vCenter Server for Windows is not supported on Windows Server 2019 & VCSServiceManager.msi

This article on VMWare shows the supported Operating Systems:

https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2091273

Let me just say that file is possibly: THE WORST FILE THAT EVER EXISTED ON THE FACE OF THIS EARTH! 

I have had the absolute worst experience trying to install VMWare vCenter Server 6.x onto my Windows Server at the house. I didn’t really have any issues with installing vSphere 6.7 on my HPE Proliant DL360 g6 server so that I could update my environment. I was going to put vCenter on as well so that I could keep my servers updated and such.

The main issue with the install is that it fails when installing the VCSServiceManager.msi component with a 1603 error. Needless to say, this has been a major issue that started with version 6.0. I have looked through all of the following articles in my search to remediate this issue:

I’ve looked through more than that honestly and was NOT able to get past that part of the install, now I did install the msi separately, and the main install acted like it finished successfully, but none of the services installed on the server and the vCenter Component was basically non existent when trying to access it. I even went through setting up an Microsoft SQL Server Express back end thinking it might be an issue with the Python SQL component that comes with vCenter. I even formatted my Server OS and started from scratch. No luck what so ever on the installation. I bet I spent 30 man hours over the course of a week or two trying install after install.

Seeing that it is the evaluation version, I cannot seek direct help from VMWare as their support is paid support, but being an IT guy myself, and seeing all the problems with that part of the install, leads me to believe that I wasn’t the problem when I was installing the software. I followed all the processes to get the installation to go smoothly and correctly, but did not succeed.

I used to be a real advocate for VMWare as a great Hypervisor, but, I will be migrating to Hyper-V now. I’m running all 2019 servers anyway, I should have Hyper-V on my host.

Question: Has anyone had issues with Hyper-V or Server 2019 Datacenter on an HPE Proliant DL360 g6 server? I haven’t seen too much issue from my research. So if the blog is down this weekend, you’ll have knowledge why as I convert my VMs to VHDX disks and get Hyper-V setup.

Happy Reading! Please leave some feedback!

Get E-Mail Updates
I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information )
Want to know when I post new content? Sign up here to get an email when I do post!
I despise spam. Your email address will not be sold or shared with anyone else.
Lance Lingerfelt

7 thoughts on “vCenter Server for Windows is not supported on Windows Server 2019 & VCSServiceManager.msi”

  1. Same Problem here.
    Tried to install the vcenter Server v .6.7.0a on a Windows Server 2019 and had no luck with that.

    1. If you do find out anything else on how to get that working, please inform me. I ended up going with Hyper-V on Server2019 Datacenter and just converted all of my VMs to vhdx. I don’t really miss VMWare, as Hyper-V is working great for my systems. I do wish though that I would have had the option to install VCenter on 2019 and hadn’t run into this problem. I really think they were pushing their VCenter appliance which kind of phases out VCenter on Windows. Such is the IT Software Business though.

  2. Hello
    I have just been fighting with this. I ran a GL360 Gen10 up with Windows 2019, and ended up in 1603 all the time.
    I tried everything; disable IPv6, Unpack the iso and run from drive instead of mounted, installed this file manually. Stopping http services – if port 80 was “taken”. I had .net 3.5 installed.

    in the end; Installed Server 2016 (standard), installed .net 3,5 + 4.7.1, and fully windows updated.. and what do you know – it worked in first go.. Argh!

  3. Same issue here when trying to install it on Windows server 2019
    already followed all guides but still coming with the same error and it doesn’t matter if I have .Net 3.5 or not.
    I opened support ticket with Vmware and hoping someone will help me to fix my issue.

  4. Same here. Worked for 2 days trying to install VCenter Server 6.7 on Windows Server 2019 and got the same error message. Tried all the things that Daniel tried to no avail. I just opened a ticket with VMware technical support. But I think in the meantime I’m going to try the installation on a 2016 server and just call it a day.

  5. I did it by installing vCenter on 2016 server (+ .Net3.5), then doing upgrade it to 2019. It is working!

Comments are closed.

css.php