Oracle Linux 8 + RHEL8 crashed within ansible step

[tom-i]

Hello guys,
I would like to build OL8 and RHEL8 distros, but for each it crashed in ansible step. I was trying to setup many things due to ChatGPT help with python3 alternative, but each one crashed.

My actual setup:
builds/linux/oracle/8/data/ks.pkrtpl.hcl:

### Post-installation commands.
%post
echo "proxy=proxy.prod:3128" >> /etc/dnf/dnf.conf
dnf install -y oracle-epel-release-el8
dnf makecache
dnf module enable -y python39
dnf module install -y python39
dnf install -y sudo open-vm-tools perl python39 dnf python3-dnf python3-libdnf python3-hawkey python3-libs python3-setuptools
alternatives --install /usr/bin/python3 python3 /usr/bin/python3.9 1
alternatives --set python3 /usr/bin/python3.9
%{ if additional_packages != "" ~}
dnf install -y ${additional_packages}
%{ endif ~}
echo "${build_username} ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL" >> /etc/sudoers.d/${build_username}
sed -i "s/^.*requiretty/#Defaults requiretty/" /etc/sudoers
%end

ansible/ansible.cfg:

[defaults]
stdout_callback = default
display_skipped_hosts = false
ansible_python_interpreter = /usr/bin/python3

[ssh_connection]
ssh_args = -C -o ControlMaster=auto -o ControlPersist=60s -o HostKeyAlgorithms=+ssh-rsa -o PubkeyAcceptedKeyTypes=+ssh-rsa
scp_extra_args = "-O"

ansible/linux-playbook.yml:

---
- name: Playbook for Linux
  become: true
  become_method: ansible.builtin.sudo
  debugger: never
  gather_facts: true
  hosts: all
  vars:
    enable_cloudinit: false
    ansible_python_interpreter: /usr/bin/python3.9
    ansible_python_interpreter_fallback: ['/usr/libexec/platform-python', 'python3.8', 'python3.6', '/usr/bin/python3', 'python3']
  roles:
    - base
    - users
    - configure
    - clean

I've tried to use definition of ansible_python_interpreter for /usr/libexec/platform-python nothing helped.

Here is the last output, where build crashed:

==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: <127.0.0.1> Failed to connect to the host via ssh: OpenSSH_9.6p1 Ubuntu-3ubuntu13.12, OpenSSL 3.0.13 30 Jan 2024
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug1: /etc/ssh/ssh_config line 19: include /etc/ssh/ssh_config.d/*.conf matched no files
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug1: /etc/ssh/ssh_config line 21: Applying options for *
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug2: resolve_canonicalize: hostname 127.0.0.1 is address
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug3: expanded UserKnownHostsFile '~/.ssh/known_hosts' -> '/home/<sensitive>/.ssh/known_hosts'
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug3: expanded UserKnownHostsFile '~/.ssh/known_hosts2' -> '/home/<sensitive>/.ssh/known_hosts2'
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug1: auto-mux: Trying existing master at '/home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/cp/404fe044e7'
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug2: fd 3 setting O_NONBLOCK
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug2: mux_client_hello_exchange: master version 4
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug3: mux_client_forwards: request forwardings: 0 local, 0 remote
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug3: mux_client_request_session: entering
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug3: mux_client_request_alive: entering
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug3: mux_client_request_alive: done pid = 273064
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug3: mux_client_request_session: session request sent
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug1: mux_client_request_session: master session id: 2
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Traceback (most recent call last):
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "/home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/tmp/<sensitive>-tmp-1757061056.320806-273078-4800862458336/AnsiballZ_lineinfile.py", line 107, in <module>
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:     _ansiballz_main()
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "/home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/tmp/<sensitive>-tmp-1757061056.320806-273078-4800862458336/AnsiballZ_lineinfile.py", line 99, in _ansiballz_main
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:     invoke_module(zipped_mod, temp_path, ANSIBALLZ_PARAMS)
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "/home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/tmp/<sensitive>-tmp-1757061056.320806-273078-4800862458336/AnsiballZ_lineinfile.py", line 44, in invoke_module
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:     from <sensitive>.module_utils import basic
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 971, in _find_and_load
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 951, in _find_and_load_unlocked
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 894, in _find_spec
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap_external>", line 1157, in find_spec
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap_external>", line 1131, in _get_spec
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap_external>", line 1112, in _legacy_get_spec
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 441, in spec_from_loader
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap_external>", line 544, in spec_from_file_location
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "/tmp/<sensitive>_<sensitive>.builtin.lineinfile_payload_9hl07urk/<sensitive>_<sensitive>.builtin.lineinfile_payload.zip/<sensitive>/module_utils/basic.py", line 5
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: SyntaxError: future feature annotations is not defined
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug3: mux_client_read_packet_timeout: read header failed: Broken pipe
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug2: Received exit status from master 1
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Shared connection to 127.0.0.1 closed.
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: <127.0.0.1> ESTABLISH SSH CONNECTION FOR USER: <sensitive>
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: <127.0.0.1> SSH: EXEC ssh -vvv -C -o ControlMaster=auto -o ControlPersist=60s -o HostKeyAlgorithms=+ssh-rsa -o PubkeyAcceptedKeyTypes=+ssh-rsa -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -o Port=34663 -o 'IdentityFile="/tmp/<sensitive>-key1564926555"' -o KbdInteractiveAuthentication=no -o PreferredAuthentications=gssapi-with-mic,gssapi-keyex,hostbased,publickey -o PasswordAuthentication=no -o 'User="<sensitive>"' -o ConnectTimeout=10 '-o IdentitiesOnly=yes' -o 'ControlPath="/home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/cp/404fe044e7"' 127.0.0.1 '/bin/sh -c '"'"'rm -f -r /home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/tmp/<sensitive>-tmp-1757061056.320806-273078-4800862458336/ > /dev/null 2>&1 && sleep 0'"'"''
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: <127.0.0.1> (0, b'', b"OpenSSH_9.6p1 Ubuntu-3ubuntu13.12, OpenSSL 3.0.13 30 Jan 2024\r\ndebug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config\r\ndebug1: /etc/ssh/ssh_config line 19: include /etc/ssh/ssh_config.d/*.conf matched no files\r\ndebug1: /etc/ssh/ssh_config line 21: Applying options for *\r\ndebug2: resolve_canonicalize: hostname 127.0.0.1 is address\r\ndebug3: expanded UserKnownHostsFile '~/.ssh/known_hosts' -> '/home/<sensitive>/.ssh/known_hosts'\r\ndebug3: expanded UserKnownHostsFile '~/.ssh/known_hosts2' -> '/home/<sensitive>/.ssh/known_hosts2'\r\ndebug1: auto-mux: Trying existing master at '/home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/cp/404fe044e7'\r\ndebug2: fd 3 setting O_NONBLOCK\r\ndebug2: mux_client_hello_exchange: master version 4\r\ndebug3: mux_client_forwards: request forwardings: 0 local, 0 remote\r\ndebug3: mux_client_request_session: entering\r\ndebug3: mux_client_request_alive: entering\r\ndebug3: mux_client_request_alive: done pid = 273064\r\ndebug3: mux_client_request_session: session request sent\r\ndebug1: mux_client_request_session: master session id: 2\r\ndebug3: mux_client_read_packet_timeout: read header failed: Broken pipe\r\ndebug2: Received exit status from master 0\r\n")
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: TASK [base : Setup proxy for VM] ***********************************************
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: task path: /home/<sensitive>/programs/<sensitive>-examples-for-vsphere/<sensitive>/roles/base/tasks/redhat.yml:42
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: fatal: [default]: FAILED! => {
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:     "changed": false,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:     "module_stderr": "OpenSSH_9.6p1 Ubuntu-3ubuntu13.12, OpenSSL 3.0.13 30 Jan 2024\r\ndebug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config\r\ndebug1: /etc/ssh/ssh_config line 19: include /etc/ssh/ssh_config.d/*.conf matched no files\r\ndebug1: /etc/ssh/ssh_config line 21: Applying options for *\r\ndebug2: resolve_canonicalize: hostname 127.0.0.1 is address\r\ndebug3: expanded UserKnownHostsFile '~/.ssh/known_hosts' -> '/home/<sensitive>/.ssh/known_hosts'\r\ndebug3: expanded UserKnownHostsFile '~/.ssh/known_hosts2' -> '/home/<sensitive>/.ssh/known_hosts2'\r\ndebug1: auto-mux: Trying existing master at '/home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/cp/404fe044e7'\r\ndebug2: fd 3 setting O_NONBLOCK\r\ndebug2: mux_client_hello_exchange: master version 4\r\ndebug3: mux_client_forwards: request forwardings: 0 local, 0 remote\r\ndebug3: mux_client_request_session: entering\r\ndebug3: mux_client_request_alive: entering\r\ndebug3: mux_client_request_alive: done pid = 273064\r\ndebug3: mux_client_request_session: session request sent\r\ndebug1: mux_client_request_session: master session id: 2\r\nTraceback (most recent call last):\n  File \"/home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/tmp/<sensitive>-tmp-1757061056.320806-273078-4800862458336/AnsiballZ_lineinfile.py\", line 107, in <module>\n    _ansiballz_main()\n  File \"/home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/tmp/<sensitive>-tmp-1757061056.320806-273078-4800862458336/AnsiballZ_lineinfile.py\", line 99, in _ansiballz_main\n    invoke_module(zipped_mod, temp_path, ANSIBALLZ_PARAMS)\n  File \"/home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/tmp/<sensitive>-tmp-1757061056.320806-273078-4800862458336/AnsiballZ_lineinfile.py\", line 44, in invoke_module\n    from <sensitive>.module_utils import basic\n  File \"<frozen importlib._bootstrap>\", line 971, in _find_and_load\n  File \"<frozen importlib._bootstrap>\", line 951, in _find_and_load_unlocked\n  File \"<frozen importlib._bootstrap>\", line 894, in _find_spec\n  File \"<frozen importlib._bootstrap_external>\", line 1157, in find_spec\n  File \"<frozen importlib._bootstrap_external>\", line 1131, in _get_spec\n  File \"<frozen importlib._bootstrap_external>\", line 1112, in _legacy_get_spec\n  File \"<frozen importlib._bootstrap>\", line 441, in spec_from_loader\n  File \"<frozen importlib._bootstrap_external>\", line 544, in spec_from_file_location\n  File \"/tmp/<sensitive>_<sensitive>.builtin.lineinfile_payload_9hl07urk/<sensitive>_<sensitive>.builtin.lineinfile_payload.zip/<sensitive>/module_utils/basic.py\", line 5\nSyntaxError: future feature annotations is not defined\ndebug3: mux_client_read_packet_timeout: read header failed: Broken pipe\r\ndebug2: Received exit status from master 1\r\nShared connection to 127.0.0.1 closed.\r\n",
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:     "module_stdout": "",
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:     "msg": "MODULE FAILURE: No start of json char found\nSee stdout/stderr for the exact error",
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:     "rc": 1
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: }
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: PLAY RECAP *********************************************************************
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: default                    : ok=3    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=1    skipped=3    rescued=0    ignored=0
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:
2025/09/05 08:30:57 [INFO] (telemetry) ending <sensitive>
2025/09/05 08:30:57 <sensitive>-plugin-<sensitive>_v1.1.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2025/09/05 08:30:57 shutting down the SSH proxy
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Error executing Ansible: Non-zero exit status: exit status 2
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Step "StepProvision" failed
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: [c] Clean up and exit, [a] abort without cleanup, or [r] retry step (build may fail even if retry succeeds)?

Can anyone help me, what did I misunderstood? Thank you.

Version: packer-examples-for-vsphere/ansible on v0.22.1

[tom-i]

@tenthirtyam - can you help me with this please?

[tenthirtyam]

Try:

### Post-installation commands.
%post
dnf install -y oracle-epel-release-el8
dnf makecache
dnf install -y sudo open-vm-tools perl python3.11
%{ if additional_packages != "" ~}
dnf install -y ${additional_packages}
%{ endif ~}
echo "${build_username} ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL" >> /etc/sudoers.d/${build_username}
sed -i "s/^.*requiretty/#Defaults requiretty/" /etc/sudoers
%end

[tom-i]

Ok, I've changed to using python3.11.

Some config files:
ansible/linux-playbook.yml:

---
- name: Playbook for Linux
  become: true
  become_method: ansible.builtin.sudo
  debugger: never
  gather_facts: true
  hosts: all
  vars:
  ¦ enable_cloudinit: false
  ¦ ansible_python_interpreter: auto
  ¦ ansible_python_interpreter_fallback: ['python3.13', 'python3.12', 'python3.11', 'python3.10', 'python3.9', 'python3.8', '/usr/bin/python3', 'python3']
  roles:
  ¦ - base
  ¦ - users
  ¦ - configure
  ¦ - clean

ks.pkrtpl.hcl as you suggested..

ansible/ansible.cfg:

[defaults]
stdout_callback = default
display_skipped_hosts = false
ansible_python_interpreter = /usr/bin/python3

[ssh_connection]
ssh_args = -C -o ControlMaster=auto -o ControlPersist=60s -o HostKeyAlgorithms=+ssh-rsa -o PubkeyAcceptedKeyTypes=+ssh-rsa
scp_extra_args = "-O"

builds/linux/oracle/8/linux-oracle.pkr.hcl:

build {
  sources = ["source.vsphere-iso.linux-oracle"]

  provisioner "ansible" {
    user                   = var.build_username
    galaxy_file            = "${path.cwd}/ansible/linux-requirements.yml"
    galaxy_force_with_deps = true
    playbook_file          = "${path.cwd}/ansible/linux-playbook.yml"
    roles_path             = "${path.cwd}/ansible/roles"
    ansible_env_vars = [
      "ANSIBLE_CONFIG=${path.cwd}/ansible/ansible.cfg",
      "ANSIBLE_PYTHON_INTERPRETER=/usr/libexec/platform-python"
    ]
    extra_arguments = [
      "-vvv",
      "--extra-vars", "ansible_python_interpreter=/usr/libexec/platform-python",
      "--extra-vars", "display_skipped_hosts=false",
      "--extra-vars", "build_username=${var.build_username}",
      "--extra-vars", "build_key='${var.build_key}'",
      "--extra-vars", "ansible_username=${var.ansible_username}",
      "--extra-vars", "ansible_key='${var.ansible_key}'",
      "--extra-vars", "enable_cloudinit=${var.vm_guest_os_cloudinit}",
    ]
  }

Error output:

==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "/home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/tmp/<sensitive>-tmp-1762174940.1889746-463030-60958395888419/AnsiballZ_setup.py", line 44, in invoke_module
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:     from <sensitive>.module_utils import basic
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 971, in _find_and_load
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 951, in _find_and_load_unlocked
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 894, in _find_spec
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap_external>", line 1157, in find_spec
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap_external>", line 1131, in _get_spec
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap_external>", line 1112, in _legacy_get_spec
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 441, in spec_from_loader
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap_external>", line 544, in spec_from_file_location
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "/tmp/<sensitive>_<sensitive>.legacy.setup_payload_s6x9fv8a/<sensitive>_<sensitive>.legacy.setup_payload.zip/<sensitive>/module_utils/basic.py", line 5
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: SyntaxError: future feature annotations is not defined
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug3: mux_client_read_packet_timeout: read header failed: Broken pipe
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug2: Received exit status from master 1
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Shared connection to 127.0.0.1 closed.
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: <127.0.0.1> ESTABLISH SSH CONNECTION FOR USER: <sensitive>
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: <127.0.0.1> SSH: EXEC ssh -vvv -C -o ControlMaster=auto -o ControlPersist=60s -o HostKeyAlgorithms=+ssh-rsa -o PubkeyAcceptedKeyTypes=+ssh-rsa -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -o Port=44559 -o 'IdentityFile="/tmp/<sensitive>-key1002734208"' -o KbdInteractiveAuthentication=no -o PreferredAuthentications=gssapi-with-mic,gssapi-keyex,hostbased,publickey -o PasswordAuthentication=no -o 'User="<sensitive>"' -o ConnectTimeout=10 '-o IdentitiesOnly=yes' -o 'ControlPath="/home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/cp/e36f25cafd"' 127.0.0.1 '/bin/sh -c '"'"'rm -f -r /home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/tmp/<sensitive>-tmp-1762174940.1889746-463030-60958395888419/ > /dev/null 2>&1 && sleep 0'"'"''
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: <127.0.0.1> (0, b'', b"OpenSSH_9.6p1 Ubuntu-3ubuntu13.12, OpenSSL 3.0.13 30 Jan 2024\r\ndebug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config\r\ndebug1: /etc/ssh/ssh_config line 19: include /etc/ssh/ssh_config.d/*.conf matched no files\r\ndebug1: /etc/ssh/ssh_config line 21: Applying options for *\r\ndebug2: resolve_canonicalize: hostname 127.0.0.1 is address\r\ndebug3: expanded UserKnownHostsFile '~/.ssh/known_hosts' -> '/home/<sensitive>/.ssh/known_hosts'\r\ndebug3: expanded UserKnownHostsFile '~/.ssh/known_hosts2' -> '/home/<sensitive>/.ssh/known_hosts2'\r\ndebug1: auto-mux: Trying existing master at '/home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/cp/e36f25cafd'\r\ndebug2: fd 3 setting O_NONBLOCK\r\ndebug2: mux_client_hello_exchange: master version 4\r\ndebug3: mux_client_forwards: request forwardings: 0 local, 0 remote\r\ndebug3: mux_client_request_session: entering\r\ndebug3: mux_client_request_alive: entering\r\ndebug3: mux_client_request_alive: done pid = 463034\r\ndebug3: mux_client_request_session: session request sent\r\ndebug1: mux_client_request_session: master session id: 2\r\ndebug3: mux_client_read_packet_timeout: read header failed: Broken pipe\r\ndebug2: Received exit status from master 0\r\n")
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: TASK [Gathering Facts] *********************************************************
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: task path: /home/<sensitive>/<sensitive>-examples-for-vsphere/<sensitive>/linux-playbook.yml:2
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: fatal: [default]: FAILED! => {
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:     "<sensitive>_facts": {},
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:     "changed": false,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:     "failed_modules": {
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:         "<sensitive>.legacy.setup": {
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "failed": true,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "module_stderr": "OpenSSH_9.6p1 Ubuntu-3ubuntu13.12, OpenSSL 3.0.13 30 Jan 2024\r\ndebug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config\r\ndebug1: /etc/ssh/ssh_config line 19: include /etc/ssh/ssh_config.d/*.conf matched no files\r\ndebug1: /etc/ssh/ssh_config line 21: Applying options for *\r\ndebug2: resolve_canonicalize: hostname 127.0.0.1 is address\r\ndebug3: expanded UserKnownHostsFile '~/.ssh/known_hosts' -> '/home/<sensitive>/.ssh/known_hosts'\r\ndebug3: expanded UserKnownHostsFile '~/.ssh/known_hosts2' -> '/home/<sensitive>/.ssh/known_hosts2'\r\ndebug1: auto-mux: Trying existing master at '/home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/cp/e36f25cafd'\r\ndebug2: fd 3 setting O_NONBLOCK\r\ndebug2: mux_client_hello_exchange: master version 4\r\ndebug3: mux_client_forwards: request forwardings: 0 local, 0 remote\r\ndebug3: mux_client_request_session: entering\r\ndebug3: mux_client_request_alive: entering\r\ndebug3: mux_client_request_alive: done pid = 463034\r\ndebug3: mux_client_request_session: session request sent\r\ndebug1: mux_client_request_session: master session id: 2\r\nTraceback (most recent call last):\n  File \"/home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/tmp/<sensitive>-tmp-1762174940.1889746-463030-60958395888419/AnsiballZ_setup.py\", line 107, in <module>\n    _ansiballz_main()\n  File \"/home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/tmp/<sensitive>-tmp-1762174940.1889746-463030-60958395888419/AnsiballZ_setup.py\", line 99, in _ansiballz_main\n    invoke_module(zipped_mod, temp_path, ANSIBALLZ_PARAMS)\n  File \"/home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/tmp/<sensitive>-tmp-1762174940.1889746-463030-60958395888419/AnsiballZ_setup.py\", line 44, in invoke_module\n    from <sensitive>.module_utils import basic\n  File \"<frozen importlib._bootstrap>\", line 971, in _find_and_load\n  File \"<frozen importlib._bootstrap>\", line 951, in _find_and_load_unlocked\n  File \"<frozen importlib._bootstrap>\", line 894, in _find_spec\n  File \"<frozen importlib._bootstrap_external>\", line 1157, in find_spec\n  File \"<frozen importlib._bootstrap_external>\", line 1131, in _get_spec\n  File \"<frozen importlib._bootstrap_external>\", line 1112, in _legacy_get_spec\n  File \"<frozen importlib._bootstrap>\", line 441, in spec_from_loader\n  File \"<frozen importlib._bootstrap_external>\", line 544, in spec_from_file_location\n  File \"/tmp/<sensitive>_<sensitive>.legacy.setup_payload_s6x9fv8a/<sensitive>_<sensitive>.legacy.setup_payload.zip/<sensitive>/module_utils/basic.py\", line 5\nSyntaxError: future feature annotations is not defined\ndebug3: mux_client_read_packet_timeout: read header failed: Broken pipe\r\ndebug2: Received exit status from master 1\r\nShared connection to 127.0.0.1 closed.\r\n",
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "module_stdout": "",
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "msg": "MODULE FAILURE: No start of json char found\nSee stdout/stderr for the exact error",
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "rc": 1
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:         }
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:     },
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:     "msg": "The following modules failed to execute: <sensitive>.legacy.setup\n"
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: }
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: PLAY RECAP *********************************************************************
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: default                    : ok=0    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=1    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:
2025/11/03 13:02:21 <sensitive>-plugin-<sensitive>_v1.1.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2025/11/03 13:02:21 shutting down the SSH proxy
2025/11/03 13:02:21 [INFO] (telemetry) ending <sensitive>
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Error executing Ansible: Non-zero exit status: exit status 2
2025/11/03 13:02:21 <sensitive>-plugin-vsphere_v1.4.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2025/11/03 13:02:21 Error asking for input: no available tty
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Step "StepProvision" failed
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Provisioning step had errors: Running the cleanup provisioner, if present...
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Powering off virtual machine...
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Destroying VM...

What do you think? It's demanding issue.. and I'm out of the edge..
ChatGPT rotates answers about changing ansible_python_interpreter from /usr/libexec/platform-python to /usr/bin/python3.9 and back.. appreciate for any hint how to solve this.
Thank you.

[tom-i]

@tenthirtyam - what do you think now?
Thank you for you help <3

[tom-i]

And if I change it to python3.11 for ANSIBLE_PYTHON_INTEPRETER=/usr/bin/python3.11 in builds/linux/oracle/8/linux-oracle.pkr.hcl here:

build {
  sources = ["source.vsphere-iso.linux-oracle"]

  provisioner "ansible" {
    user                   = var.build_username
    galaxy_file            = "${path.cwd}/ansible/linux-requirements.yml"
    galaxy_force_with_deps = true
    playbook_file          = "${path.cwd}/ansible/linux-playbook.yml"
    roles_path             = "${path.cwd}/ansible/roles"
    ansible_env_vars = [
      "ANSIBLE_CONFIG=${path.cwd}/ansible/ansible.cfg",
      "ANSIBLE_PYTHON_INTERPRETER=/usr/bin/python3.11"
    ]
    extra_arguments = [
      "-vvvvv",
      "--extra-vars", "ansible_python_interpreter=/usr/bin/python3.11",
      "--extra-vars", "display_skipped_hosts=false",
      "--extra-vars", "build_username=${var.build_username}",
      "--extra-vars", "build_key='${var.build_key}'",
      "--extra-vars", "ansible_username=${var.ansible_username}",
      "--extra-vars", "ansible_key='${var.ansible_key}'",
      "--extra-vars", "enable_cloudinit=${var.vm_guest_os_cloudinit}",
    ]
...

It shows me this weird ansible output:

==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: <127.0.0.1> Failed to connect to the host via ssh: OpenSSH_9.6p1 Ubuntu-3ubuntu13.12, OpenSSL 3.0.13 30 Jan 2024
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug1: /etc/ssh/ssh_config line 19: include /etc/ssh/ssh_config.d/*.conf matched no files
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug1: /etc/ssh/ssh_config line 21: Applying options for *
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug2: resolve_canonicalize: hostname 127.0.0.1 is address
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug3: expanded UserKnownHostsFile '~/.ssh/known_hosts' -> '/home/<sensitive>/.ssh/known_hosts'
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug3: expanded UserKnownHostsFile '~/.ssh/known_hosts2' -> '/home/<sensitive>/.ssh/known_hosts2'
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug1: auto-mux: Trying existing master at '/home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/cp/254911f780'
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug2: fd 3 setting O_NONBLOCK
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug2: mux_client_hello_exchange: master version 4
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug3: mux_client_forwards: request forwardings: 0 local, 0 remote
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug3: mux_client_request_session: entering
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug3: mux_client_request_alive: entering
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug3: mux_client_request_alive: done pid = 469415
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug3: mux_client_request_session: session request sent
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug1: mux_client_request_session: master session id: 2
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Traceback (most recent call last):
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 971, in _find_and_load
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 951, in _find_and_load_unlocked
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 894, in _find_spec
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap_external>", line 1157, in find_spec
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap_external>", line 1131, in _get_spec
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap_external>", line 1112, in _legacy_get_spec
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 441, in spec_from_loader
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap_external>", line 544, in spec_from_file_location
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "/tmp/<sensitive>_<sensitive>.legacy.dnf_payload_d3c1289e/<sensitive>_<sensitive>.legacy.dnf_payload.zip/<sensitive>/module_utils/basic.py", line 5
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: SyntaxError: future feature annotations is not defined
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Traceback (most recent call last):
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:   File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'dnf'
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug3: mux_client_read_packet_timeout: read header failed: Broken pipe
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: debug2: Received exit status from master 1
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Shared connection to 127.0.0.1 closed.
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: <127.0.0.1> ESTABLISH SSH CONNECTION FOR USER: <sensitive>
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: <127.0.0.1> SSH: <sensitive>.cfg set ssh_args: (-C)(-o)(ControlMaster=auto)(-o)(ControlPersist=60s)(-o)(HostKeyAlgorithms=+ssh-rsa)(-o)(PubkeyAcceptedKeyTypes=+ssh-rsa)
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: <127.0.0.1> SSH: ANSIBLE_HOST_KEY_CHECKING/host_key_checking disabled: (-o)(StrictHostKeyChecking=no)
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: <127.0.0.1> SSH: ANSIBLE_REMOTE_PORT/remote_port/<sensitive>_port set: (-o)(Port=39891)
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: <127.0.0.1> SSH: ANSIBLE_PRIVATE_KEY_FILE/private_key_file/<sensitive>_ssh_private_key_file set: (-o)(IdentityFile="/tmp/<sensitive>-key1563197222")
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: <127.0.0.1> SSH: <sensitive>_password/<sensitive>_ssh_password not set: (-o)(KbdInteractiveAuthentication=no)(-o)(PreferredAuthentications=gssapi-with-mic,gssapi-keyex,hostbased,publickey)(-o)(PasswordAuthentication=no)
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: <127.0.0.1> SSH: ANSIBLE_REMOTE_USER/remote_user/<sensitive>_user/user/-u set: (-o)(User="<sensitive>")
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: <127.0.0.1> SSH: ANSIBLE_TIMEOUT/timeout set: (-o)(ConnectTimeout=10)
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: <127.0.0.1> SSH: Set ssh_common_args: ()
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: <127.0.0.1> SSH: Set ssh_extra_args: (-o IdentitiesOnly=yes)
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: <127.0.0.1> SSH: found only ControlPersist; added ControlPath: (-o)(ControlPath="/home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/cp/254911f780")
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: <127.0.0.1> SSH: EXEC ssh -vvvvv -C -o ControlMaster=auto -o ControlPersist=60s -o HostKeyAlgorithms=+ssh-rsa -o PubkeyAcceptedKeyTypes=+ssh-rsa -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -o Port=39891 -o 'IdentityFile="/tmp/<sensitive>-key1563197222"' -o KbdInteractiveAuthentication=no -o PreferredAuthentications=gssapi-with-mic,gssapi-keyex,hostbased,publickey -o PasswordAuthentication=no -o 'User="<sensitive>"' -o ConnectTimeout=10 '-o IdentitiesOnly=yes' -o 'ControlPath="/home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/cp/254911f780"' 127.0.0.1 '/bin/sh -c '"'"'rm -f -r /home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/tmp/<sensitive>-tmp-1762336058.4447439-469429-176889007041885/ > /dev/null 2>&1 && sleep 0'"'"''
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: <127.0.0.1> (0, b'', b"OpenSSH_9.6p1 Ubuntu-3ubuntu13.12, OpenSSL 3.0.13 30 Jan 2024\r\ndebug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config\r\ndebug1: /etc/ssh/ssh_config line 19: include /etc/ssh/ssh_config.d/*.conf matched no files\r\ndebug1: /etc/ssh/ssh_config line 21: Applying options for *\r\ndebug2: resolve_canonicalize: hostname 127.0.0.1 is address\r\ndebug3: expanded UserKnownHostsFile '~/.ssh/known_hosts' -> '/home/<sensitive>/.ssh/known_hosts'\r\ndebug3: expanded UserKnownHostsFile '~/.ssh/known_hosts2' -> '/home/<sensitive>/.ssh/known_hosts2'\r\ndebug1: auto-mux: Trying existing master at '/home/<sensitive>/.<sensitive>/cp/254911f780'\r\ndebug2: fd 3 setting O_NONBLOCK\r\ndebug2: mux_client_hello_exchange: master version 4\r\ndebug3: mux_client_forwards: request forwardings: 0 local, 0 remote\r\ndebug3: mux_client_request_session: entering\r\ndebug3: mux_client_request_alive: entering\r\ndebug3: mux_client_request_alive: done pid = 469415\r\ndebug3: mux_client_request_session: session request sent\r\ndebug1: mux_client_request_session: master session id: 2\r\ndebug3: mux_client_read_packet_timeout: read header failed: Broken pipe\r\ndebug2: Received exit status from master 0\r\n")
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: TASK [base : Updating the operating system.] ***********************************
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: task path: /home/<sensitive>/<sensitive>-examples-for-vsphere/<sensitive>/roles/base/tasks/redhat.yml:37
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: fatal: [default]: FAILED! => {
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:     "changed": false,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:     "invocation": {
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:         "module_args": {
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "allow_downgrade": false,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "allowerasing": false,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "autoremove": false,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "best": null,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "bugfix": false,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "cacheonly": false,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "conf_file": null,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "disable_excludes": null,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "disable_gpg_check": false,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "disable_plugin": [],
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "disablerepo": [],
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "download_dir": null,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "download_only": false,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "enable_plugin": [],
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "enablerepo": [],
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "exclude": [],
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "install_repoquery": true,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "install_weak_deps": true,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "installroot": "/",
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "list": null,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "lock_timeout": 30,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "name": [
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:                 "*"
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             ],
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "nobest": null,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "releasever": null,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "security": false,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "skip_broken": false,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "sslverify": true,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "state": "latest",
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "update_cache": true,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "update_only": false,
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "use_backend": "auto",
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:             "validate_certs": true
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:         }
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:     },
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:     "msg": "Could not import the dnf python module using /usr/bin/python3.11 (3.11.13 (main, Aug 28 2025, 03:09:36) [GCC 8.5.0 20210514 (Red Hat 8.5.0-28.0.1)]). Please install `python3-dnf` package or ensure you have specified the correct <sensitive>_python_interpreter. (attempted ['/usr/libexec/platform-python', '/usr/bin/python3', '/usr/bin/python'])",
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:     "results": []
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: }
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: PLAY RECAP *********************************************************************
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: default                    : ok=3    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=1    skipped=3    rescued=0    ignored=0
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle:
2025/11/05 09:47:39 <sensitive>-plugin-<sensitive>_v1.1.2_x5.0_linux_amd64 plugin: 2025/11/05 09:47:39 shutting down the SSH proxy
2025/11/05 09:47:39 [INFO] (telemetry) ending <sensitive>
==> vsphere-iso.linux-oracle: Error executing Ansible: Non-zero exit status: exit status 2

ChatGPT told me that I should use /usr/libexec/platform-python which contains dnf module and there is no dnf module for >python3.7 versions.

[tom-i]

It works actually. Problem with miss configuration.