Getting error cannot clone due to a limitation in the file system

[czerney]

I've created a windowsXP virtual machine and trying to clone it. It gets about 30% of the way through then fails with the error "cannont clone due to a limitation in the file system"

I'm running windows Vista ultimate on the host.

The virtual machine I'm attempting to clone sits on a 200Gb partition and location of the intended copy is on the same partition which has 160Gb free uncompressed space.

I am using VM Workstation 6.

Any clues?

[KevinG]

What is the format of the filesystsem where you are creating the virtual machine? FAT32, NTFS, EXT3...etc

[czerney]

It's running NTFS do you have and ideas?

[czerney]

Here is a link to a page that has a screenshot of the error.

http://www.nino.id.au/index.php?categoryid=3&p17_sectionid=5

[czerney]

Hi Kevin,

Have you any advice on this? I'm keen on buying Workstation6 if I can resolve this issue. My evaluation licence expires on June 30.

If I can provide any further assistance to do so please let me know.

Regards,

[JamesNT]

I am having the EXACT same problem.

VMWare workstation 6.0.

Windows Vista Ultimate host.

Windows XP SP2 guest.

My guest disk size is 20G and, yes, I have plenty of room on the destination physical drive and everything is NTFS.

Any ideas will be much appreciated.

JamesNT

[admin]

Please try it again and then post the contents of the UI's log file. It's typically located in %TEMP%\vmware-username\vmware-username-pid.log

where %TEMP% is your temporary directory (e.g. C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Temp), username is your user name, and pid is the process ID of the running vmware.exe instance.

You'll need to copy it before you close VMware Workstation since it will delete the log on exit.

[czerney]

Ok below is the output from the file:

==========================

Jun 06 18:13:26.036: vmui| Log for VMware Workstation pid=4676 version=6.0.0 build=build-45731 option=Release

Jun 06 18:13:26.037: vmui| Hostname=Rapture

Jun 06 18:13:26.164: vmui| HostDeviceInfo_FindHostDisks: CreateFile
.\PhysicalDrive0 failed: Access is denied

Jun 06 18:13:26.164: vmui| HostDeviceInfo_FindHostDisks: CreateFile
.\PhysicalDrive1 failed: Access is denied

Jun 06 18:13:26.164: vmui| HostDeviceInfo_FindHostDisks: CreateFile
.\PhysicalDrive2 failed: Access is denied

Jun 06 18:13:26.164: vmui| HostDeviceInfo_FindHostDisks: CreateFile
.\PhysicalDrive3 failed: Access is denied

Jun 06 18:13:26.164: vmui| HostDeviceInfo_FindHostDisks: CreateFile
.\PhysicalDrive4 failed: Access is denied

Jun 06 18:13:26.338: vmui| HOSTINFO: Seeing Intel CPU, numCoresPerCPU 2 numThreadsPerCore 1.

Jun 06 18:13:26.338: vmui| HOSTINFO: This machine has 1 physical CPUS, 2 total cores, and 2 logical CPUs.

Jun 06 18:13:27.058: vmui| Foundry Init: setting up global state (0 threads)

Jun 06 18:13:27.058: vmui| Foundry Init: version 2, hostType 1, hostName (null), hostPort 0, options 0x203

Jun 06 18:13:27.319: vmui| Reloading config state: G:\VirtualMachines\Computer1\Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition.vmx

Jun 06 18:13:27.369: vmui| Reloading config state: G:\VirtualMachines\WinXP\Windows XP Professional.vmx

Jun 06 18:13:27.390: vmui| CVMUIApp::OpenTabInt: opened /vm/#0efd3e1210b402c9/

Jun 06 18:13:27.403: vmui| Reloading config state: G:\VirtualMachines\Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5\Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.vmx

Jun 06 18:13:27.473: vmui| CVMUIApp::OnCtxCurrentObj: /vm/#0efd3e1210b402c9/

Jun 06 18:13:27.512: vmui| CVMUIApp::OpenTabInt: opened /vm/#59783eff6dc72d78/

Jun 06 18:13:27.514: vmui| CVMUIApp::OpenTabInt: opened /vm/#fb4215947e3a162a/

Jun 06 18:13:42.985: vmui| CVMUIApp::MenuButtonClicked: 513 G:\VirtualMachines\Computer1\Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition.vmx

Jun 06 18:13:50.205: vmui| VMHSCbUtilFileLs failed: VMDB failure (C:\Users\Nino\Documents\Virtual Machines\Clone of Computer1)

Jun 06 18:13:50.205: vmui| Cmd /host2/#_client/util/file/cmd/##67/op/ls/ failed: The system cannot find the path specified

Jun 06 18:14:13.628: vmui| VMHSCbUtilFileLs failed: VMDB failure (G:\VirtualMachines\Computer2\)

Jun 06 18:14:13.628: vmui| Cmd /host2/#_client/util/file/cmd/##6d/op/ls/ failed: The system cannot find the path specified

Jun 06 18:14:13.692: vmui| DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Opened : "Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-000001.vmdk" (0x1e)

Jun 06 18:14:13.692: vmui| DISKLIB-LINK : Opened 'G:\VirtualMachines\Computer1\Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-000001.vmdk' (0x1e): monolithicSparse, 20971520 sectors / 10240 Mb.

Jun 06 18:14:13.695: vmui| DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Opened : "Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-flat.vmdk" 0 (0x1e)

Jun 06 18:14:13.695: vmui| DISKLIB-LINK : Opened 'G:\VirtualMachines\Computer1\Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition.vmdk' (0x1e): monolithicFlat, 20971520 sectors / 10240 Mb.

Jun 06 18:14:13.695: vmui| DISKLIB-LIB : Opened "G:\VirtualMachines\Computer1\Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-000001.vmdk" (flags 0x1e). 343CDA4

Jun 06 18:14:13.713: vmui| DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Opened : "Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-000001.vmdk" (0xe)

Jun 06 18:14:13.713: vmui| DISKLIB-LINK : Opened 'G:\VirtualMachines\Computer1\Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-000001.vmdk' (0xe): monolithicSparse, 20971520 sectors / 10240 Mb.

Jun 06 18:14:13.728: vmui| DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Opened : "Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-flat.vmdk" 0 (0xe)

Jun 06 18:14:13.728: vmui| DISKLIB-LINK : Opened 'G:\VirtualMachines\Computer1\Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition.vmdk' (0xe): monolithicFlat, 20971520 sectors / 10240 Mb.

Jun 06 18:14:13.728: vmui| DISKLIB-LIB : Opened "G:\VirtualMachines\Computer1\Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-000001.vmdk" (flags 0xe). 343CDA4

Jun 06 18:14:13.737: vmui| DISKLIB-LINK : "G:\VirtualMachines\Computer2\Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-000001-cl1.vmdk" : creation successful.

Jun 06 18:14:13.741: vmui| DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Opened : "Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-000001-cl1-flat.vmdk" 0 (0x10)

Jun 06 18:14:13.742: vmui| DISKLIB-LINK : Opened 'G:\VirtualMachines\Computer2\Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-000001-cl1.vmdk' (0x10): monolithicFlat, 20971520 sectors / 10240 Mb.

Jun 06 18:14:13.742: vmui| DISKLIB-LIB : Opened "G:\VirtualMachines\Computer2\Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-000001-cl1.vmdk" (flags 0x10). 343D284

Jun 06 18:19:59.940: vmui| DISKLIB-FLAT : "G:\VirtualMachines\Computer2\Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-000001-cl1-flat.vmdk" : failed to open (16): Size of extent in descriptor file larger than real size.

Jun 06 18:19:59.940: vmui| DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Failed to open extents for descriptor file in normal mode

Jun 06 18:19:59.940: vmui| DISKLIB-LINK : "G:\VirtualMachines\Computer2\Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-000001-cl1.vmdk" : failed to open (The file specified is not a virtual disk).

Jun 06 18:19:59.940: vmui| DISKLIB-CHAIN : "G:\VirtualMachines\Computer2\Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-000001-cl1.vmdk" : failed to open (The file specified is not a virtual disk).

Jun 06 18:19:59.940: vmui| DISKLIB-LIB : Failed to open 'G:\VirtualMachines\Computer2\Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-000001-cl1.vmdk' with flags 0x11 (The file specified is not a virtual disk).

Jun 06 18:19:59.940: vmui| DISKLIB-LIB : Failed to unlink 'G:\VirtualMachines\Computer2\Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-000001-cl1.vmdk' : The file specified is not a virtual disk

Jun 06 18:19:59.940: vmui| DISKLIB-LIB : Failed to clone : The requested operation could not be completed due to a file system limitation (43581449).

Jun 06 18:19:59.991: vmui| DISKLIB-FLAT : "G:\VirtualMachines\Computer2\Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-000001-cl1-flat.vmdk" : failed to open (16): Size of extent in descriptor file larger than real size.

Jun 06 18:19:59.991: vmui| DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Failed to open extents for descriptor file in normal mode

Jun 06 18:19:59.991: vmui| DISKLIB-LINK : "G:\VirtualMachines\Computer2\Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-000001-cl1.vmdk" : failed to open (The file specified is not a virtual disk).

Jun 06 18:19:59.991: vmui| DISKLIB-CHAIN : "G:\VirtualMachines\Computer2\Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-000001-cl1.vmdk" : failed to open (The file specified is not a virtual disk).

Jun 06 18:19:59.991: vmui| DISKLIB-LIB : Failed to open 'G:\VirtualMachines\Computer2\Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-000001-cl1.vmdk' with flags 0x11 (The file specified is not a virtual disk).

Jun 06 18:19:59.991: vmui| DISKLIB-LIB : Failed to unlink 'G:\VirtualMachines\Computer2\Computer 1 - Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-000001-cl1.vmdk' : The file specified is not a virtual disk

Jun 06 18:19:59.991: vmui| SNAPSHOT: SnapshotCloneDisk failed: The requested operation could not be completed due to a file system limitation.

Jun 06 18:19:59.995: vmui| SNAPSHOT: SnapshotCloneDisks failed 5

Jun 06 18:19:59.998: vmui| SNAPSHOT: SnapshotClone failed 5

Jun 06 18:19:59.998: vmui| SNAPSHOT: Snapshot_Clone failed 5

Jun 06 18:20:00.000: vmui| Cmd /vm/#0efd3e1210b402c9/cmd/##70/op/snapshotClone/ failed: Cloning failed: The requested operation could not be completed due to a file system limitation.

[czerney]

The above was the log file after attempting to clone a windows server 2003 enterprise guest.

I get the same error regardless of what type of guest I am cloning.

I look forward to any advice you may have.

[admin]

Jun 06 18:19:59.940: vmui| DISKLIB-FLAT :

"G:\VirtualMachines\Computer2\Computer 1 - Windows

Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-000001-cl1-flat.vmdk"

: failed to open (16): Size of extent in descriptor

file larger than real size.

Jun 06 18:19:59.940: vmui| DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Failed to

open extents for descriptor file in normal mode

Jun 06 18:19:59.940: vmui| DISKLIB-LINK :

"G:\VirtualMachines\Computer2\Computer 1 - Windows

Server 2003 Enterprise Edition-000001-cl1.vmdk" :

failed to open (The file specified is not a virtual

disk).

What kind of disks do these VMs use, and how did you create them?

[czerney]

I created the virtual machines by:

1. Open WorkStation6, Select File, New, Virtual Machine.

2. When wizard opens click next

3. Select Typical configuration

4. Select Guest OS as Microsoft Windows and then version as Windows XP Professional.

5. Entered the machine name and location on disk.

6. Select option 1 for bridged networking.

7. Made disk size 20Gb.

8. Selected the checkbox option to Allocate All disk space now.

9. Click finish.

Once the virtual machine was created, I started the Virtual Machine. Had it boot from the Windows XP Professional OS cd. Within the guest I formatted the 20Gb partition using NTFS (NOT a quick format although the standard format is pretty quick) and then installed the OS.

The virtual machine runs fine, no problems.

I used the same basic procedure when installing Red Hat Enterprise Linix and Windows 2003 Enterprise server guest VM's.

[czerney]

I have just added a screenshot of a windows explorer view of files belonging to the virtual machine in my previous post.

http://www.nino.id.au/index.php?categoryid=3&p17_sectionid=5

[czerney]

Clues anyone?

[admin]

We're looking into it.

[czerney]

Cheers!

[sharr1son]

I had the same error the first time I tried to clone Windows XP SP2. Every subsequent attempt seems to hang the host machine at about the 25% mark, but I no longer get the error. I have to power down the host machine hard to get it back. I'm running Vista 64-bit Ultimate.

[czerney]

In my case I find that the host machine (Which is running Windows Vista Ultimate) never locks up or acts untoward in any way.

All I find is that no matter what type of VM I try to clone I am receiving the same issue as outlined above.

Workstation6 appears to be quite the handy tool especially as I use it to create virtual machines with my studies and to test various things so cloning is important to me.

It cost's $180ish though (more for me due to Aussie $ exchange rate) and I am not likely to purchase this product until this until this bug has been patched.

[JamesNT]

All,

Keep in mind that although you cannot clone you can still copy all the VM files from one location to the other using Windows Explorer, for example. Once you open the copied VM files, you'll get a message about whether or not to keep or create a new identifier (you should create in the case of a copy).

The problem, however, is that you must copy all snapshots. Cloning alows you to create a new VM from a certain snapshot and save space.

JamesNT

[admin]

Yeah, in the meantime, I'd suggest doing what JamesNT said and copying the entire VM yourself.

If the VM has snapshots (but that's not such a hot idea with preallocated disks anyway), you might want to either:

A. Delete the snapshots in the source VM before copying.

B. Delete the snapshots in the copy afterward, particularly if you took any snapshots while the VM was powered-on. (The reason for this is so that you don't restore a snapshot and end up with the old, conflicting MAC address. This is particularly problematic if the snapshot was taken while running, since we can't change the MAC address to a running VM.)

Note that if you do B, it's also advisable to temporarily rename the directory containing the source VM before deleting the snapshots in case the VM for some reason stored absolute file paths to its disks, and if it did, deleting those snapshots might end up deleting the disk files in the original VM. (It's not common, and it's not supposed to happen, but there have been some reports of that issue in these forums.)

[czerney]

So when you copy the virtual machine files to a new location do you then import it into VMware Workstation?