ESXi host returns with warnings about hardware which is not on the server.

Hello Killaars
we appreciate your inquiry.

The VMware Host Hardware Status (SOAP) Sensor reports exactly the same errors as reported by the ESXi host, please use vCenter or vSphere to check out Hardware Status of your ESXi host, the error will be displayed there as well, this will allow you to confirm the sensor's message.

Starting on PRTG's version 15.3.19 It's possible to ignore specific Errors or Warning within the Sensor's settings, please check the Manual page of the sensor for details:

• Manual: VMware Host Hardware Status (SOAP) Sensor

Best Regards,

Hi,

I Have this error in a SOAP sensor:

>>>Error. 1 element returns an error state: Memory<<<

But in ESXi 'Hardware Status' is everything OK, what could be?

BR

Hi Carlascom,

PRTG collects the data from the host that was added as device in PRTG and there might be indeed differences of what you see whether you connect to let's say vCenter or to an ESXi host directly with vSphere.

For example if you have added vCenter as device in PRTG it will poll vCenter for this data, not the ESXi host directly. Now if you are connecting to a single ESXi host with vSphere to check "Hardware Status", you might not see the same data as there might be a syncing issue between vCenter and the ESXi host. If you connect to the same device that you added in PRTG with vSphere, you should the error there too and it might be necessary to restart the management agents to refresh data properly.

Kind regards,

Erhard

Hi, this device is a HOST.

This Host is a single IBM blade. > On IBM blade management everything is OK, the same on vSphere connected to the host.

I found this article, https://www.reddit.com/r/vmware/comments/4gvcy6/prtg_detecting_hardware_error_on_esxi_host/ that maybe is my case.

then I restarted CIM. >> /etc/init.d/sfcbd-watchdog restart

The sensor became in WARNINGS, with this message (on vmware vsphere> hardware status there was an '?' on the list of the devoces: memory, storage, cou etc), and a value of the sensori like '126':

Last Message: Warning. 216 elements return a warning state: Node 1 Socket 2; Node 1 Socket 1; Memory; Processor 1 CPU 1 0: SM BIOS Uncorrectable CPU-complex Error - unknown; Processor 1 CPU 1 0: Configuration Error - unknown; Processor 1 CPU 1 0: FRB1/BIST failure - unknown; Processor 1 CPU 1 0: Thermal Trip - unknown; Processor 1 CPU 1 0: IERR - unknown; Group 4 All CPUs 0: SM BIOS Uncorrectable CPU-complex Error - unknown; Group 4 All CPUs 0: Configuration Error - unknown; Group 4 All CPUs 0: FRB1/BIST failure - unknown; Group 4 All CPUs 0: Thermal Trip - unknown; Group 4 All CPUs 0: IERR - unknown; Group 4 One of CPUs 0: Configuration Error - unknown; Processor 2 CPU 2 0: SM BIOS Uncorrectable CPU-complex Error - unknown; Processor 2 CPU 2 0: Configuration Error - unknown; Processor 2 CPU 2 0: FRB1/BIST failure - unknown; Processor 2 CPU 2 0: Thermal Trip - unknown; Processor 2 CPU 2 0: IERR - unknown; Processor 1 CPU 1 Overtemp 0 - unknown; Memory Device 1 DIMM 1 Temp - unknown; Memory Device 2 DIMM 2 Temp - unknown; Memory Device 3 DIMM 3 Temp - unknown; Memory Device 4 DIMM 4 Temp - unknown; Memory Device 5 DIMM 5 Temp - unknown; Memory Device 6 DIMM 6 Temp - unknown; Memory Device 7 DIMM 7 Temp - unknown; Memory Device 8 DIMM 8 Temp - unknown; Memory Device 9 DIMM 9 Temp - unknown; Memory Device 10 DIMM 10 Temp - unknown; Memory Device 11 DIMM 11 Temp - unknown; Memory Device 12 DIMM 12 Temp - unknown; Memory Device 13 DIMM 13 Temp - unknown; Memory Device 14 DIMM 14 Temp - unknown; Memory Device 15 DIMM 15 Temp - unknown; BIOS 1 No Boot Device: No bootable media - unknown; BIOS 1 No Op ROM Space: Fault Status - unknown; Memory Device 16 DIMM 16 Temp - unknown; Processor 2 CPU 2 Overtemp 0 - unknown; System Chassis 1 NMI State 0: Software NMI - unknown; System Chassis 1 NMI State 0: Bus Timeout - unknown; System Chassis 1 NMI State 0: NMI/Diag Interrupt - unknown; BIOS 1 ABR Status 0: Unspecified - unknown; BIOS 1 Firmware Error 0: Unspecified - unknown; BIOS 1 Firmware Er

the return on error

Last Message: Error. 1 element returns an error state: Memory

Hi Carlascom,

I would recommend rebooting the host. Let us know here if that clears the issue. If not, I will contact you then for further details, but we should at least try rebooting it one time first, before proceeding further.

Thank you & kind regards,

Erhard

I am having this same issue on both esxi 5.1 and 6.0, there are no memory issues.

guess I will have to delete the hardware status sensor until PRTG resolves it or works with vmware. might just disable the memory section for now since its false positive.

Hi googol,

Just to avoid misunderstandings: The sensor performs a SOAP query (basically an HTTPS request) against the device you configured in PRTG (vCenter or single ESXi host) and what the sensor display is exactly the response it gets from the queried device.

There is nothing we can "fix", since the sensor correctly reflects what it gets back. Usually when checking with vSphere client the same device's "Hardware Status" that is configured in PRTG (single host or vCenter), the same messages should be visible there. If that's not the case, then the management agent on the host and/or vCenter is the root of the issue here, not the sensor querying it.

Usually restarting the management agents solves the issue, because the service might be hanging, not refreshing data for some reason.

Kind regards,

Erhard

We encountered the same issue.

After replacing the mainboard in a HPE DL360p G8 (running ESXi 6.0 wiht HP drivers) PRTG reported an hardware error (related to memory). HP ILO did not report any issue, HP Active health system log did also not show any error according to HPE support. No hardware error in vSphere web client or in vSphere full client connected directly to the VM-Host. Rebooting of the server (multiple times) did not solve the problem. Solution: SSH login to the VM-host and run "localcli hardware ipmi sel clear"

Hello 3rd LineSupport,

Thank you for sharing your findings.

Kind regards,

Erhard

The sensors we've got showing as warnings in PRTG are the ones showing in VMware as Unknown. The sensors showing as Unknown is expected behaviour in ESXi 6.5 U2 and ESXi 6.7. https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/57171

Copying and pasting the warning message from the senor to the Known Warnings section of the sensor config resolved it for us, but it would have been better if the sensor results matched what's displayed in vCenter. https://prtg.paessler.com/help/vmware_host_hardware_status_soap_sensor.htm#exespecific

Thanks for sharing your findings, Chris.

After updating our esxi Hosts to 6.7 this warning started to show up in our PRTG.

Warning. 2 elements return a warning state: Add-in Card 5 SD1 0; Add-in Card 5 SD2 0

Is this a a false positive possibly? if so how can I ignore this within our PRTG? - We are on version 19.2.50.2842 of PRTG.

Hello jhintz,

When you don't see the same messages in vSphere, then it is usually some underlying issue with drivers. For some cases there might be updated drivers from the regarding hardware vendor of your ESX (Dell, HP etc.), so you might want to contact the vendor to be sure. If you opt for ignoring, then simply copy the messages and put them into "Known Warnings" in the sensor's "Settings" tab.

Kind regards,

Erhard

Problem was solved in the latest VMWARE Update :

https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/6.7/rn/esxi670-202008001.html#esxi670-202008102-sg-resolved

PR 2577878: You see many health warnings in the vSphere Client or vSphere Web Client and mails for potential hardware failure In the vSphere Client or vSphere Web Client, you see many health warnings and receive mails for potential hardware failure, even though the actual sensor state has not changed. The issue occurs when the CIM service resets all sensors to an unknown state if a failure in fetching sensor status from IPMI happens.

This issue is resolved in this release.

Thanks for sharing!