Summary: How to fix vCenter 5.1 startup error 7024.
Date: Around 2013
Refactor: 1 March 2025: Checked links and formatting.

We've had several times now that the inventory service wouldn't start anymore, leaving event id 7024 in the eventlog. We do not keep backups of the inventory database, so every time it happens we decide to reset the inventory database, after which some registering needs to be done. What always seems to be needed is to (re)register the inventory service with vCenter, and we also had a few times that it was required to (re)register the inventory service with the Single Sign On (SSO) service.

I find them confusing however because they show fixes for different versions mixed up in each other, so I decided to create my own article.

First you have to reset the database, which is the easy part:

• Stop the inventory service
• Create a backup of the entire content of the Inventory_Service_Directory\data directory
  • Default directory: C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\Inventory Service\data
• Reset the vCenter Inventory Service database by running this command with no arguments in a cmd box started as an administrator:
  • C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\Inventory Service\scripts\createDB.bat

Note: It might look like you get errors in the dos box, but they are no important ones, as long as you can start the inventory service again you'll be fine.

* Start the inventory service

Now in the cmd box you opened as an administrator change to the following directory:

• C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\VirtualCenter Server\isregtool

• Run this command for your environment:
  • register-is.bat vCenter_Server_URL Inventory_Service_URL Lookup_Service_URL

For example:

register-is.bat https://vcenter.getshifting.local:443/sdk https://vcenter.getshifting.local:10443 https://vcenter.getshifting.local:7444/lookupservice/sdk

You should see something like this after the command has run:

Client was disposed successfully
Registration completed
Finished performing register action

• Now restart the inventory service
• Verify the inventory service, give it some time, check the health in the vCenter Service Status, and if necessary try restarting the VMware VirtualCenter Server service, or consider rebooting the server.

If it after a while still doesn't work consider to reregister the inventory service with the SSO service.

This is also explained in my article about Change IP Address vCenter 5.1, which also required these steps. It also has some troubleshooting tips and additional resources. It comes down to these steps:

Note that kb article 2033620 states that these steps are only supported when used with the guidance of VMware Technical Support.

First step is to remove the Inventory Service account:

• In the vSphere Web Client (https://vcenter.getshifting.local:9443/vsphere-client/#), go to Administration.
• In SSO Users and Groups, select Application Users.
• Delete the Inventory Service account.

Then issue this command from the cmd you started as an administrator:

c:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\Inventory Service\scripts>is-change-sso.bat https://vcenter.getshifting.local:7444/lookupservice/sdk "admin@System-Domain" "SsoPW!*"
Using C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\Inventory Service
   VMware vCenter Inventory Service
Inventory Service already stopped.
Intializing registration provider...
Getting SSL certificates for https://vcenter.getshifting.local:7444/lookupservice/sdk

Getting SSL certificates for https://vcenter.getshifting.local:7444/sso-adminserver/sdk
Solution user with id: {Name: InventoryService_2012.10.17_104254, Domain: System-Domain} successfully registered
Return code is: Success
0
Starting Inventory Service!
The requested service has already been started.

More help is available by typing NET HELPMSG 2182.

Error  starting Inventory Service.
Inventory Service must be started before taking any further action.
0

You're done now, restart the inventory services, and if required reboot the vCenter server.

Don't forget to delete the backup you created from the inventory service.