3i RCLI import command error

[phenrichs]

I am running esx 3i, I copied my files to the host. When I run the import (vmkfstools.pl with the -i option) i get the following generic and uninformative error: "Unable to clone virtual disk : A general system error occured : Internal Error"

I am doing all of this as root by the way.

any ideas, anyone, anyone, anyone

Regards,

Paul

[avarcher]

Hi Paul

Can you post the full command line, the syntax of this is possibly challenging!!

Cheers, Andy.

[phenrichs]

Ok for a little more detail:

The files I am working with were extracted from a working vm using the vmkfstools -i "vm name" -d 2gbsparse command. This was done on version 3.0.2. I then copied them to the new 3i box and want to import them so that I can run this vm on the new machine.

I figured out my syntax error. In 3i it is required to specifiy the -d disk format and the -a adapter type for the vmkfstools command. Once I figured that out I was able to make a clone but it would could not run the import command with a different disk format. On 3.0 and 3.0.2 I could run it without the -d option and it would auto reformat to thick. Now I tried to run the command using the thick option but it would not accept it. Is there a different command syntax for changing the format? And can it be done as before without losing data?

[phenrichs]

I should have updated this sooner. It turns out that I discovered a bug in the RCLI. The command requires that you specify the destination file format. There are a few to choose from but the command was only coded with three, thick not being one of them. There is a workaround for now to import to the thick format and that is to use the -d option with one double quote.

EXAMPLE { -d " }

Regards

Paul

[lamw]

Found a typo, user error.

So some interesting findings, and I definitely agree it's a bug in RCLI and "vmkfstools.pl"

2gb sparse syntax:

$ vmkfstools.pl -d 2gbsparse --server olga.resnet.ucsb.edu -i "[http://olga-local-SAS.Storage|http://olga-local-SAS.Storage] UCSB_TEST/UCSB_TEST_1.vmdk" "[http://olga-local-SAS.Storage|http://olga-local-SAS.Storage] I HATE SPACES-1/I HATE SPACES-1_1.vmdk" -a lsilogic

Results: Successful, with destination disk (s) being 2gb sparse as expected

$ vmkfstools.pl -d ' ' --server olga.resnet.ucsb.edu -i "[http://olga-local-SAS.Storage|http://olga-local-SAS.Storage] UCSB_TEST/UCSB_TEST_1.vmdk" "[http://olga-local-SAS.Storage|http://olga-local-SAS.Storage] I HATE SPACES-1/I HATE SPACES-1_1.vmdk" -a lsilogic

Error connecting to server at 'https://olga.resnet.ucsb.edu:443/sdk': Login failed due to a bad username or password

Results: Error, odd, it's been noted that since "thick" is not a valid key, that specifying a empty string will cause destination disk to become "thick". This is all necessary because the RCLI's version of vmkfstools.pl requires you to specified both Adapter type and Disk format

The interesting thing:

$ vmkfstools.pl --server olga.resnet.ucsb.edu -d ' ' -i "[http://olga-local-SAS.Storage|http://olga-local-SAS.Storage] UCSB_TEST/UCSB_TEST_1.vmdk" "[http://olga-local-SAS.Storage|http://olga-local-SAS.Storage] I HATE SPACES-1/I HATE SPACES-1_1.vmdk" -a lsilogic

Results: If you move the placement of the "-d" flag after the "--server" flag, it works! Boy was this hair pulling all day long!

Hopefully this will be useful to others, thanks to phenrichs for your initial findings on this bug, I hope this gets fixed!

=========================================================================

--William

VMware ESX/ESXi scripts and resources at:

[Dave_Mishchenko]

Nice find - have you logged a service request for this?

[lamw]

I actually haven't, I was going to chat with Carter to see if they have this one noted down. If not, I'll open one up.

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--William

VMware ESX/ESXi scripts and resources at:

[Dave_Mishchenko]

Hopefully the RCLI for ESX(i) 4.0 will be a bit more robust (and perhaps have some helpful error messages). I logged a call last week for a bug in the rename vmdk option in which the command would fail, but only after changing the flat.vmdk reference in the vmdk file .

[lamw]

Ah yes, I remember that thread. I thought I had success with that command. I think I found few other bugs, but haven't had the time to document and log in the cases. I have a list of features/issues I've slowly started to consolidate and hopefully be able to send it out to Harvey.

I too hope the next RCLI release is more robust and speedier, I remember talking to Mike Laverick and he wasn't too impressed with the new release that was in beta. Crossing fingers!

=========================================================================

--William

VMware ESX/ESXi scripts and resources at: