We've become aware of an issue where you can't add or reconnect an ESXi 4.0 host to a vCenter Server 4.0 or 4.0 Update 1. Specifically, the issue occurs if you remove and try to re-add the host or if you upgrade from vCenter Server 4.0 to vCenter Server 4.0 update 1. This is because the vCenter agent service does not install or upgrade on ESXi 4.0 hosts.
For up-to-date information on the issue, check out vCenter agent service does not install or upgrade on ESXi hosts (1016262).
The symptoms are:
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vCenter Server reports the following error:
Cannot install the vCenter agent service. Unknown Installer error
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After the error, the ESXi host does not display in vCenter Server or stays disconnected.
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All attempts to add or reconnect ESXi hosts to vCenter Server fail.
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The /var/log/vmware/vpx-iupgrade.log file on the ESXi 4.0 host contains the error: Acquiring lock /tmp/bootbank.lck
Copying vpxa.vgz to /bootbank/vpxa.vgz
Editing /bootbank/boot.cfg to add module vpxa.vgz
[90597] 2009-11-30 15:21:49: status = 0
[90597] 2009-11-30 15:21:49: exec /sbin/vmkramdisk vpxa.vgz
Failed to mount archive: Out of memory
