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VM inaccessible (vmx file missing)

We have a running VM, this VM shows up in the vCenter server as inaccessible.

I checked the datastores. The *.vmx file of the VM is missing. So I could not re-register the VM.

Any help would be appreciated!

Best Regards Simon Ciglia
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savantsingh
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If the VM is running that means there is a config file (vmx) which started it.

Did you migrate this VM to a different datastore... check your datastores to see if there is any other folder with this VMs name. It could be the vmx file has not moved with the other files. Try searching by using winscp or the service console.

If you can't find it, which would be quite strange..create a new VM with the same config and attach the virtual devices..

Hope this helps!!

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NTurnbull
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Hi, first thing I'd check would be is this a disk connected to a vm on another datastore (maybe space was an issue at one point), do you have the .nvram, .vmxf and log files etc.. if not then this disk is most probably connected to a vm on another datastore (remember that a vm might not be the same as the directory on the datastore if you've renamed it in VC)

If it's just the .vmx then you can create a new vm and just point it to that .existing .vmdk

Thanks,

Neil

Thanks, Neil
krowczynski
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Try to move the vm on a different datastore or resrart the vcenter service to see if this help.

MCP, VCP3 , VCP4
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bulletprooffool
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How to create a new vmx file:

http://www.techhead.co.uk/vmware-esx-how-to-easily-recreate-a-missing-or-corrupt-vmx-file

One day I will virtualise myself . . .
VCPGuru
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Thank you all

The strange thing is, that the vmdks are renamed like "servername-flat.vmdk".

And in the databrowser it shows that the vmdk files are NOT from the type "Virtual Disk", the type is "File".

How could I change that? The VM is still running and I could connect through RDP to the VM.

Best Regards Simon Ciglia
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NTurnbull
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Hi, when you browse the datastore a virtual disk is comprised of two files, a xxxx-flat.vmdk which is where all the actual data is stored and a xxxx.vmdk file which is the virtual disc descriptor file. Can't remember in which release of 3.5 update x browsing the datastore via VC only shows you one file not both of them.

Can you post the contents of the xxxx.vmdk file?

As for the vm being inaccessible, have you tried a re-scan of the hba's? Strangly enough I had to do this this morning as one of my LUNs dropped off-line and I got an error saying 'Unable to get information about the file xxx/xxx/xxx/xxx.vmx : bad file descriptor" back now, problem for the NetApp boys an girls Smiley Happy

Thanks,

Neil

Thanks, Neil
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savantsingh
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If the VM is running that means there is a config file (vmx) which started it.

Did you migrate this VM to a different datastore... check your datastores to see if there is any other folder with this VMs name. It could be the vmx file has not moved with the other files. Try searching by using winscp or the service console.

If you can't find it, which would be quite strange..create a new VM with the same config and attach the virtual devices..

Hope this helps!!

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful".
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