esxi vmdk file not found

[nosleduc]

Hi

I tried to make a backup of my virtual machine and something went wrong.

When I try to run my virtual machine I have the  message below.

It is in French but it tells that he cannot find the file HASP SRM Database-000003.vmdk

I'm running esxi 5.5

The file HASP SRM Database-000001-s001.vmdk was the one before the backup

How can I fix that ?

The output of command ls -lisa

/vmfs/volumes/537cbc27-16169ad3-96d9-d4ae52d442ee/HASP SRM Database # ls -lisa

total 19171344

29388548      8 drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root          3080 Jul 31 14:12 .

      4   1024 drwxr-xr-t    1 root     root          2240 Jul 31 15:35 ..

62942980 9954304 -rw-------    1 root     root     10193076224 Jul 31 14:11 HASP SRM Database-000001-s001.vmdk

180383492      0 -rw-------    1 root     root           375 Jun  4 10:18 HASP SRM Database-000001.vmdk

176189188   1024 -rw-------    1 root     root        327680 Jul 31 14:12 HASP SRM Database-000002-s001.vmdk

192966404   1024 -rw-------    1 root     root        327680 Jul 31 14:12 HASP SRM Database-000002-s002.vmdk

197160708   1024 -rw-------    1 root     root        327680 Jul 31 14:12 HASP SRM Database-000002-s003.vmdk

201355012   1024 -rw-------    1 root     root        327680 Jul 31 14:12 HASP SRM Database-000002-s004.vmdk

205549316   1024 -rw-------    1 root     root        327680 Jul 31 14:12 HASP SRM Database-000002-s005.vmdk

209743620   1024 -rw-------    1 root     root         65536 Jul 31 14:12 HASP SRM Database-000002-s006.vmdk

213937924      0 -rw-------    1 root     root           628 Jul 31 14:12 HASP SRM Database-000002.vmdk

96497412 524288 -rw-------    1 root     root     536870912 May 21  2014 HASP SRM Database-Snapshot7.vmem

100691716 133120 -rw-------    1 root     root     135397539 May 21  2014 HASP SRM Database-Snapshot7.vmsn

104886020   1024 -rw-------    1 root     root          8684 May 21  2014 HASP SRM Database.nvram

109080324 8547328 -rw-------    1 root     root     8752332800 May 21  2014 HASP SRM Database.vmdk

113274628      0 -rw-------    1 root     root           958 May 21  2014 HASP SRM Database.vmsd

117468932      8 -rw-------    1 root     root          2581 May 21  2014 HASP SRM Database.vmx

121663236      0 -rw-------    1 root     root           272 May 21  2014 HASP SRM Database.vmxf

125857540   1024 -rw-------    1 root     root        127340 May 21  2014 vmware-0.log

130051844   1024 -rw-------    1 root     root        152348 May 21  2014 vmware-1.log

134246148   1024 -rw-------    1 root     root         95665 May 21  2014 vmware-2.log

138440452   1024 -rw-------    1 root     root         86154 May 21  2014 vmware.log

Message:

Échec du démarrage de la machine virtuelle.

Échec d'activation du module DiskEarly.

Impossible d’ouvrir le disque '/vmfs/volumes/537cbc27-16169ad3-96d9-d4ae52d442ee/HASP SRM Database/HASP SRM Database-000003.vmdk' ou l’un des disques snapshot dont il dépend.

Le système ne trouve pas le fichier spécifié

VMware ESX ne trouve pas le disque virtuel "/vmfs/volumes/537cbc27-16169ad3-96d9-d4ae52d442ee/HASP SRM Database/HASP SRM Database-000003.vmdk". Vérifiez que le chemin est valide et réessayez.

[continuum]

Hello - that sounds like you are using snapshots on ESXi that have been copied from Workstation.

ESXi does not create vmdk in the split growing format.

Just to rule it out - did you or anybody else rename vmdk-files of this VM ?

[nosleduc]

The listing above is not correct, the output is

/vmfs/volumes/537cbc27-16169ad3-96d9-d4ae52d442ee/HASP SRM Database # ls -lisa

total 19171344

29388548      8 drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root          3080 Jul 31 16:35 .

      4   1024 drwxr-xr-t    1 root     root          2240 Jul 31 15:35 ..

62942980 9954304 -rw-------    1 root     root     10193076224 Jul 31 14:11 HASP SRM Database-000001-s001.vmdk

180383492      0 -rw-------    1 root     root           375 Jun  4 10:18 HASP SRM Database-000001.vmdk

612396804   1024 -rw-------    1 root     root        327680 Jul 31 16:35 HASP SRM Database-000003-s001.vmdk

616591108   1024 -rw-------    1 root     root        327680 Jul 31 16:35 HASP SRM Database-000003-s002.vmdk

620785412   1024 -rw-------    1 root     root        327680 Jul 31 16:35 HASP SRM Database-000003-s003.vmdk

624979716   1024 -rw-------    1 root     root        327680 Jul 31 16:35 HASP SRM Database-000003-s004.vmdk

629174020   1024 -rw-------    1 root     root        327680 Jul 31 16:35 HASP SRM Database-000003-s005.vmdk

633368324   1024 -rw-------    1 root     root         65536 Jul 31 16:35 HASP SRM Database-000003-s006.vmdk

637562628      0 -rw-------    1 root     root           628 Jul 31 16:35 HASP SRM Database-000003.vmdk

96497412 524288 -rw-------    1 root     root     536870912 May 21  2014 HASP SRM Database-Snapshot7.vmem

100691716 133120 -rw-------    1 root     root     135397539 May 21  2014 HASP SRM Database-Snapshot7.vmsn

104886020   1024 -rw-------    1 root     root          8684 May 21  2014 HASP SRM Database.nvram

109080324 8547328 -rw-------    1 root     root     8752332800 May 21  2014 HASP SRM Database.vmdk

113274628      0 -rw-------    1 root     root           958 May 21  2014 HASP SRM Database.vmsd

117468932      8 -rw-------    1 root     root          2581 May 21  2014 HASP SRM Database.vmx

121663236      0 -rw-------    1 root     root           272 May 21  2014 HASP SRM Database.vmxf

125857540   1024 -rw-------    1 root     root        127340 May 21  2014 vmware-0.log

130051844   1024 -rw-------    1 root     root        152348 May 21  2014 vmware-1.log

134246148   1024 -rw-------    1 root     root         95665 May 21  2014 vmware-2.log

138440452   1024 -rw-------    1 root     root         86154 May 21  2014 vmware.log

I did not copy a file from a workstation and I did not rename a file

I'm using the vSphere client

Indeed I made  a snapshot before exporting  the vmdk.

I used the vSphere client to export the virtual machine on my computer. It failed to save it on my computer.

After that I tried to restart my virtual machine. Now the virtual machine does not boot anymore showing this message.

How can I use the previous vmdk instead of 0003.vmdk ?

[continuum]

Please show the content of  file HASP SRM Database-000001.vmdk

[nosleduc]

I cannot access the machine remotely right now. I will next Monday.

But yesterday, in vSphere client, I looked for the configuration file of this virtual machine.

I located the vmx file and edited it. I replaced the entry pointing to HASP SRM Database-000003.vmdk  by HASP SRM Database-000001.vmdk and restarted esxi server.

Is it safe to do that ?

Now my virtual machine is booting correctly and I can use it.

I don't now if it is the best way to solve it.

Every six months,  I'm making a backup and it is the first time I had an issue.

But it was also the first time I made a snapshot. The problem may come from the snapshot process.

I have a second question, the workstation I'm using for my virtual machines has several years now.

At some day, it will stop working. Using esxi requires having a workstation which I'm not found of it. I do not want to buy a new workstation.

I have a brand new computer with more storage, RAM and cpu performance than the actual workstation.
Is there a way to migrate the virtual machine in order to use VMware Fusion instead ?

[continuum · Accepted solution]

Your config change to use name-000001.vmdk will discard the data that was included in the last snapshot.

You probably noticed that the state of the VM is a bit outdated - if thats ok for you - good.

If not - power off the VM as sson as possible.

And yes - you can run the VM with VMware Fusion. Performance will be not as good as with ESXi but it will work.

[nosleduc]

The snapshot was made just after stoping the virtual machine on July 31. In theory there is no difference between the snapshot and the last 0001.vmdk

When I restarted the virtual machine I was able to see the changes made on July 30 which is fine for me.

Thanks for helping me