standard

Issue/Introduction

When attempting to manage a Virtual Machine (VM) via the vSphere Client UI the following issues are observed : 

1. Inability to clone the VM.

2. The "Edit Settings" window fails to populate.

Error Message: "An error occurred while trying to load data. This could be due to a temporary outage. You can retry the operation by clicking the retry button."

Environment

VMware vSphere 7.x

VMware vSphere 8.x

Cause

This issue primarily occurs due to one of the below reasons.

1. Browser Cache/Rendering Issues: Local browser data or stale sessions can cause the vCenter UI to fail when fetching specific object properties.

2. vpxuser Authentication Mismatch : The vpxuser which is created when an ESXi host is added to the vCenter the password or permissions for this user can go out of sync between the vCenter Server database and the ESXi host causing this issue.

Resolution

Follow these steps in order to resolve the issue:

1. Validate Browser and Session

Clear Browser Cache: Clear the cache and cookies for your current browser.

Incognito/Private Mode: Open a new Incognito or Private window and log back into the vSphere Client.

Alternative Browser: Attempt the operation using a different supported browser (e.g., switching from Chrome to Firefox).

2. Re-sync the ESXi Host Connection

Disconnect and Reconnect the ESXi host to re-establish the sync between the ESXi & the vCenter.

Below are the steps to 

a.In the vSphere Client, navigate to the Hosts and Clusters view.

b.Right-click the ESXi host where the affected VM resides.

c.Select Connection > Disconnect. Wait for the host to show as "Disconnected."

d.Right-click the host again and select Connection > Connect.

e.If prompted, verify the host certificates and provide the root credentials to re-establish the management link.

f.Once the host is "Connected" and "Healthy," attempt to edit the VM settings again.