Snapshot without green arrow

[MarkusLehmann]

The Snapshot Manager Show me an Snapshot without green arrow ?

The Machine is up and running

Can i delete this Snapshot without Problems ?

Regards

Markus

[a_p_]

A green arrow indicates that the snapshot was created while the VM was up and running. This however doesn't matter for deleting snapshots.

Anyway, according to the screen shots, your VM has two snapshots and depending on the exact ESX/ESXi version/build you are using, deleting the snapshots (you may need to select "Delete All" in order to delete both snapshots) may require up to ~60GB of temporary disk space on the datastore!

Which version and build do you use and how much free disk space do you currently have on this datastore?

André

[MarkusLehmann]

DL385 Gp5 VMWARE ESX Server 3.5.0 build-15387

Now 50 GB free ;-((

In 2 days i have a second DL385 Gp5 Server with 4 x 300 GB 10 k SAS RAID 5 and with VMWARE ESX Server 3.5.0 build-15387

Then i shutdown the virutal machine and copy all files over the Network to this new datastore und try to delete all snapshots on this new DL385 Gp5 machine.

What do you mean, ok ?

Regards

Markus

[a_p_]

Unfortunately the version/build you are using is too old to safely run "Delete All". However, after taking a second look at the files, it looks like there was an issue on Feb, 25th with the snapshot creation (a lot of dump/gz files). Maybe the first snapshot isn't even in use!?

To find out about this, you need to connect to the host using e.g. WinSCP and download some files. These are *.vmx, *.log, *.vmsd, *.vmdk (only the small ones - a few hundred bytes - without flat or delta in their names). Once downloaded, compress/zip these files and attach the .zip file to a reply post. In order to attach files, you have to click the "Use advanced editor" link.

How does the other VM on the datastore look like? Does it also have snapshots. Please post a screen shot of the datastore browser window for this VM too. Maybe there's another option to get rid of the snapshots, e.g. by temporarily powering off the VMs to free up disk space or by migrating the second VM to another datastore (if there is one)!?

André

[aleph0]

try reading this

VMware KB: Committing snapshots when there are no snapshot entries in the Snapshot Manager

and delete (IF YOU WANT TO DELETE) via command line

Remember that during deleting snapshots the hyervvisor use some space on the datastore. keep in mind tha it is a best practice to have at least 12% of datastore space free.

It depends mostly on block size and how much the VM is used, more I/O more work to do to delete the snapshot.

have a look at the process in my test lab looking at the attached screenshots

Initial situation

ots -->

Start deleting snapshots --> creation of other snaps for REDO log during deletion of old snaps

New snaps grow in terms of space on the datastore

All return to initial situation, before snapshot were taken.

Aleph0

remember to give points if the resolution suits your needs!

Thanks

screenshots added and warning given on possible out of space issue.

[MarkusLehmann]

Hi,

Now all is ok,

I have installed a NAS Storage with 4 TB

I shutdown the virtual machine with large snapshot

I do a file copy with the product veeam to this NAS Storage and ReImport this new files into a another datastore

It Looks now fine, no snapshot, Virtual Server is now up and running.

thanks for your help.

[aleph0 · Accepted solution]

No problem,

remember to set the question as answered

Thanks

Manlio