Error installing a VMware View Replica 5.2 server

While building a demo environment a coworker ran into an issue installing the View Connection server 5.2.0 build 987719 as a Replica server. The install failed, rolling back right when it seemed to be complete.

replica01

I started digging around, uninstalling components and changing permissions before I found an error message (the only one I found):

CustomAction VM_AdamWaitForReplica returned actual error code 1603 (note this may not be 100% accurate if translation happened inside sandbox)
Action ended 19:39:44: InstallFinalize. Return value 3.

This was in the View msi installer log, which led me down a rabbit hole before the coworker discovered that simply immediately running the install again would complete w/o error.

The second time through the install routine you are prompted to keep the existing Directory Services install. Which means View Replica installer installs Directory Services but the rollback doesn’t remove it – which also seems to be a bug.
replica02

Note that uninstalling Directory Services first (VMwareVDMDS in the services list or AD LDS Instance VMwareVDMDS in Add/Remove Programs) will cause the same issue as the first installation attempt – an immediate roll-back at the end of the install.

Interestingly enough the second install will also present you with the option to join the “User Experience Improvement Program” – which you are not prompted to do during the initial install.
replica03

This entry was posted in Computing, Virtualization, VMware and tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.