Unable to power up VM with the following error: Cannot open the disk "/path/to/vmdk-0001.vmdk" or one of the snapshot disk it depends on. Reason: Broken pipe.

[ukranid]

After moving virtual machines from VmWare Server 2 to ESX 4i I am getting this error when trying to start virtual machine:

Unable to power up VM with the following error: Cannot open the disk

"/path/to/vmdk-0001.vmdk" or one of the snapshot disk it depends on.

Reason: Broken pipe.

Anyone idea what the problem here is?

[DSTAVERT]

I would start over and commit the snapshot(s) before you do the move. You may be able to "fix" all the files where they are but you risk making a mess. Each vmdk consists of two files. The data part and the descriptor file. The descriptor file points to the data part. You would have server.vmdk (the descriptor) and server-flat.vmdk (the data). When you take a snapshot you end up with two new files, a data part and a descriptor, only now you also need to refer back to the original disk as well.

Have a look at Understanding Snapshots

Again I would commit the snapshots before moving.

[Lightbulb · Accepted solution]

How did you move the VMs?

Did you use converter (https://www.vmware.com/tryvmware/?p=converter)

If not give converter a try

[ukranid]

In VM Server 2 there is not much you can do with snapshots. I can make just one and I can delete it.

What do you mean with committing snapshots? Make it protected against changes?

I need to try converter but last time I played with it I have not found any options to convert from VM Server 2 to ESX. Only from

inside of working OS and from other types of virtual machines. I am going to look at this converter once again.