Error: "The object 'vim.VirtualMachine:###' has already been deleted or has not been completely created" when upgrading VCSA to 8

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

When running the vCenter upgrade from vSphere 7 to vSphere 8 the following errors are present on the Windows - %TEMP% - installer.log:

installer-20260525-112956708.log:
2026-03-29T16:24:15.580Z - debug: initiateFileTransferFromGuest error: ServerFaultCode: The object 'vim.VirtualMachine:###' has already been deleted or has not been completely created
2026-03-29T16:24:15.581Z - debug: Failed to get fileTransferInfo:ServerFaultCode: The object 'vim.VirtualMachine:###' has already been deleted or has not been completely created
2026-03-29T16:24:15.581Z - debug: Failed to get url of file in guest vm:ServerFaultCode: The object 'vim.VirtualMachine:###' has already been deleted or has not been completely created

Environment

vCenter Server 8.x

Cause

This error is due to some unidentified environmental limitations that are present.  

Resolution

The following steps can be taken to try to overcome the environmental issues:

• Point the vCenter Service Appliance installer as the existing vCenter instead of a host directly.
  
  
• Run the installer from a VM that is on or has been relocated to the management network segement.

Additional Information

Collecting Logs for Troubleshooting a vCenter Server Installation or Upgrade