Folder Name Getting Dropped

[SecEng]

Using ESX4.0i. No Virtual center.

I entered the service console and copied the VMDK and flat.VMDK file for a machine I would like to clone (already SysPrep'ed). I moved the two files to a new directory entiteld "Server-2". I then try to create a new Virtual machine and choose custom. I go through the naming processing and setup. I make sure the name (Server-2) is exactly the same as the folder that I created containing the VMDK. I use the existing disk. However ESX creates a new folder entitled "Server-" and puts the VMSD, VMX, and VMXF in that folder instead of the folder entitled "Server-2"., while the VMX has the location of the VMDK as "Server-2".

The same thing occurs if via browsing the datastore I copy the VMDK to a new folder and then use that folder.

Any thoughts as to why this is happening? For organization purposes having all files in the same directory is important.

[SecEng]

Solved. The problem was any virtual machine name with a length of 32 charceters before extension would cause the folder name in the datastore to be truncated.

[patrickds]

I had a similar problem a couple of times when trying to create a vm with existing vmdk with the name of a folder that already existed (trying to create it in the same folder): it would create a new folder and add (1) to the name.

Since then, to avoid having this problem i just create vms without disks, and then copy the vmdk into the folder and connect it.