ESXi upgrade fails with third-party multipathing modules, displaying "Failed modules /usr/lib/vmware/configmanager/upgrade/lib/postLoadStore/libupgradepsadeviceconfig.so"

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

• When upgrading an ESXi host, the host may fail with a Purple Screen of Diagnostic (PSOD) during the post-upgrade reboot.
  The PSOD console displays the following error message:
  Failed modules
/usr/lib/vmware/configmanager/upgrade/lib/postLoadStore/libupgradepsadeviceconfig.so
• The affected ESXi host currently has, or previously had, third-party multipathing modules installed.
• The /etc/vmware/esx.conf file contains specific satpConfig options related to the third-party module, as shown in the example below:
  /storage/plugin/NMP/device[#########]/satpConfig = "##############"

Environment

ESXi 7.0

Cause

During the upgrade process, the configuration options specific to the third-party module stored in esx.conf are identified as invalid configuration parameters. This triggers an exception in the upgrade logic, resulting in a PSOD.

Resolution

Contact the vendor of the multipath module to inquire about the procedure for deleting the setting value, and take the necessary action.