ESXi failed to boot up with error "Fatal error: 15 (not found)" after loading state.tgz
Article ID: 445039
Updated On:
Products
Issue/Introduction
Rebooting an ESXi host results in a boot failure. The console displays the following error message immediately after loading the `state.tgz` file:
Fatal error: 15 (not found)
Environment
- VMware vSphere ESXi 8.x
- VMware vSphere ESXi 7.x
Cause
The `state.tgz` configuration archive on the boot device is corrupted. This archive contains critical startup configuration, including a copy of `/etc/vmware/esx.conf`. Corruption typically occurs due to an unclean shutdown, abrupt power loss, or issues during a firmware update process.
Resolution
### Option 1: Boot from Alternative Bootbank
- Restart the ESXi host.
- When the hypervisor recovery screen appears during the initial boot sequence, press **Shift+R**.
- Follow the prompts to boot from the alternative (previous) bootbank.
- If the host boots successfully, verify the configuration and connectivity in the vSphere Client.
NOTE: Reverting an ESXi host is only valid if the host was updated using these methods:
- VIB installation or removal
- Profile installation or removal
- ESXi host update using VMware Update Manager
- Updated from a ISO
See KB: Reverting to a previous version of ESXi
### Option 2: Reinstall ESXi
If the alternative bootbank is unavailable or also corrupted, a fresh installation is required.
- Mount the ESXi installation media (ISO) corresponding to the desired version.
- Boot the host from the installation media.
- Select the option to **Install ESXi, preserve VMFS datastore** to ensure existing virtual machines are not deleted.
- Complete the installation and reconfigure host settings (Networking, Storage, etc.) as the previous configuration is lost due to the `state.tgz` corruption.
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