VCF 9.1 Installer fails with generic error "Failed to bootstrap VCF services runtime"

Products

• VMware SDDC Manager / VCF Installer

Issue/Introduction

• Generic error shown in the VCF Installer on the Bootstrap VCF Services Platform stage with error : "Failed to bootstrap VCF services runtime"
• SSH into the bootstrap VM with the vmware-system-user and use sudo su - to elevate to root 
  • Run command: export KUBECONFIG=/etc/kubernetes/admin.conf
  • Then run: k get pods -A and look for the pod showing "Error" instead of "Running" 
  • Then run:  k logs vsp-install-<install_id>-bootstrap-execute-script-<id> -n vmsp-platform as the following errors may be shown: 
    

    Starting VSP management cluster deploy workflow
    INFO: INSTALL [<install_id>]: Starting VCF services runtime deployment
    2026/08/31 16:31:26 validating password against policy in cluster
    FATAL: no VSPHERE_TLS_THUMBPRINT found that matches the VSPHERE_SERVER
    Failed to run bootstrap_task.sh. Exit code: 1
    2026/08/31 16:31:27 INFO : <install_id> Capturing bootstrap installation log...
    2026/08/31 16:31:27 INFO : <install_id>  Compressed log size: 144 bytes
    configmap/bootstrap-install-log-<install_id>  created
    2026/08/31 16:31:27 INFO : <install_id>  Bootstrap log stored in ConfigMap: bootstrap-install-log-<install_id> 
    task.workflow.vmsp.vmware.com/vsp-install-<install_id>  annotated
    2026/08/31 16:31:27 INFO : <install_id> Task annotated with log ConfigMap reference
    time="2026-08-31T16:31:27.755Z" level=info msg="sub-process exited" argo=true error="<nil>"
    time="2026-08-31T16:31:27.755Z" level=info msg="/tmp/output.txt -> /var/run/argo/outputs/parameters//tmp/output.txt" argo=true
    time="2026-08-31T16:31:27.755Z" level=info msg="/tmp/error.txt -> /var/run/argo/outputs/parameters//tmp/error.txt" argo=true
    Error: exit status 1 

Environment

VCF 9.1x

Cause

The bootstrap is failing due to a mismatch in the provided vCenter certificate's thumbprint and the thumbprint that is obtained from the live vCenter server.

Resolution

Deploy using the 9.1.1 bundle instead of 9.1.0 as the 9.1.1 version has resolved issues with this installer error. 

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