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jaygt
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Incompatible device backing specified for device '1' error migrating Linux

I am receiving the error Incompatible device backing specified for device '1' when I migrate a Linux guest "cold" from a 2.5.3 host to a 3.0 host. I have successfully migrated two Window guest from the same host to the same destination 3.0 host with no problems. I appears to be with Linux guest only.

I have tried to manually changing the SCSI controller with no success. I have reveiwed the VMkernel logs and found the following error:

Jul 31 16:53:23 spesxtst vmkernel: 17:06:41:55.885 cpu0)VMNIX: WARNING: Mod: 376: Minor version mismatch vmnix (0x1c0001), vpxa (0x1c0000)

Has anyone else encountered this problem?

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22 Replies
s1m0nb
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I am getting the same errors on my hosts - but they are still 2.5.3 running under virtual center 2

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KERobbins
Contributor
Contributor

I received the same error when trying to cold migrate a machine from ESX 2.5 to 3. The machine in question was running Linux with a Bus Logic SCSI driver. I don't believe the Linux part comes into play because I was able to do the migration on another VM running Linux, but with the LSI Logic driver. Just thought I would add another data point for comparison.

I was able to workaround the problem by using vmkfstools and exporting the dsk files from the ESX 2.5 machine and then importing it back on the ESX 3 machine. I then created a new VM with the same configuration as the old one and told it to use an existing disk when prompted.

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kreynold
Contributor
Contributor

I'm getting the same error cold migrating from 2.5.1 to 3. Has a suitable fix been identified?

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jaygt
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I found my problem to be with the *.vmx file.

The VM would work fine in the 2.x environment. I would shut it down, proceed with a cold migration and get the error and the VM would fail back. I would then reboot the VM and it was running well. I would then down the VM, unregistered it, deleted the *.vmx, and recreate the VM again using the original *.vmdk. After the VM was recreated in a 2.x environment, I would start it to verify that it was working ok. Then I would shut it down, perform a cold migration again. This time the VM migration was successful.

I sent the *.vmx file to VMware support to be analyzed but the could not find any issue with file.

Strange but recreating the *.vmx file solved my issue.

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s1m0nb
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I can carry out the same workaround..create a new vmx file for existing disks - however the prospect of doing it for 300 guests doesnt fill me with joy.

As this doesnt seem to be a unique problem someone at vmware must be able to give us a hint as to what is wrong with the vmx file migration????

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jherrick
Contributor
Contributor

I'm having the same problem migrating a VM from 2.5.2(21059) to 3.0. I've tried both a Windows 2000 VM and Windows 2003 and each fails with the same error. I'm going to give the recreate workaround a try.

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Jae_Ellers
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

See this w/ a couple NT4 vms trying to migrate to ESX 3 from 2.5.0

Workaround: Right click, remove from inventory.

Create new vm w/ same specs, hw, select use existing disk, browse to previous system disk.

Seems to be problems in the config. Both used buslogic controllers, but attempting to reselect the controller resulted in same error. After recreating I was able to migrate.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- http://blog.mr-vm.com http://www.vmprofessional.com -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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admin
Immortal
Immortal

Jay,

Would you please list the Support Request number through which you sent the vmx file?

I would like to look at it.

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Jae_Ellers
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Sorry, anymore with things that are not critical I don't file SRs very frequently, especially with a new release warming up in the wings. I just glean as much as I can off the forums and keep pounding on it until it works. I know filing the SR is the only way to get it fixed, but if I can keep moving forward I do.

I have a clone of at least one of the NT4 systems. If you'd like I'll pull out the old and new vmx files and send them to you. You may open an SR with them, if you'd like. We do have more NT4 systems to migrate in the future, so it would be great to figure out a better way.

PM me w/ your email if you'd like to have these files.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- http://blog.mr-vm.com http://www.vmprofessional.com -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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admin
Immortal
Immortal

I meant my last response to be for Jaygt not for Jae Eller.

Since Jaygt stated that the vmx files were sent to VMware Support I assumed that this was associated with a Support Request.

However, I will PM Jae if Jayot does not repond to this thread.

Message was edited by:

mkhalil

Corrected the spelling for Jaygt's alias

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Jae_Ellers
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

No problem. We'll hang onto the clones for a few days.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- http://blog.mr-vm.com http://www.vmprofessional.com -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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jasonca36
Contributor
Contributor

I opened request 307862 and the tech came back after a few hours and suggested using the tools to migrate manually from 2.5 to 3.0. 3 of my migrations worked. All the others on the same 2.5 host failed with the same device backing error. VM needs to figure this out or say that cloning is not supported from 2.5 to 3.0.

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Jae_Ellers
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Do you mean vmkfstools or something else?

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- http://blog.mr-vm.com http://www.vmprofessional.com -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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EshuunDara
Contributor
Contributor

I'm having the same problem, except I'm trying to move a VM from one iSCSI volume to another. Successfully moved a series of other VMs, but these last two keep getting hung up on something. Smiley Sad

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jaygt
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

mkhalil, Sorry for the delay. The support request number is 271839.

Jay

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

Jay,

I reviewed the SR records and located the vmx files.

One was your original file and the other one was Michael's commented version of your file.

What I could not locate is the vmx file that your recreated on ESX 2.x which allowed you to migrate the VM. This will give us some hints to which parameters may have caused this error.

I assume that you used VC 1.x to recreate the vmx file on the ESX 2.x server. If not, please provide more details.

If you still have the old ESX Server in-place, I would like to get vm-support dump from it as well as from the target ESX 3.0 server.

You can FTP the dumps to our ftp server.

--Mostafa

Message was edited by:

mkhalil

to correct a typo

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jaygt
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

mkhalil,

I have uploaded the requestion information to the ftp site.

I used the ESX 2.x server's web console, not the VC 1.x, to recreate the server.

Jay

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jpoling
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Was ther any resolution to this issue? I am seeing it trying to migrate one of my LX VMs. . .

Thanks,

Jeff

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mgugler
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

The only thing that I have seen to work so far is to remove the virtual from inventory and then recreate it. Usually after that I have to rename the virtual machine because if I already tried to migrate it once it comes back with another error message saying "The specified key, name or identifier already exists". Just rename the VM in VC and migrate then the name can be changed back.

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