Moving VM's from one ESX to another after breakdown

[KamilBrzak]

Hello. We are running 2 ESX 3.5.0. 3i servers with no fail-over option. The only common resource is the storage. Both of servers are using one common storage for their VMs.

One ESX server failed by motherboard failure. So, first tought was to connect the .vdmk files to new server templates on another ESX server (they are on the same storage, so what is the problem?).

BUT!

When I created the MS Windows 2003 Standard template and tried to use existing machine, the server booted-up well, but it lost the domain connection and is completely clean! Only with Windows!

So, I realized I cannot connect existing machines on another ESX server without loss of their informations. Is there any possibility how to fully restore VMs from fallen ESX on another one? Without V-Motion off-course.

Thank you very much!

[avlieshout]

From your story I assume you don't have vCenter Server.

So from the ESX server that is up and running, browse your datastore and browse to the .vmx files of the vms you want to start.

Then from the context menu (right mousklick) select Add to Inventory.

The vm is now in the inventory of this server an you can startup your vm as usual.

That's all that's needed. No Windows configuration changes are occured.

Arnim van Lieshout

Visit my blog at: http://www.van-lieshout.com

[KamilBrzak]

Unfortunatelly, only Ububtu server was restored well at the second ESX. Windows servers caused the "blind" behaviour But thank you anyway for your effort. I guess you cannot help me more, ain't you?

Kamil

[avlieshout · Accepted solution]

I guess the havoc has been caused by messing around with the .vmdk files where you should only needed to import the .vmx file

It is not exactly clear to me what steps you took. But a vmdk never gets cleared for some reason.

My guess is that there was a snapshot active on the Windows VM and you attached the original read-only copy which mas made before the server was joined to the Domain.

so you are missing all of your changes. but again.

Just remove the created vm from your inventory (Not delete!)

Then browse to the original .VMX file and add it to the inventory. Perhaps you can recover.

-Arnim van Lieshout

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