vCenter Server Service (vpxd) fails to start with "Exec format error: 'vpxd'" after applying custom scripts or updates

Products

• VMware vCenter Server 8.0

Issue/Introduction

 

vpxd fails to start following an update or maintenance task (e.g., upgrading to vCenter Server 8.0 Update 3k).

Attempting to run vpxd directly from the CLI or running scripts dependent on vpxd (such as vCert.py) results in the following error:

OSError: [Errno 8] Exec format error: 'vpxd'

Reviewing /var/log/vmware/vpxd/vpxd.log shows heartbeat and initialization timeouts taking up to 600+ seconds prior to service shutdown:

ProcessScheduledTaskFiring [TotalTime] took 1114095 ms
[VpxdServer] Exit done.

Inspecting the wrapper script /usr/sbin/vpxd shows custom commands placed at line 1, above the #!/bin/sh shebang.

 

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 8.x

Cause

This issue occurs when custom modifications, manual edits, or implementation scripts insert text at the very top of /usr/sbin/vpxd, pushing the standard shebang line (#!/bin/sh) down.

In Linux operating systems, the shebang (#!/bin/sh) must be the absolute first line of an executable script for the kernel to identify the appropriate shell interpreter.

1. Invalid Header: Text prepended above the shebang breaks the execution format, causing the Linux kernel to reject the binary execution with OSError: [Errno 8] Exec format error.

2. Service Timeouts: Any added sleep command inside the primary service wrapper forces dependent services (such as EAM, WCP, or vPostgres) to time out waiting for API initialization, triggering an automated shutdown.

Resolution

To resolve the issue, restore the shebang line to the first line of the /usr/sbin/vpxd wrapper script:

Step 1: Verify the Wrapper Header

Run head to check the top lines of the file:

head -n 5 /usr/sbin/vpxd

If any non-shebang command appears on line 1, proceed with the fix below.

Step 2: Correct /usr/sbin/vpxd

1. Open the script in the vi text editor:

   vi /usr/sbin/vpxd
   

2. Press i to enter edit mode.

3. Remove any lines above #!/bin/sh so that #!/bin/sh is on Line 1.

4. Press Esc, then type :wq! and press Enter to save and exit.

Step 3: Verify and Start Services

1. Confirm the binary executes cleanly without format errors:

   vpxd -v
   

2. Start the vpxd service using service-control:

   service-control --start vpxd
   

3. Alternatively, restart all vCenter appliance services:

   service-control --start --all

Additional Information

 

• Do not manually insert custom environment variables directly into core binary wrappers located in /usr/sbin/ or /usr/lib/vmware-*/.

• Review implementation plans and Change Management playbooks to ensure procedural steps do not instruct engineers to edit system wrapper files manually.