Problem with snapshots after moving from Workstation to Fusion

[tobibo]

After moving an image (Linux Redhat) from Workstation 5 to Fusion, I ran out of space on my virtual harddisk.

When I tried to use the vmware-vdiskmanager command line tool to increase the size of the harddisk, I get the following error: "The selected operation can only be executed on a disk with no snapshots"

Unfortunately Fusion does not display any snapshots for this machine. However, I can see a "...-Snapshot1.vmsn" file in the virtual machine's folder on my local harddisk. I suppose I have created this snapshot on the old Windows machine with VMWare Workstation. Deleting the "...-Snapshot1.vmsn" file from the local harddisk doesn't help, so I'm kind of stuck.

I found this blog explaining how to get rid of an unwanted snapshot, however, the mentioned "Snapshot Manager" doesn't seem to exist in Fusion.

Does any of you have any suggestions or experienced this problem and found a solution for it?

Thanks!

[WoodyZ]

It helps if the Virtual Machine being moved between Products/Platforms is prepped for the target and since at the present time Fusion does not support or have all of the same features as Workstation it's easier to clean up under the Products/Platforms the Virtual Machine was created. As a general rule it best to discard all snapshots when going from Workstation to Fusion first (and visa-versa).

Anyway in your case since you've deleted the .vmsn file I think you're going to have to do a little manual surgery on the Virtual Machine files.

BTW Doing the following looses the ability to access the Delta in the Snapshot although by deleting the file you did that has already occurred but the following makes it permanent.

Change the reference to the snapshot .vmdk in the .vmx file back to the base .vmdk file and delete the .vmsd file. You should also delete the snapshot .vmdk file as well.

Hope you didn't have anything you needed in the delta .vmdk file.

[tobibo]

Thanks WoodyZ.

Actually I still have the .vmsn file (I didn't delete it completely), so if you have a suggestion of how to discard this snapshot on the target machine (considering I still have all the original files), please let me know.

I still have the original machine (running VM Workstation) but I've developed some stuff on the Fusion image. So, if I would have to go back to Workstation, delete the snapshot there, then transfer it to Fusion again, I would have serious data loss, unfortunately.

[WoodyZ]

So what you're saying is you're doing development work in a Virtual Machine and not backing up the work off of the Virtual Machine onto the Host and or other external storage media? Especially prior to preforming and operation that involves modifying a virtual hard drive which contains all your precious data? If the answer to that is yes, you do want to hear what I'm thinking!

Anyway the first thing I would do is with Fusion closed is make a copy of the target Virtual Machine's Folder that the files that comprise the Virtual Machine are in. On a Mac and a normal Fusion Virtual Machine this is a Bundle Package however since you moved it from Workstation I'm assuming it's still just a normal folder.

Then put the .vmsn file back and try the Discard Snapshot command from the Virtual Machine menu.

[tobibo]

Sorry, double-posted my last posting.

[WoodyZ]

Sorry, double-posted my last posting.

I do not see any double-posting and the only post I see only say "Sorry, double-posted my last posting." So if you were trying to respond to my last reply you will need to again.

[korpy]

Hi,

Although Fusion doesn't have the interface to handle snapshot very well, if you're brave enough or have a copy of your vm, you can try the tips I gave in http://communities.vmware.com/message/988188

Basicly you'll have to change the displayName line in your snapshot file to "VMware Fusion snapshot" This will enable the

Fusion interface to handle the last(!) snapshot. Both reverting and discarding snapshots will work.

regards -frank-

[tobibo]

korpy, thanks for your answer.

Of course I have a copy of the VM, so I gave your tips a try. However, neitherof the following worked.

• displayName = "VMWare Fusion snapshot" (in the .vmsn file)

• snapshot.action = "prompt" (in the .vmx file)

• combination of the above

Actually I just noticed that I can't even create new snapshots, even if I wanted to - the "Take Snapshot" button is greyed out, as is the corresponding menu item. Could that have to do with the fact that the machine has a Linux OS (Redhat)? Or that it was copied/imported from a VMWare Workstation client (Windows XP)?

[tobibo]

WoodyZ, my last reply refered to the fact, that I received a network timeout when posting my reply to your post. So I re-sent my reply, only to find out that the first one indeed hat been successfull. So I edited the second (cause I couldn't find a "Delete" button).

Back to my problem: don't worry, I can imagine what you would like to say to someone who doesn't regularly create backups of his VMs.

I went back to my old Windows XP machine, powered up the original VM in Workstation 5.5, and even there it didn't show the snapshot. So, now I'm stuck with a VM that doesn't seem to be handled properly by its original VM software (Workstation) and a newer/different software (Fusion) that isn't capable of working with snapshots properly. My bad, I'm afraid. Unless you have some advice on how to discard the snapshot on Workstation without the menu items (by tampering the Workstation files, maybe?)

[admin]

Probably too late, but a simpel solution to an issue liek this is to download the free VMware Copnverter Standalone, and install it in the VM itself, and convert it to a new VM as if doign a physical to virtual. The new copy of the VM created will have a single disk with the snapshot incorporated, as runnign Converter within the VM means it is unaware that the OS disks are running on delta files as well.

the obvious caveat is that you shoudl review the release notes of whatever version of copnverter you download first to ensure the guest OS is supported (although you can always try and hope if it is not supported).