vCenter service crashes occasionally

[RandyPharr]

This is the third time it has happened.

I get the following error in the Application Event log on the vcenter server:

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Event Type: Error

Event Source: VMware VirtualCenter Server

Event Category: None

Event ID: 1000

Date: 3/3/2010

Time: 7:35:13 PM

User: N/A

Computer: VCENTER

Description:

The description for Event ID ( 1000 ) in Source ( VMware VirtualCenter Server ) cannot be found. The local computer may not have the necessary registry information or message DLL files to display messages from a remote computer. You may be able to use the /AUXSOURCE= flag to retrieve this description; see Help and Support for details. The following information is part of the event: An unrecoverable problem has occurred, stopping the VMware VirtualCenter service. Error: Error[VdbODBCError] (-1) "ODBC error: (23000) - [SQL Native Client][SQL Server]Violation of PRIMARY KEY constraint 'PK_FLE_FILE_INFO'. Cannot insert duplicate key in object 'dbo.VPX_VM_FLE_FILE_INFO'." is returned when executing SQL statement "INSERT INTO VPX_VM_FLE_FILE_INFO WITH (ROWLOCK) (VM_ID, KEY_VAL, NAME, FILE_SIZE, TYPE) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)".

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At which point, I get this in the Windows System Log:

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Event Type: Error

Event Source: Service Control Manager

Event Category: None

Event ID: 7024

Date: 3/3/2010

Time: 7:35:13 PM

User: N/A

Computer: VCENTER

Description:

The VMware VirtualCenter Server service terminated with service-specific error 2 (0x2).

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

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We are using the SQL Server Express and I suspect this might be the cause but I wanted to see where else to go to trouble shoot this. We are preparing to roll out 30+ Virtual Desktops and I would prefer that the vCenter Server doesn't crash often.

[Troy_Clavell]

do you happen to have IIS installed and running on your vCenter Host?

[RandyPharr]

I do not.

[msemon1]

I have had some issues with my Virtual Center Server Service crashing since upgrading to VC 4 U1. Our issue is the VC box is physical and under resourced. It has only 2GB of RAM. This will be fixed when I move our VC server to a x64 VM and move SQL server and the VMware Update Manager to a separate server. Also if you have SQL maintenance plans, check those because one of those was crashing our VC service.

Mike

[Troy_Clavell]

typically that error is around something holding onto Port 80. However, you may also ensure you have sufficient disk space available where your SQL Express instance is installed.

...and a long shot, but maybe try this.

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1007669

[danm66]

How many hosts and VM's do you have?

[geddam]

This is known issue.....which is fixed in vCenter Update1

Please look release notes , Resolved issues section.....

http://www.vmware.com/support/vsphere4/doc/vsp_vc40_u1_rel_notes.html#resolvedissues

Thanks,,

Ramesh. Geddam,

VCP 3&4, MCTS(Hyper-V).

Please award points, if helpful

[msemon1]

We have vCenter 4 Update 1. So our issue has more do to with VC architecture and configuration than version number.

[geddam]

Can you please elaborate your issue in U1....

Thanks,,

Ramesh. Geddam,

VCP 3&4, MCTS(Hyper-V).

Please award points, if helpful

[RandyPharr]

We will be scheduling the update. I will post back if this has resolved the issues, but it will be a week or so before we do the update.

Thanks for your help all!

[geddam]

Please let us know, if your question has been answered or not?

Thanks,,

Ramesh. Geddam,

VCP 3&4, MCTS(Hyper-V).

Please award points, if helpful

[kgrnathan]

After an unexpected vcenter database crash, our Vcenter Server U1 started shutting down with the following error message.It keeps running for sometime and crashes

An unrecoverable problem has occurred, stopping the VMware VirtualCenter service. Error: Error[VdbODBCError] (-1) "ODBC error: (23000) - [SQL Native Client][SQL Server]Violation of PRIMARY KEY constraint 'PK_VPX_ALARM_REFRESH'. Cannot insert duplicate key in object 'dbo.VPX_ALARM_REFRESH'." is returned when executing SQL statement "INSERT INTO VPX_ALARM_REFRESH WITH (ROWLOCK) (ENTITY_ID, ALARM_ID, ENTITY_TYPE) VALUES (?, ?, ?)"

If any one has a solution for the above problem,please post them.

I also came across a KB http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=101797... ,but not sure whether to use this solution for SRM will work for the above problem

Running the following query alter table VPX_EXT_PRIVS drop constraint PK_VPX_EXT_PRIVS will be fixing the SRM problem,but not sure whether executing the same kind of query for the above problem will resolve the problem

[RandyPharr]

Ramesh,

The error listed in the resolved issues is not the same SQL function. I am getting:

'PK_FLE_FILE_INFO'.

The resoved issues is for:

'VPX_VM_FLE_SNAPSHOT_DISK_U1'

I could not find my error anywhere on that page.

[geddam]

Please try the below steps....

1. Take a backup of the VirtualCenter database.

2. Stop the VirtualCenter Server service.

3. Connect to the VirtualCenter database.

4. Open query analyser, Execute the following SQL statement against the database:

alter table VPX_VM_FLE_FILE_INFO drop constraint PK_FLE_FILE_INFO

5. Start the VirtualCenter Server service.

Note: Please take help of your SQL DBA, if you are not sure about running the command....

Thanks,,

Ramesh. Geddam,

VCP 3&4, MCTS(Hyper-V), SNIA SCP.

Please award points, if helpful

[RandyPharr]

I have not done the update as of yet, however I have done the following since I last posted:

moved SQL VIM database to a a SQL 2005 server instead of the built in sql express

created a sql maintenance plan to reindex the databse (VIM). This ran successfully for the 'PK_FLE_FILE_INFO'

I will keep everyone updated if this works.