Troubleshooting Tip: FortiSandbox - Virtual Machines are not initialized

[adumitru]

Description

This article describes how to troubleshoot a FortiSandBox when the output of  “vm-status” displays:

> vm-status
INFO: The VM initialization is under processing. Please wait.
Virtual Hosts Initialization .......... Processing

Indicates that the Virtual machines are not initialized.

Scope

FortiSandbox.

Solution

Virtual machines must be initialized for FortiSandBox to be able to process the files on the VMs.

The following point explains reasons for the VMs not getting initialized:

• Verify your VMs license and that you have enabled the number of clones that match with this license using the command “vm-license -l”.
• Verify that VMs are able to reach the internet in order to activate Windows and Office license, to verify the connectivity run “test-network”
• Sandbox VMs use the following subnets, 192.168.56.0/24, 192.168.57.0/24 and 192.168.250.0/24.  Do not configure interface IP addresses or static routes falling into these ranges.
•  If the following errors are seen:
• “VMINIT: WINXX64VM Windows activation error message: Activate windows failed with key PGR2R-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX: Invalid Windows Key”
      - “The Software Licensing Service reported that the product key is invalid”
  
  
• The Windows or Office keys are invalid, open a ticket with Fortinet Technical Support so they can help with the correction of the invalid license key.
  

Note:

If the above points do not solve the VMs initializing issue, then the VMs might be broken, in that case rebuild the VM image to initialized and activate them as follows:

• Run the command “vm-reset” to reset all the VM’s or “vm-reset –nVM_Name” to reset a specific VM.
  
  

During this process the Sandbox reboots, initializes and activates VMs, the reboot will take longer time than normal.

When the VMs are initialized and activated successfully run the command “vm-status”:

> vm-status

activated and initialized

Virtual Hosts Initialization .......... Passed <-- indicates a successful reinitialisation

To check the status of the VM’s while they are initializing use the command “diagnose-debug vminit” or check the VM Event logs.

• If all above steps still don't solve the issue do the following:
  • Login as ‘admin’ user.
  • Go to Virtual Machine > VM Images.
  • Change a clone # of failed VM.
  • Select green checkmark.
  • Select Apply, this will trigger re-cloning.
  • Select VM Screenshot button in this page.
  • In the popup window, keep on clicking ScreenShot button of the failed VM Select the PNG Link image icon to show the screenshot.