VMware Communities
HForren
Contributor
Contributor

Unable to run virtual machine

When I try to power on my existing virtual machine, I get the error "Unable to open file "U:\VM\Ubuntu\Ubuntu-000007.vmdk": Insufficient permission to access file."  Please help.

Please note that ORIGINALLY I had a WinXP MCE SP3 host running VMWare Workstation [6.5?] with a separate hard disk with partition having drive letter U and this VM on it.  That machine died.  So now I have a new Win7 Prof SP1 host machine running VMWare Workstation 8, into which I have physically transferred that hard disk with partition, again assigning drive letter U.

On the new host, I get the above error message when I try to power on this virtual machine.  I looked at the U:\VM folder and saw that it had a read only attribute.  I removed this for the folder and all subs.  The problem remained.  File Ubuntu-000007.vmdk is not read only.  There is a Ubuntu-000007.vmdk.lck folder with contents M22106.lck. 

Note also, that this VM was actually RUNNING when the old host last died.  The old host motherboard was suddenly powering off.  I did repeatedly repower that machine and run workstation.  Most often, it asked if I wanted to take control of the VM.  So another possibility I'm considering is that I have the same situation now, but workstation 8 is not asking if I want to take control.

As an alternative, note that I tried to upgrade the VM from version [6.5?] to version 8, by cloning it to a new VM.  When I try to do this, I get the error "This virtual machine is read-only.  You must set it as a template to create clones from it."

BTW, I have another virtual machine on another separate hard disk.  Similar problems.  I have a THIRD such virtual machine, that I know was NOT actively open when the old host died.  It has similar problems as well.  So perhaps my problems are not due to the fact that workstation [6.5?] had two of these vm's open when it last suddenly powered off.

Thanks in advance for your help.

8 Replies
continuum
Immortal
Immortal

remove the lck files and directories - then it should work


________________________________________________
Do you need support with a VMFS recovery problem ? - send a message via skype "sanbarrow"
I do not support Workstation 16 at this time ...

firestartah
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Hi

This sounds like a very standard permissions problem. Try copy the whole vm to your local disk intially and then try run the vm from there by going through the vm library. Once working you can move it back and it should fix the permissions.

Gregg

If you found this or other information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Gregg http://thesaffageek.co.uk
Reply
0 Kudos
HForren
Contributor
Contributor

continuum, I removed all the lck files (and directories), but that didn't change either power up or upgrade error messages.

firestartah, I'm not sure what you mean by "local disk".  The disk is inside the computer case, not over some network connection.  You don't possibly mean to copy it to the C: drive, do you?  Please clarify what you mean.  Be aware that my login has adminstrator permission.  However, I'm not logged in as administrator.  I'm new to Win7, old to Win since win 1.0 (yes, 1981?).  So I'm not sure if permissions differ now.  I do periodically get asked for administrator approval when I do certain things.

Reply
0 Kudos
HForren
Contributor
Contributor

firestartah, also, what do you mean by "through the vm library"?  I used File / Open.

Reply
0 Kudos
HForren
Contributor
Contributor

firstartah, just for grins I went ahead and copied the VM to C:.  On the first try to power up, I got a different permissions error.  When I tried again in order to write the error down, the power up WORKED.  I see no reason why the C: location helps.  What might have actually helped was that, during the copy to C:, I got a wierd message that a particular lck file no longer exists.  I had deleted them all before the copy, so I'm not sure why the copy would queue up the thought to copy one and later find it missing.  Perhaps the directory was corrupted or something.  I don't know.  I'll go try a copy to the same disk for one of the other stuck vm's.  Meanwhile for this VM, I said I "moved" it rather than "copied".  Once running, I'll move it again back to my desired U:.

Reply
0 Kudos
HForren
Contributor
Contributor

I am now running the vm on the intended U: drive.  I have other problems that I'll put in a separate discussion thread.

Reply
0 Kudos
firestartah
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

hi

Smiley Happy it looks like you got what i meant to say done as normally these locks and permissions problems are fixed by a simple copy to your c drive as the files normally have the old machines permissions attached and thereby cause this problem

glad it's powering up now :smileygrin:

Gregg

If you found this or other information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Gregg http://thesaffageek.co.uk
Reply
0 Kudos
HomerJaySimpsoy
Contributor
Contributor

You're great!

Reply
0 Kudos