We were setting up our home lab for vSphere 6.7 environment and we are using Windows based Virtual Center.

Error:

VMware Virtualcenter failed firstboot. Failed to generate VirtualCenter symmetric encryption key.

Environment:

• Operating System: Window Server 2008 R2 Datacenter Edition, Service Pack 1
• Database for Virtual Center – Using embedded Database(vPostgres) for VCDB
• vCenter Version – vCenter 6.7.0c
• vCenter Type – Windows based Virtual Center

Troubleshooting:

We were using old ISO image for Windows 2008 R2 and did not update Windows patches.

It fails to generate symmetric encryption key because of missing security patches which was released last year for critical vulnerabilities such as WannaCry.

Solution:

• Install Microsoft Security Updates MS17-010 and MS17-012 on Windows Server, and Reboot the server.
• Reinstall the vCenter Server. It should work.

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While Installing the windows based Virtual Center in my home lab, I found this error during initial steps of Installation.

Environment:

• Operating System: Window Server 2008 R2 Datacenter Edition, Service Pack 1
• Database for Virtual Center – Using embedded Database(vPostgres) for VCDB
• vCenter Version – vCenter 6.7.0c
• vCenter Type – Windows based Virtual Center

Error:

Error 1722. There is a problem with this windows Installer package. A program run as part of the setup did not finish as expected. Contact your support personnel or package.

Troubleshooting:

During the installation I noticed that it was failing at status “Installing Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable (64 Bit)”

Though we had MS Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable was by default installed with Operating System, however windows ISO image I used to install the OS was quite old. It  didn’t had updated version of MS Visual C++ 2015 which could be a reason for the above error.

When I analyzed vminst.log file which generates during vCenter Installation, I found below inputs.

2018-07-27 16:50:26.552+05:30| vcsInstUtil-9232925| I: Entering function: VM_FinishInstallWithError
2018-07-27 16:50:26.552+05:30| vcsInstUtil-9232925| I: InstallStatus_SetStage: install stage: install-end / (NULL)
2018-07-27 16:50:26.552+05:30| vcsInstUtil-9232925| I: InstallStatus_GenerateFile: InstallStatusJson: {"installStage":{"main":[["preinstall-check",1532689990],["install-start",1532690088],["verify-packages",1532690158],["install-end",1532690426]]},"installTime":1532690088,"memoryLoad":6,"msiVersion":"5.0.7601.17514","preinstallReport":"C:\\Users\\ADMINI~1\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\vim-vcs-precheck-report-67.html","startTime":1532689990}
2018-07-27 16:50:26.552+05:30| vcsInstUtil-9232925| I: InstallStatus_GenerateFile: file: C:\Users\ADMINI~1\AppData\Local\Temp\vc-install.txt
2018-07-27 16:50:26.567+05:30| vcsInstUtil-9232925| I: DoCommonExitTasks: C:\Program Files\VMware\vCenter Server\bin\prune-sensitive-info.bat file has already been removed.

Solution:

• Remove Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable from Add and Remove Programs.
• Download latest pack of Microsoft Visual C++ 2015.
• Install the package and retry vCenter Installation.
• It will fix the issue.

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