Cannot add PVSCSI controller

[mike7645]

Hi- running ESXi 4.0 with vSphere. I am trying to add a PV SCSI controller to a VM to use for a SQL DB. If I add it while the VM is running, I get this error:

"Hot-add of scsi1, scsi1:0 failed. Unable to open SCSI device '/vmfs/devices/genscsi/mpx.vmhba0:C0:T0:L0' (scsi1:0): Failed to lock the file. Module DevicePowerOn power on failed.  VM failed to resume on destination during early power on.  Hotplug operation failed."

I have also tried adding it while the VM is powered off, which works. But then I get this error when powering on the VM:

'Unable to open SCSI device '/vmfs/devices/genscsi/mpx.vmhba0:C0:T0:L0' (scsi1:0): Failed to lock the file. Module DevicePowerOn power on failed.'

I'm not sure where to go with this, if anyone can offer some advice I'd appreciate. It's possible I caused this problem, as I changed around some of the file names earlier today. I wanted to change the name of the VMX file, and all the disk files. So I powered off the VM, and changed the name of the VMX file. I edited the file offline and changed the name of the .nvram, .vmxf, and any other files that were listed in the .VMX file. I think that went fine, the VM powered on with no issues after I was done with my updates. But I can't add the scsi cntrlr, so I'm not sure if it's related but I'm putting it out there. Also I have a .VMSD, not sure what it is, but it was not listed in the .VMX file so I didn't rename it.

Please help, implementation of an important server depends on this pvscsi device! thanks in advance!!!

[LarryBlanco2]

I think I came across this one.

I ended up  removing the VM from inventory, delete all the files, except for the VMDK files.

Create a new VM and attched the VMDK onto the new VM.

After that, I was able to add addional disks.

simple solution which may work 4 you.

Larry

[ETastic]

Whom is the vendor? Part number? Model number?

Also,

A .VMSD store metadat about snapshots

Upgrading to a newer version of ESXi may help, have you applied all critical updates/ driver updates etc.... to your hosts?

[Marcj1]

This might be due to changing the VMDK file names.  VMDK's are actually two files, the vmdk is basically a text file that contains the disk characteristics and the name of the flat.vmdk file, which contains the real data.  So, when you see a disk file in the datastore browser called disk1.vmdk, in actuality there would be a disk1.vmdk, which would be about 1 KB in size, and a disk1-flat.vmdk, which would be at least a few GB (unless thin provisioned).

To fix it, download the vmdk file (the small one) to your workstation, open it in something like Win32pad (not notepad, it will screw up the formatting) and correct the -flat.vmdk file name so that is matches its current name, and upload it over the original (keep a copy of the original just in case).  This should be done with the VM off.  As i said before, if you use the datastore browser to do this then you will only see one vmdk file, but if you download it it will give you both files.  Then only upload the small file into the VM folder.

[bulletprooffool]

Mike - are you trying to share this disk in a cluster - or only access it from one VM?

If you are sharing between 2 VMs, there are a few things to change - have a look at the VMware clustering whitepaper.

If this is just being accessed from one machine - ignore this post

[mike7645]

@Larry- thanks that sounds like it might work. I will have to try this next time we have a long maintenance window.

@ETastic- the PVSCSI controller is the VMWare paravirtual scsi controller. I have not been able to fully update, again this will have to wait for a maintenance window.

@Marcj1- I think my VMDK files are all OK, although you do make a good point. I did have to juggle around the VMDK pairs while renaming the disks. They all show up in vsphere storage browser, and machine boots, so I think I got that part right.

@bulletproof- thanks but this is not a cluster.

[DSTAVERT]

Just to make sure. If this is for a Windows boot disk you must be at 4.0 Update 1 Data disks are supported for 4.0 and beyond. Linux 4.1

[mike7645]

Good to know- thanks. This is a data disk- D:\.