vCenter Server patch installation fails if the expand icon (>) is clicked during staging in the VAMI

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• The vCenter Server patch installation fails with an "Installation failed due to an exception" error.
  
  
  
  

• The following errors are recorded in /var/log/vmware/applmgmt/update_microservice.log:
  
  

  YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss,SSS - 242213 - update_functions_target::                  readJsonFile: 269 -    ERROR - Can't read JSON file /storage/updatemgr/software-update94hze47q/stage/pkg_list [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/storage/updatemgr/software-update########/stage/pkg_list'
  YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss,SSS - 242213 -    update_b2b_target::              installPrechecks:2311 -    DEBUG - Exception occurred while checking for discrepancies [Errno 2] No such file ordirectory: '/storage/updatemgr/software-update########/stage/pkg_list'
  

  
  
  

 

 

Environment

vCenter Server 8.x

Cause

This issue typically occurs if the expand icon (>) on the VAMI page is clicked while the staging process is in progress.

Clicking this icon inadvertently initializes the update directory and deletes the pkg_list file, which is required for the installation.

 

Resolution

To recover from this state and successfully apply the patch, follow these steps:

1. Establish an SSH connection to the vCenter Server Appliance.
2. Execute the following command to unstage the patch:
   software-packages unstage
3. Once the VAMI UI becomes operational again, retry the staging and installation process.
   Ensure that the expand icon (>) is not clicked while staging is in progress.