vCenter Server upgrade fails with white screen at folder selection stage.
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vCenter Server upgrade fails with white screen at folder selection stage.

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Article ID: 434622

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Updated On:

Products

VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

  • When attempting to upgrade the vCenter Server Appliance (vCSA) using the GUI installer, the application transitions to a persistent blank white screen specifically at the "Select Folder" step of the wizard. This prevents the user from proceeding with Stage 1 of the deployment.
  • Installer hangs or renders a white window after connecting to the source vCenter.
  • Log folder <REDACTED_USER_HOME>\AppData\Roaming\vcsa-ui-installer shows no explicit crash but UI becomes unresponsive.
  • Issue persists after clearing local cache and re-downloading the ISO.

          

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 7.x

Cause

The GUI installer client fails to enumerate or render inventory objects (folders) from the source vCenter, often due to the source VM residing in a non-standard location or a timeout in the UI rendering engine.

Resolution

To bypass the GUI installer rendering failure, perform a manual Stage 1 deployment directly on the ESXi host, followed by a Stage 2 data migration.

Step 1: Manual Stage 1 Deployment

  1. Mount the vCenter ISO and navigate to the /vcsa/ directory to locate the .ova file.
  2. Log in to the Host Client of the ESXi server where the new vCenter will be deployed.
  3. Navigate to Virtual Machines > Create/Register VM > Deploy a virtual machine from an OVF or OVA file.
  4. Assign a name to the new vCSA VM and select the .ova file identified in step 1.
  5. Follow the wizard to select storage and networks.
  6. In the Additional Settings (OVF Environment) section:Network Mode: Set to static.
  7. IP Address: Provide a Temporary IP address.
  8. Network Details: Enter the subnet mask, gateway, and DNS.
  9. System Configuration: Enter the root password.
    Note: Leave "Host Network Identity" blank.
  10. Complete the deployment. A prompt regarding "extra disks" may appear; this is expected and should be accepted.
  11. Power on the VM and wait 10–15 minutes for the Guest OS and services to initialize.

Step 2: Stage 2 Upgrade Execution

  1. Open a web browser and navigate to https://<TEMPORARY_IP>:5480.
  2. Select the Upgrade option.
  3. Follow the prompts to connect to the source vCenter Server and proceed with the data migration and network cutover.
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