Unisphere for VMAX: Error "Unisphere for VMAX Configuration Error. Installation will be aborted. SMAS Database timeout cannot be started"

Summary: During installation of host-based Unisphere, a postgres user and group is created, and this error message is seen: "Unisphere for VMAX Configuration Error. Installation will be aborted. SMAS Database timeout cannot be started" ...

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Symptoms

During installation of host-based Unisphere, a postgres user and group is created, and this error message is seen:

Unisphere for VMAX Configuration Error. Installation will be aborted.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Please check the Unisphere for VMAX documentation to fix this configuration issue.
SMAS Database timeout cannot be started.

 

# service smas start
Looking for config file at /opt/emc/SMAS/jboss/domain/configuration/domain.xml.init
Info: Start DB with check
ROOT Info: Start DB without check
Message > smasdb_unix_helper.sh SMASDB is starting.
Message > smasdb_u
Message > This account is currently not available.

 

Cause

Check if the postgres user in /etc/passwd shows /sbin/nologin

For example:

 

/etc/passwd:postgres:x:504:504::/home/postgres:/sbin/nologin
/etc/group:postgres:x:504:

 

Resolution

To address this issue:

  1. Change the /etc/passwd so that postgres user has a valid shell. For example: /bin/bash
  2. Then uninstall and reinstall Unisphere for VMAX.

If this issue persists, then refer to knowledge article 466502 Errors often received when uninstalling or installing Unisphere from a Linux host

Affected Products

Enterprise Storage, Unisphere for VMAX
Article Properties
Article Number: 000064037
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 16 Sep 2025
Version:  5
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