Symptoms

1. You have VMware vCenter Server and vSphere Client installed on a machine.
2. You install Acronis Backup Advanced 11.7/11.5
3. Installation of Acronis Management Console fails.
   Error Code: 06442537
   Lineinfo: 0x394351065f8e4b20
   Message: installation error. Subfield code: 01603 Lineinfo: 0xbd28fdbd64edb8ee Message: Fatal error while installation

4. In the MSI log (installation log) you see the following:

MSI (s) (00:B4) [11:25:14:337]: Invoking remote custom action. DLL: C:\Windows\Installer\MSI670F.tmp, Entrypoint: MsiVCPluginAcronisMCStarterPrepn Acronis started at 11:25:14: _USRCUSTACT_MsiVCPluginAcronisMCStarterPrepn_VCPluginAcronisMCStarter.
1: MSIGEN:MsiVCPluginAcronisMCStarterPrepn: called
1: MSIGEN:`anonymous-namespace'::GetVMwareClientInfo: called
1: MSIGEN:`anonymous-namespace'::GetVMwareClientInfo: Retrieving installed VMware Clients ids...
1: MSIGEN:`anonymous-namespace'::GetInstalledClients: called
1: MSIGEN:`anonymous-namespace'::GetVMwareClientInfo: Retrieving VMware Client Plugins root path...
1: MSIGEN:`anonymous-namespace'::GetVMwareClientPluginsPath: called
1: MSIGEN:`anonymous-namespace'::GetVMwareClientPluginsPath: Failed to read plugins path from registry.
1: MSIGEN:`anonymous-namespace'::GetVMwareClientInfo: Failed to get VMware Client plugins path.
1: MSIGEN:MsiVCPluginAcronisMCStarterPrepn: Failed to get VMware Client information.
1: MSIGEN:MsiVCPluginAcronisMCStarterPrepn: Error: 0xbe0003
| Lineinfo: 0xb4c0806259352a25
| $module: vc_plugin_amcs_custom_action_vs_s_43994
1: MSIGEN:CommonError: code:8192, message:, linetag:0B4C0806259352A87h
CommonError: code:12451843, message:, linetag:0B4C0806259352A25h
1: MSIGEN:SendMessageToInstaller: started
1: MSIGEN:SendMessageToInstaller: MsiCreateRecord succeeded
1: MSIGEN:SendMessageToInstaller: MsiRecordSetStringW succeeded {09FC4C04-FD7F-4f4c-967A-62597EBA9218} Common::Error (Base64) = 77u/PFhNTF9TRVJJQUxJWkVSPjxTZXJpYWxpemVkT2JqZWN0PkFRQWdBQUNIS2pWWllvREF0QUFrYlc5a2RXeGxBRUYyWTE5d2JIVm5hVzVmWVcxamMxOWpkWE4wYjIxZllXTjBhVzl1WDNaelgzTmZORE01T1RRQUFBTUF2Z0FsS2pWWllvREF0QUFrYlc5a2RXeGxBRUYyWTE5d2JIVm5hVzVmWVcxamMxOWpkWE4wYjIxZllXTjBhVzl1WDNaelgzTmZORE01T1RRQUFBPT08L1NlcmlhbGl6ZWRPYmplY3Q+PC9YTUxfU0VSSUFMSVpFUj4=
1: MSIGEN:SendMessageToInstaller: message sent CustomAction _USRCUSTACT_MsiVCPluginAcronisMCStarterPrepn_VCPluginAcronisMCStarter returned actual error code 1603 (note this may not be 100% accurate if translation happened inside sandbox) Action ended at 11:25:14: _USRCUSTACT_MsiVCPluginAcronisMCStarterPrepn_VCPluginAcronisMCStarter. Return value 3.
Action ended at 11:25:14: INSTALL. Return value 3.

Solution

1. Open Windows Registry: Start -> Search -> regedit.exe
2. Navigate to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\VMware, Inc.\VMware Virtual Infrastructure Client\PluginsPath
3. Double-click PluginsPath.
4. Add string C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure\Virtual Infrastructure Client\Plugins\
   

If there is no PluginsPath in the registry key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\VMware, Inc.\VMware Virtual Infrastructure Client, then do the following:

1. Navigate to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\VMware, Inc.\VMware Virtual Infrastructure Client.
2. Right-click the key and select New -> String value.
3. Change the name of the value to PluginsPath.
4. Double-click PluginsPath.
5. Add the string C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure\Virtual Infrastructure Client\Plugins\