Snapshot does not show in vSphere Client

[IT_Architect]

I got a message from the backup software that snapshots exist for one of the VMs. I went into vSphere Client and didn't see any, so I thought it was a fluke. The next day, same thing. So I looked in the VM. Then I thought maybe they are left behind and they are not in the VMX. Not so. They are in the .vmx. I've never had a situation before where the snapshots didn't show in the vSphere Client. How do I get them to show so I can merge of delete them?

Thanks!

.vmx

.encoding = "UTF-8"

config.version = "8"

virtualHW.version = "7"

pciBridge0.present = "TRUE"

pciBridge4.present = "TRUE"

pciBridge4.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"

pciBridge4.functions = "8"

pciBridge5.present = "TRUE"

pciBridge5.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"

pciBridge5.functions = "8"

pciBridge6.present = "TRUE"

pciBridge6.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"

pciBridge6.functions = "8"

pciBridge7.present = "TRUE"

pciBridge7.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"

pciBridge7.functions = "8"

vmci0.present = "TRUE"

nvram = "findlocw.nvram"

deploymentPlatform = "windows"

virtualHW.productCompatibility = "hosted"

unity.customColor = "|23C0C0C0"

tools.upgrade.policy = "useGlobal"

powerType.powerOff = "default"

powerType.powerOn = "default"

powerType.suspend = "default"

powerType.reset = "default"

displayName = "findlocw"

extendedConfigFile = "findlocw.vmxf"

floppy0.present = "TRUE"

numvcpus = "2"

scsi0.present = "TRUE"

scsi0.sharedBus = "none"

scsi0.virtualDev = "lsilogic"

memsize = "2048"

scsi0:0.present = "TRUE"

scsi0:0.fileName = "findlocw-000002.vmdk"

scsi0:0.deviceType = "scsi-hardDisk"

ide1:0.present = "TRUE"

ide1:0.clientDevice = "TRUE"

ide1:0.deviceType = "atapi-cdrom"

ide1:0.startConnected = "FALSE"

floppy0.startConnected = "FALSE"

floppy0.clientDevice = "TRUE"

ethernet0.present = "TRUE"

ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"

ethernet0.networkName = "Private Network"

ethernet0.addressType = "generated"

ethernet1.present = "TRUE"

ethernet1.virtualDev = "e1000"

ethernet1.networkName = "Public Network"

ethernet1.addressType = "generated"

chipset.onlineStandby = "FALSE"

guestOSAltName = "FreeBSD (64-bit)"

guestOS = "freebsd-64"

uuid.location = "56 4d fa 6c a7 b2 6c 6d-0d 97 2c b5 e5 4d af 5b"

uuid.bios = "56 4d fa 6c a7 b2 6c 6d-0d 97 2c b5 e5 4d af 5b"

vc.uuid = "52 e3 ef 77 ba 2b 37 35-ef fd 80 4f 8e a0 1d 65"

snapshot.action = "keep"

sched.cpu.min = "0"

sched.cpu.units = "mhz"

sched.cpu.shares = "normal"

sched.mem.minsize = "1467"

sched.mem.shares = "normal"

ethernet0.generatedAddress = "00:0c:29:4d:af:5b"

ethernet1.generatedAddress = "00:0c:29:4d:af:65"

cleanShutdown = "FALSE"

replay.supported = "FALSE"

sched.swap.derivedName = "/vmfs/volumes/4a3b3b00-eb43a1f1-9a7a-003048d937e7/findlocw/findlocw-d6bb059f.vswp"

scsi0:0.redo = ""

vmotion.checkpointFBSize = "4194304"

pciBridge0.pciSlotNumber = "17"

pciBridge4.pciSlotNumber = "21"

pciBridge5.pciSlotNumber = "22"

pciBridge6.pciSlotNumber = "23"

pciBridge7.pciSlotNumber = "24"

scsi0.pciSlotNumber = "16"

ethernet0.pciSlotNumber = "32"

ethernet1.pciSlotNumber = "33"

vmci0.pciSlotNumber = "34"

ethernet0.generatedAddressOffset = "0"

ethernet1.generatedAddressOffset = "10"

vmci0.id = "-447893669"

hostCPUID.0 = "0000000b756e65476c65746e49656e69"

guestCPUID.0 = "0000000b756e65476c65746e49656e69"

userCPUID.0 = "0000000b756e65476c65746e49656e69"

hostCPUID.1 = "000106a510100800009ce3bdbfebfbff"

guestCPUID.1 = "000106a500010800809822010febfbff"

userCPUID.1 = "000106a510100800009822010febfbff"

hostCPUID.80000001 = "00000000000000000000000128100800"

guestCPUID.80000001 = "00000000000000000000000128100800"

userCPUID.80000001 = "00000000000000000000000128100800"

evcCompatibilityMode = "FALSE"

tools.remindInstall = "FALSE"

floppy0.fileName = "/dev/fd0"

ethernet0.startConnected = "TRUE"

ethernet1.startConnected = "TRUE"

tools.syncTime = "FALSE"

ide1:0.fileName = ""

checkpoint.vmState.readOnly = "FALSE"

checkpoint.vmState = ""

[Troy_Clavell · Accepted solution]

create a new snapshot in your snapshot manager and then "delete all" that should work.

[J1mbo]

With my 'home grown' backup solution, I find this happens when an attempt is made to delete the snapshot whilst there is a lock against the underlying -flat.vmdk file (because it was still being copied). The method mention above has always worked for me - once the new snapshot has been taken, it appears as the second against "consildation helper" IIRC, then just 'delete all'.

HTH




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[IT_Architect]

>create a new snapshot in your snapshot manager and then "delete all" that should work.<

It worked perfectly!

Here is an interesting side note. I was on my laptop across the VPN to the server when I made the snapshot in the VI Client. I decided this could take awhile so to delete the snapshot, I would RDP into a 2003 server in the data center so I wouldn't risk a connection loss, and later could leave for a customer appointment. Due to MS updates, the VI Client on the DC server no longer worked, so I updated it. When I started the VI client, it showed all the snapshots. I didn't think to re-enter the client on my laptop. It MAY be that after creating the snapshot, that if I would have re-entered the client, they might all have re-appeared there too. (Or maybe appeared in the first place?) I might have been able to delete them one at a time to save disk space, but I chickened out. I later checked the version and build of the VI client to my laptop and found them to be the same as what I had just updated to on the DC server. I went back into the VM and checked the files, and the snapshots are definitely gone. Whatever happened, it's fixed now.

Thanks Tons!

[Troy_Clavell]

glad to see you got it resolved. Can we assume your question(s) have been answered? If so, please mark the thread as such.

[IT_Architect]

(Or maybe appeared in the first place?)

Strike that. I did try that before posting. The most likely scenario is that if I had re-entered the client AFTER I set the hidden snapshot would have showed on the laptop, just as it did on the server.

[IT_Architect]

*"I find this happens when an

attempt is made to delete the snapshot whilst there is a lock against

the underlying -flat.vmdk file (because it was still being copied)....once the new snapshot

has been taken, it appears as the second against "consildation helper"

IIRC, then just 'delete all'.*

Ding! I re-read your post after fixing it. It now makes sense to me and explains my babbling in my preceding two messages. :smileygrin: I didn't remember making a shapshot of the name that appeared out of nowhere under the one I had just had made. I don't remember what it was exactly, but it was probably "consolidation helper".

Thanks Tons!