Symptoms
- Cannot install vCenter Server 5.0
- Installing vCenter Server 5.0 fails
- In the vminst.log file, you see entries similar to:
VMware VirtualCenter-build-346048: 01/13/11 16:58:18 Already removed: C:\DOCUME~1\ADMINI~1.MSC\LOCALS~1\Temp\status.txt
VMware VirtualCenter-build-346048: 01/13/11 16:58:18 Found "E:\VirtualCenter Server\jointool.bat"
VMware VirtualCenter-build-346048: 01/13/11 16:58:18 Process returned 1
VMware VirtualCenter-build-346048: 01/13/11 16:58:18 ERROR: cannot obtain handle to [C:\DOCUME~1\ADMINI~1.MSC\LOCALS~1\Temp\status.txt]
VMware VirtualCenter-build-346048: 01/13/11 16:58:18 linked mode operation failed with error [-255]. Join Mode = [init] Join Error ID = [28038] - You see the error:
Error 28023. Setup failed to setup "VMwareVCMSDS" directory service instance failed with an unknown error
Cause
This issue occurs when previously installed vCenter Server services have not been removed successfully.
Examples of these VMware services include:
- VMwareVCMSDS
- VMware vSphere Update Manager UFA Service
- VMware vCenter Converter Standalone Server
- VMware VirtualCenter Server
- vCenter Inventory Service
Resolution
To resolve this issue, manually delete any remaining vCenter Server services.
To manually delete the vCenter Server services:
- Click Start > run, type services.msc, and click OK.
- Search for any VMware services that were left behind from the previous uninstallation.
- For each VMware service:
- Right-click the service and click Properties.
- Retrieve the service name.
- At a command prompt, run this command:
sc delete
- After all the services are deleted, confirm that they no longer exist within the Services Manager.
- Reboot vCenter Server.
