HCX OSAM Windows failures
search cancel

HCX OSAM Windows failures

book

Article ID: 438238

calendar_today

Updated On:

Products

VMware HCX

Issue/Introduction

With OSAM, you can migrate guest workloads that exist within vSphere Software-Defined Data Centers (SDDCs) or non-vSphere environments. The OSAM service operates in one of two modes: multi-site and single-site. Multi-site mode applies when migrating workloads between vSphere-based source and destination sites where HCX has been installed at both sites. Single-site mode applies when migrating workloads from a non-vSphere site to a vSphere site running HCX, which can be either HCX Connector or HCX Cloud Manager. This also will mean that you can have OS specific failures for the migrations as well. Below are some of the common Windows failures and their resolutions. 

Environment

Windows based source vm

Resolution

Migration Failures

Migration failures can occur during various stages of the OSAM process. This section details common migration failures, their causes, and resolutions.

Windows Stage-1 Fixup Failure

  • Cause:

    • Failure to install VMware Tools during Stage-1 fixup on the migrated Windows VM.

  • Symptoms:

    • Migrated VM is powered on without VMware Tools installed.
    • Mouse and network connectivity may not function correctly.

  • Resolution:

    1. Access Fixup Logs:
      • Use the remote console to access C:\temp\fixup.log & C:\ProgramData\VMware\HCX\OSAM\sentinelService.log on the migrated VM.
      • Since network and mouse (since tools is not installed) may not be operational , take a screenshot of the log file.
    2. Review Logs for Errors:
      • Identify specific errors related to VMware Tools installation.
    3. Collect Tech-Support Logs:
      • Gather logs from both HCX Managers, SGW, SDR appliances, and Sentinel.
    4. Address VMware Tools Issues:
      • Ensure that the source Windows VM meets all prerequisites for VMware Tools installation.
      • Reinstall VMware Tools manually if necessary.
    5. Retry Migration:
      • Attempt the migration process again after resolving VMware Tools installation issues.

Windows Stage-2 Fixup Failure

  • Cause:

    • Issues during NIC reconfiguration or inability to find required fixup files during Stage-2 fixup on the migrated Windows VM.

  • Symptoms:

    • Migrated VM may or may not be in a powered-on state.
    • Network adapters may remain in a disconnected state.

  • Resolution:

    1. Access Fixup Logs:
      • Use the remote console to access C:\temp\fixup.log on the migrated VM.
      • If C:\temp\Fixup is not present, access C:\ProgramData\VMware\HCX\OSAM\sentinelService.log.
    2. Review Logs for Errors:
      • Identify specific errors related to NIC reconfiguration or missing fixup files.
    3. Collect Tech-Support Logs:
      • Gather logs from both HCX Managers, SGW, SDR appliances, and Sentinel.
    4. Address Fixup Issues:
      • Ensure that all necessary files are present and accessible.
      • Verify network configurations and reconfigure NICs manually if required.
    5. Retry Migration:
      • Attempt the migration process again after resolving fixup issues.

Presence of .bak Entries in Windows Registry

  • Cause:

    • The source Windows VM contains .bak registry entries under HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList.

  • Impact:

    • Migration validation fails unless .bak entries are removed.

  • Resolution:

    1. Open Registry Editor:

      regedit

    2. Navigate to ProfileList:

      • Path: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

    3. Backup .bak Entries:

      • Export the .bak entries for backup purposes.

    4. Delete .bak Entries:

      • Remove all .bak entries from the ProfileList.

    5. Retry Migration:

      • Initiate the migration process again after removing the .bak entries.

netsh Failures During Stage-2 Fixup on Windows

  • Cause:

    • Failures in network configuration commands executed by netsh during Stage-2 fixup.

  • Symptoms:

    • Network adapters may not be configured correctly, leading to connectivity issues.

  • Resolution:

    1. Access Fixup Logs:
      • Review C:\temp\fixup.log for specific netsh command failures.
    2. Manually Reconfigure Network:
      • Use the netsh commands listed in the Windows Fixup section to manually set IP addresses, DNS, and other network settings.
    3. Retry Stage-2 Fixup:
      • If possible, re-trigger Stage-2 fixup to apply the correct network configurations.

Failure to Get NIC Teaming Configuration on Windows

  • Cause:

    • OSAM fails to retrieve NIC teaming configurations during migration.

  • Impact:

    • NIC configurations, including teaming, will not be present on the migrated VM, potentially affecting network performance and redundancy.

  • Resolution:

    1. Review Logs:
      • Check C:\temp\fixup.log for errors related to NIC teaming configuration retrieval.
    2. Manual Configuration:
      • Manually configure NIC teaming on the migrated VM post-migration using PowerShell or the Network Adapter settings.
    3. Verify Network Connectivity:
      • Ensure that all network adapters are correctly configured and connected after manual adjustments.

VMware Tools Installation Failure

  • Cause:

    • Issues during the installation of VMware Tools on the migrated Windows VM during Stage-1 fixup.

  • Common Reasons:

    • Prerequisite Not Met: Source VM does not meet the prerequisites for VMware Tools installation.
    • Unsupported Windows Version: Windows Server 2008 SP2 32-bit systems have known issues with VMware Tools installation.

  • Resolution:

    1. Review Fixup Logs:
      • Check C:\temp\fixup.log for specific VMware Tools installation errors.
    2. Verify Prerequisites:
      • Ensure that all necessary hotfixes are installed on the source Windows VM. Refer to the Windows-Specific Considerations section.
    3. Manual VMware Tools Installation:
      • If automatic installation fails, manually install VMware Tools on the migrated VM using the VMware Tools installer.
    4. Address Unsupported Configurations:
      • For Windows Server 2008 SP2 32-bit systems, refer to the VMware KB article 320068 for workaround instructions.
      •  
    5. Retry Migration:
      • After resolving VMware Tools installation issues, retry the migration process.

VMware Tools Prerequisite Not Met on Source Windows VM

  • Cause:

    • The source Windows VM lacks required hotfixes or configurations necessary for VMware Tools installation during migration.

  • Resolution Steps:

    1. Check for Required Hotfixes:

      Get-WmiObject Win32_QuickFixEngineering | Where-Object {$_.HotFixID -eq "KB2919355"} Get-WmiObject Win32_QuickFixEngineering | Where-Object {$_.HotFixID -eq "KB4474419"}
      • Expected Output: Details of the hotfixes if installed.
      • No Output: Indicates that the hotfix is not installed.

    2. Install Missing Hotfixes:

      • Download and install the necessary hotfixes from Microsoft's official sources.

    3. Verify Installation:

      • Rerun the PowerShell commands to ensure the hotfixes are successfully installed.

    4. Retry Migration:

      • Initiate the migration process again after installing the required hotfixes.

VMware Tools Installation Failure on Windows Server 2008 SP2 32-bit Systems

  • Cause:

    • Known issue with VMware Tools installation on Windows Server 2008 SP2 32-bit systems.

  • Resolution:

    1. Refer to Broadcom KB Article 320068:
      • Follow the documented workaround steps to address the VMware Tools installation failure.
    2. Manual Installation:
      • Install VMware Tools manually using an alternative installation method as outlined in the KB article.
    3. Retry Migration:
      • After successfully installing VMware Tools, retry the migration process.

Non-US English Locale Windows Systems

  • Cause:

    • OSAM primarily supports English (US) locales. Non-US English locales can cause Stage-2 fixup failures due to locale-specific configurations.

  • Resolution:

    1. Review Fixup Logs:
      • Check C:\temp\fixup.log for errors related to locale settings.
    2. Change Locale to English (US):
      • Temporarily change the system locale to English (US) on the source VM before initiating migration.
    3. Retry Migration:
      • Attempt the migration process again after ensuring the locale is set correctly.

Migration Could Not Complete Within Scheduled Maintenance Window

  • Cause:

    • The migration process exceeded the allocated maintenance window, leading to final sync failure.

  • Resolution:

    1. Extend Maintenance Window:
      • Allocate additional time for the migration process to complete.
    2. Optimize Migration Settings:
      • Adjust replication settings to optimize performance and reduce migration time.
    3. Monitor Progress:
      • Continuously monitor the migration progress to identify and address any bottlenecks promptly.
    4. Retry Migration:
      • Initiate the migration process again with the updated settings and extended maintenance window.

Migration Succeeds; Configuration Mismatch

Sometimes, migration completes successfully, but the migrated VM's configuration does not fully match the source VM's configuration. This can occur due to discrepancies in registry entries or manual configurations made outside of standard procedures.

Windows Configuration Mismatch
Powered by Wolken Software