File not found after moving vm to new ESXi

[heidenreiche]

Attempted to move a vm from one ESXi 3.5 server to another. The vm is a Windows 2003R2 DC configured with 3GB of Ram and a single hard disk (36GB in size).

After downloading and uploading what I believed to be the virtural disk (scdc01.vmdk 36GB) and virtural machine files the server would not start complained about a "file not found".

Found that there was another virtual disk file (scdc01-0000001.vmdk about 2GB insize). Further investication showed that the vm is configured to use the scdc01-000001.vmdk and not the scdc01.vmdk.

Since I didn't build the vm I am at a loss as to what the "scdc01.vmdk 36gb disk is for". I know its possible to setup a server so its hard disks will grow as needed. How do you verify if this is the case. Is there a way to verify if a virtual disk file is used by any vm's? If it is setup to grow is there any downside to running a Windows domain controller setup this way.

Thanks

[Chuck8773 · Accepted solution]

Welcome to the forums!

The 000001 file is a snapshot vmdk. It relies on another vmdk. It should be named something like scdc01-flat.vmdk and also be multiple GB's in size.

Make sure you copy that file in place and it should work.

The VM relies on the snapshot which relies on a parent vmdk. scdc01.vmdk is a descriptor file, which also relies on the base or snapshot vmdk. When snapshots are present it relies on the snapshot. Otherwise on the parent -flat.vmdk

Charles Killmer, VCP4

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[DSTAVERT]

Found that there was another virtual disk file (scdc01-0000001.vmdk about 2GB insize). Further investication showed that the vm is configured to use the scdc01-000001.vmdk and not the scdc01.vmdk.

The 0001.vmdk file is a snapshot. Do not attempt to do anything untill you get this fixed. Don"t try to start the VM. Without the snapshot you will revert to an earlier time.

[DSTAVERT]

You can copy the snapshot files to the new location first and try the server on the new location. Protect the original server until you are sure the server starts in the new location. If you have problems and the original server is still functional commit the snapshot before copying the files.

[heidenreiche]

Not sure how a snapshot was created but does "committing" the snapshot make it go away? If so how do you commit a snapshot?

Thanks

[Chuck8773]

In the vSphere client, right click on the VM and select the Snapshots manager. Select the snapshots, and click on delete. Clicking Delete All will consolidate and remove all snapshots. If you only have one, you can click that and not need to select any snapshots.

You should see something like the following:

scdc01

--Snapshot

-- You are here

Select the snapshot.

Charles Killmer, VCP4

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