ESXi host hang at LLSwap_Cleanup during shutdown or reboot

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

When shutting down or rebooting a VMware ESXi host, the system may hang for an extended period at the VMK: shutdown (5/43): LLSwap_Cleanup stage.

This issue is commonly observed on hosts where "Swap to Host Cache" is enabled on SSD storage, particularly following significant VM migration activity or vMotion.

• The ESXi host remains unresponsive for 20 to 30 minutes during a reboot or shutdown command.
• The DCUI or serial console displays the message: VMK: shutdown (5/43): LLSwap_Cleanup.
• The host eventually completes the shutdown or reboot after the delay.

Environment

• VMware vSphere ESXi 7.x

• VMware vSphere ESXi 8.x

Resolution

  As a workaround, flush and drain the Host cache.

1. Log in to the vSphere Client.
2. Select the affected ESXi host and navigate to Configure > Storage > Host Cache Configuration.
3. Select the SSD datastore used for the cache and click Edit.
4. Deselect Allocate space for host cache (or set the size to 0) and click OK.
5. Reboot the ESXi host. The shutdown may still take 20–30 minutes this one time.
6. Once the host is back online, navigate back to Host Cache Configuration.
7. Click Edit and re-allocate the desired space for the host cache to recreate the subsystem.

Note: We also recommend raising a case with your hardware vendor to verify the physical health status of the host.

Additional Information

• If you encounter a similar issue, please upload the host logs to the case.

• To speak with a customer representative or a Support Engineer, see Contact Support. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on your respective region.