Delete from Disk fails with "An error occurred while communicating with the remote host"

[GlenplusG]

I am trying to delete a VM that has lost the integrity of it's snapshots.  I recovered the VM from a Veeam backup so I no longer need any data from the VM.

When I try to delete the VM using "Delete from Disk" I get the following error:

I need to recover the datastore space - total is over 3TB.

The host is in a cluster with 10 other hosts, would moving the VM to another host make a difference? (Note: I believe the VM was on another host when it began having trouble.)

Any ideas on how to work around this error?

Thanks,

Glen

case 16292553611

[luxrajah]

Hi,

This is a useful troubleshooting KB if you have locks on the VM:

https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=10051

SSH to the host that the VM was originally on and where it is residing now:

Run the following command to get the list of VM on that host:

esxcli vm process list

If the VM was in running state, you can try either soft,hard or force shutdown methods with command below. From the list command above, you should have worldnumber for the VM. This is a unique identifier.

esxcli vm process kill --type= [soft,hard,force] --world-id= WorldNumber

[GlenplusG]

Thanks, but after working with KB 10051 I don't think a locked file is the problem.  I am not finding any locked file(s).

When I try to power on the VM it fails with missing files:

Cannot open the disk '<vm name>-000002.vmdk' or one fo the snapshot disks it depends on.

Cannot open the disk '<vm name>_1-000002.vmdk' or one fo the snapshot disks it depends on.

Cannot open the disk '<vm name>_2-000002.vmdk' or one fo the snapshot disks it depends on.

Glen

[GlenplusG · Accepted solution]

Support was able to delete the VM and it's disks.

In the end it required restarting services and deleting files and directories from the command line (ssh).

Thanks,

have a good weekend,

Glen