ESX 3.0.1 - VMs get stuck in "In Progress" on Startup

[RJacob]

I'm running ESX Server 3.0.1, Build 34176 on a cluster of 4 host. I currently have several VMs running fine, but if I try to poweron another VM, the task just gets stuck in "In Progress" state. Doesn't even get to a % complete. About all the options are greyed out, so I can't power it off, reset it or anything.

The reservations are not anywhere near being tapped... so I'm not sure why it's doing this. There are currently 5 VMs in this state.

I've restarted the VM Center service as well.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Message was edited by:

RJacob

[esiebert7625]

Try re-starting mgmt-vmware and vmware-vpxd on the ESX server. If you have auto startups enabled read this first. You can also check the vmware.log for any errors. Also try connecting direct to ESX with the VI Client and see if it works.

http://vmware-land.com/Vmware_Tips.html#ESX11

[RJacob]

It actually happens on a couple different ESX host. I thought maybe that it was just one of the host that was causing the problem, but that's not the case. It's happening on more then one.

I've also tried to connect directly to the ESX host with VI client... but it doens't connect.

I'll work on host service restart... and see what happens.

Message was edited by:

RJacob

[RParker]

did you make sure that USB, and ALL ports are removed from the VM?

It should only have a CPU, CD/DVD drive, Floppy (which really isn't needed either) a SCSI controller, hardisk and NIC.

That's it. Any other devices could cause it to hang.

[RJacob]

Yes. That's all they have. All of these VMs worked fine... and all of a sudden... they hang on poweron.

At this point... I can't even edit the settings... virtually everything is greyed out.

[mbrown2010]

I had this same problem and after I rebooted my Virtual Center server everything worked fine.

\- not a solution I like, but it worked.

Matt Brown

http://universitytechnology.blogspot.com/

[RJacob]

Yeah... I tried rebooting to VC Server... I've installed the latest updates, I'm now on VC 2.0.2 50618... and it's still VERY flaky... I basically can't do anything from VC... I have to connect directly to the ESX host and everything works fine.

It's not just happening when I PowerOn VMs... it happens when I do anything to a VM... they all hang on "In Progress".

Message was edited by:

RJacob

[dossw]

Hello,

Just wanted to add a little to this. We are also just now experancing the same issue. We have 6 ESX 3.0 Host setup with Vmotion and have about 50 Servers VM'ed so far. Just recently when doing a cloan we started having the same issue as described in here. The only way we can get around this is to open up the ESX Host that the VM was created in via the VMware Virtual Infrastructure Client. Once we are managing the Host itself we are able to turn the machine on and finish the setup of the server. This is not a fix by any means but it should allow you to continue on until some one post a fix.

Willis

[RJacob]

Ok... I've upgrade the Virtual Center server to 2.0.2 from 2.0.1. The ESX Hosts are still running 3.0.1. Rebooted the VC server and seems to be working right now. I'm quite concerned that this even happened in the first place... Considering the amount of money this system cost... I don't think we should have these "quirks". We'll see if it happens again. My confidence in this system is certainly not high.

Message was edited by:

RJacob

[JCVS]

Use the Virtual Infrastructure Client to access the ESX host directly and you should be able to start the "hung" VM.