Job for vmware-vmon.service failed because the control process exited with error code: "An error occurred while starting service 'vmware-vmon'"
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Job for vmware-vmon.service failed because the control process exited with error code: "An error occurred while starting service 'vmware-vmon'"

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Article ID: 413254

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Updated On:

Products

VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

When attempting to start services on the vCenter Server Appliance , the vmware-vmon service fails to start.

Error Snippet:

  • Running service-control --start --all shows the following error:
root@VCFQDN [ /etc ]# service-control --start --all
Operation not cancellable. Please wait for it to finish...
Performing start operation on service lwsmd...
Successfully started service lwsmd
Performing start operation on service vmafdd...
Successfully started service vmafdd
Performing start operation on service vmdird...
Successfully started service vmdird
Performing start operation on service vmcad...
Successfully started service vmcad
Performing start operation on profile: ALL...
YYYY-MM-DDT03:59:28.217Z  RC = 1
Stdout =
Stderr = Job for vmware-vmon.service failed because the control process exited with error code.
See "systemctl status vmware-vmon.service" and "journalctl -xe" for details.

YYYY-MM-DDT03:59:28.217Z  {
    "detail": [
        {
            "id": "install.ciscommon.command.errinvoke",
            "translatable": "An error occurred while invoking external command : '%(0)s'",
            "args": [
                "Stderr: Job for vmware-vmon.service failed because the control process exited with error code.\nSee \"systemctl status vmware-vmon.service\" and \"journalctl -xe\" for details.\n"
            ],
            "localized": "An error occurred while invoking external command : 'Stderr: Job for vmware-vmon.service failed because the control process exited with error code.\nSee \"systemctl status vmware-vmon.service\" and \"journalctl -xe\" for details.\n'"
        }
    ],
    "componentKey": null,
    "problemId": null,
    "resolution": null
}
Service-control failed. Error: {
    "detail": [
        {
            "id": "install.ciscommon.service.failstart",
            "translatable": "An error occurred while starting service '%(0)s'",
            "args": [
                "vmware-vmon"
            ],
            "localized": "An error occurred while starting service 'vmware-vmon'"
        }
    ],
    "componentKey": null,
    "problemId": null,
    "resolution": null
}

 

  • The system journal (journalctl -xe) will display errors similar to the following:
Month Date HH:MM:SS vcfqdn systemd[1]: vmware-vmon.service: Found left-over process 10041 (python) in control group while starting unit. Ignoring.
Month Date HH:MM:SS vcfqdn systemd[1]: This usually indicates unclean termination of a previous run, or service implementation deficiencies.
Month Date HH:MM:SS vcfqdn systemd[1]: vmware-vmon.service: Found left-over process 11378 (python) in control group while starting unit. Ignoring.
Month Date HH:MM:SS vcfqdn systemd[1]: This usually indicates unclean termination of a previous run, or service implementation deficiencies.
Month Date HH:MM:SS vcfqdn systemd[1]: vmware-vmon.service: Found left-over process 11721 (python) in control group while starting unit. Ignoring.
Month Date HH:MM:SS vcfqdn systemd[1]: This usually indicates unclean termination of a previous run, or service implementation deficiencies.
Month Date HH:MM:SS vcfqdnb vmon.launcher[31747]: /etc/profile.d/proxy.sh: eval: line 11: unexpected EOF while looking for matching `"'
Month Date HH:MM:SS vcfqdn vmon.launcher[31747]: /etc/profile.d/proxy.sh: eval: line 12: syntax error: unexpected end of file
Month Date HH:MM:SS vcfqdn systemd[1]: vmware-vmon.service: Control process exited, code=exited, status=2/INVALIDARGUMENT

 

  • The messages log file will have entries similar to these:
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS VCENTER_NAME systemd[1]: Stopped VMware Service Lifecycle Manager.
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS VCENTER_NAME systemd[1]: Starting VMware Service Lifecycle Manager...
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS VCENTER_NAME setupdb.sh[196679]: Creating VMON_TELEMETRY infrastructure.
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS VCENTER_NAME setupdb.sh[196679]: DB Path is not set in arguments, using default path: /etc/vmware/vmware-vmon/telemetry/db/vMonTelemetry.db
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS VCENTER_NAME vmon.launcher[196682]: /etc/profile.d/proxy.sh: line 11: Enable: command not found
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS VCENTER_NAME vmon.launcher[196682]: /etc/profile.d/proxy.sh: eval: line 11: unexpected EOF while looking for matching `"'
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS VCENTER_NAME vmon.launcher[196682]: /etc/profile.d/proxy.sh: eval: line 12: syntax error: unexpected end of file
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS VCENTER_NAME systemd[1]: vmware-vmon.service: Control process exited, code=exited, status=2/INVALIDARGUMENT
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS VCENTER_NAME systemd[1]: vmware-vmon.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS VCENTER_NAME systemd[1]: Failed to start VMware Service Lifecycle Manager.
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS VCENTER_NAME systemd[1]: vmware-vmon.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 5.
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS VCENTER_NAME systemd[1]: Stopped VMware Service Lifecycle Manager.
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS VCENTER_NAME systemd[1]: vmware-vmon.service: Start request repeated too quickly.
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS VCENTER_NAME systemd[1]: vmware-vmon.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS VCENTER_NAME systemd[1]: Failed to start VMware Service Lifecycle Manager.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server Appliance 8.0.x

Cause

Proxy file has invalid information related to the quotes setup includes bad formatting of the proxy parameter.  Must have quotes around the address.

Some samples of bad information that can cause problems related to the proxy:

  • Loose letters in the file, for instance letter "i" in the beginning can happen when pressed twice using vi to edit it.

  • Phrases unrelated to the parameters that have no "#" in the begin to indicate they are comments.
  • Entries missing the correct initial or final quotes.
    HTTP_PROXY=http://example.com:3128/"
    HTTP_PROXY='http://example.com:3128/
    NO_PROXY="www.example.com,127.0.0.1,localhost'


  • Duplicated entries generally caused by copy and paste:
    NO_PROXY="NO_PROXY="www.example.com,127.0.0.1,localhost"

  • Invalid NO_PROXY entries:
    NO_PROXY="**.example.com,127.0.0.1,localhost"
    NO_PROXY=".example.com,127.0.0.1,localhost"
    NO_PROXY=".example.com,127.0.0.1,localhost"
    NO_PROXY=".example.,127.0.1"

 

Resolution

Reboot the VCSA VM or restart service with the command:
Follow option 2 from How to configure Proxy Settings for vCenter Server

  1. Open an SSH connection to the vCenter Server Appliance and log in as root.

  2. Save a backup of the proxy file:
    cp /etc/sysconfig/proxy /root/

  3. Open the proxy configuration file using the VI editor:
    vi /etc/sysconfig/proxy

  4. Verify that all entries have double quotes opening and closing the parameters properly.

  5. Make sure the proxy file follows the indications of KB 370265 (How to configure proxy settings for vCenter Server).

  6. Reboot the VCSA VM to make the changes in the file to take effect properly in the PhotonOS then validate the vmon service will start accordingly.