Hi,
I was trying to increase the hard disk space of a 10GB linux vm to a 20GB. I shut down the vm then ssh'd into the ESXi server. From there I ran the command:
vmkfstools -X 20G Apatite.vmdk
The command ran successfully. Then, when I powered up the vm I got and still am getting:
I have tried numerous things such as cloning the Apatite.vmdk to Apatite-repaired.vmdk. That works, however, I am getting an older version of the VM. i am not getting my changes from either Apatite-000001.vmdk or Apatite-000001-delta.vmdk.
I have some really important work on my VM that I am trying to restore. I should have backed it up before doing anything but I did. Now it seems like I am paying the price.
Can anyone help me recover my VM? Is there a way to increase the size of the snapshot (Apatite-000001.vmdk) or reduce the size of the parent so they match and the vm starts up?
Please help.
Thank you
Expanding a vmdk with snapshots is a bad idea.
I would do the following: adjust the snapshot descriptor so that it uses the same capacity as the basedisk.
Then clone the snapshot + basedisk into a new vmdk.
If unsure post both descriptor vmdks so that I do the edits for you
Thank you for your response.
You are absolutely right that it is a bad idea. I have definetly learned my lesson.
However, I am not sure how to adjust the descriptors. Will you please help me edit them?
Here are the descriptors:
Apatite.vmdk
Thanks again for your help.
Hi ,
Just FYI... When we change size of virtual disk, in vmdk, "RW" value get changed. So snapshot disk and Original disk should have same vlaue.
Regards
Mohammed
you are right - but I fail to see why you post that now ???
It worked!
Thanks for all your help!
Dear Forum Members! continuum
Hopefully somebody will see this..
I ran into the same problem but I have multiple "snaphots".
here are three descriptors:
w2k8r2-flat.vmdk
# Disk DescriptorFile
version=1
encoding="UTF-8"
CID=fffffffe
parentCID=ffffffff
isNativeSnapshot="no"
createType="vmfs"
# Extent description
RW 2147483648 VMFS "w2k8r2-flat.vmdk"
# The Disk Data Base
#DDB
ddb.adapterType = "lsilogic"
ddb.geometry.cylinders = "133674"
ddb.geometry.heads = "255"
ddb.geometry.sectors = "63"
ddb.longContentID = "589d15de4396b582f68371f0fffffffe"
ddb.thinProvisioned = "1"
ddb.uuid = "60 00 C2 91 cb 03 8f 31-d8 73 ed 99 b2 5e eb c2"
ddb.virtualHWVersion = "11"
~
w2k8r2-000001.vmdk
# Disk DescriptorFile
version=3
encoding="UTF-8"
CID=c6e62876
parentCID=c6e62876
isNativeSnapshot="no"
createType="vmfsSparse"
parentFileNameHint="w2k8r2.vmdk"
# Extent description
RW 419430400 VMFSSPARSE "w2k8r2-000001-delta.vmdk"
# Change Tracking File
changeTrackPath="w2k8r2-000001-ctk.vmdk"
# The Disk Data Base
#DDB
ddb.longContentID = "94850e7daf77885ea3b242a7c6e62876"
~
w2k8r2-000002.vmdk
# Disk DescriptorFile
version=3
encoding="UTF-8"
CID=c6e62876
parentCID=c6e62876
isNativeSnapshot="no"
createType="vmfsSparse"
parentFileNameHint="w2k8r2-000001.vmdk"
# Extent description
RW 419430400 VMFSSPARSE "w2k8r2-000002-delta.vmdk"
# Change Tracking File
changeTrackPath="w2k8r2-000002-ctk.vmdk"
# The Disk Data Base
#DDB
ddb.longContentID = "94850e7daf77885ea3b242a7c6e62876"
Can you please advise what to change?
Thank you!
Did you already expand the partition inside the basedisk ?
If not I would rather revert the expand of the basedisk.
Unfortunately I did nothing with the VM. I have Unitrends Backup which failed once (it works via Snapshots) and then I was not able to stat the VM.
I did not do any manual thing with the VM.
Hi Can you help with this?
Hi
provide some input please
Hi, im having the same problem as in this post, just resized a vm with 4 snaps in it. atm im doing what you did on the "awnser", edited the snaps decriptors and cloning them. problem is, its taking too long. cant i just remove the snaps from vmx and make it sound like there is no snap? sorry if what im saying doesnt make sense, im not very knowledgeable of vmware. Ty in advance,.
Actually, just noted that each snap vmdk should have parentcid of previous snap, right? so i should edit each vmdk with the previous vmdk cid and clone the last one?
ie: VMS22_0.vmdk CID=xxxx
VMS22_0-000001.vmdk CID=yyyy parentCID=xxxx
VMS22_0-000002.vmdk CID=zzzz parentCID=yyyy
and so on..
also, the last vmdk has parentcid of itself?, can i ignore that file and clone the previous one?
Hi
short answer: yes
better answer: now wait a minute !
A valid snapshot chain requires that 4 parameters of each descriptorfile use the expected value - if only a single one of them is off - the VM will not start.
Your questions and actions show me that you have not yet understood how a snapshot chain really works. No offense intended !
Please attach the vmx-file and all the vmdk-descriptorfiles to your next post.
Then I explain how to deal with this.
Ulli