VMware vCenter Error Call “PropertyCollector.RetrieveContents” for object “propertyCollector” on vCenter Server failed
Sat-2010-07-24 33 Comments
I wanted to modify my templates. After converting a template to a VM I tried to edit the settings. I received the following error: Call “PropertyCollector.RetrieveContents” for object “propertyCollector” on vCenter Server “VC” failed.
I once learned this trick from my fellow worker Bert that also helped me to overcome this annoyance. I removed the VM from the inventory and added it again from the data store. Fixed. But what was the problem? It seems to be a combination of the upgrade to vSphere 4.1 and maybe even to 4.0 Update 2 before that, and the mounting of an ISO that’s in a datastore that doesn’t exist anymore.
Being able to open the settings screen helps a lot in removing the link to the non-existing ISO =)
All fine again, moving on to the next error message.
About Yuri de Jager
Yuri's Technology Blog 
Thanks for your help, that did the trick and saved us time opening a support ticket to vmware 🙂
cheers !
Thanks for this quick note. I was having issues and this was a great time saver!
Thanks. This was very helpful resolving the issue quickly.
We’ve also had it happen if the network label (dvSwitch) was no longer available. Removing from inventory, re-adding, then fixing the network label seems to fix it up.
Thanks. It worked for me.
And I only upgraded vCenter to 4.1 (yet)
Thankx, it did it for me as well. Just had the error this morning and google found your solutinon.
Thank you!
Thanks a lot, this info was very helpful.
I tought that I was gonna lose my VM
Thanks! This worked like a charm
Thanks for shareing! Great info!
This worked for me too. Thanks alot!
Thank you this is exactly what I was looking for!
Thanks, This was very helpful for me as well.
Thank you. This solved my problem 🙂
Punched the ticket perfectly. Thanks man!
This worked for me too. Thanks alot!!!
Found your solution from Google. Worked 100% thank you for posting.
Thanks for your help…….worked for me
Just wanted to say thanks for posting this. I ran into this issue and your blog saved me a ton of troubleshooting and a possible call to support.
Thank you for posting this. It really helped me out.
That was it! I was updating an old template that I haven’t touched in a while and I couldn’t figure out why the settings wouldn’t open. Thank you very much.
Hi Yuri, thank you very much for this timesaver. Your solution worked like a charm.
Pingback: 2010 in review | Yuri's Technology Blog
Fixed me too, thanks.
Pingback: Vcenter erreur « PropertyCollector.RetrieveContents » « Virtuarsys
Большое спасибо за подсказку! Сам бы я в жизни не догадался! Удачи! =)
Google translation: “Many thanks for the tip! Myself I would never have guessed! Good luck”
you sir are a genius, thanks for sharing… saved me a lot of time by avoiding a support call
Thanks for sharing man !
Worked like this – thanks!
Pingback: Confluence: Technology
Thx a lot for that valuable solution 🙂
The funny thing is, if you convert it back to a template and restart the vCenter service afterwards. It’s broken again.
Martin, try updating the vmtool also.
Yuri, Thanks for the original note. it gave me the hit to fix it.