The dreaded 'operation on file xyz.vmdk failed...

[CobraFlow]

All,

I am getting the operation on file ...failed on a machine running VISTA with Workstation 6.5.

I have a single VM. The VM starts up, runs for a while then flashes up (very fast...I needed to create a video of it with my mobile phone and view frame by frame!!!!) the above message, and the the host shuts down. The default radio button 'retry' is selected in the popup.

I have done a CHKDSK on the host...no problems.

I have copied the VM to another part of the disk...same problem.

I have disabled Windows Defender as reported elsewhere...same problem.

The host (Dell M6300) machine is running an intel 160GB SSD drive. The drive light comes on for about 30 seconds (almost solid) then I get the message.

I have now tried converting the VM from the drive back onto the same drive (Therefore in a different place on the drive)...exactly the same problem.

Any help would be appreciated as I am unable to work!!!!

Kind regards

Lewis

[oreeh]

Any errors in vmware.log?

[CobraFlow]

I have attached the log file.

Regards

Lewis

[continuum]

wow - this VM must have been slow as molasses - you assigned much to much RAM and CPU.

Anyway - the log seems to be incomplete ? - post exact error-message please

do you allow any Antivbirus-tools to scan your vmdk-files ?

when did you last defragment your hosts filesystem ?

___________________________________

VMX-parameters- VMware-liveCD - VM-Sickbay

[CobraFlow]

The error message was :-

Operation on file "C:\Virtual Machines\CobraLaptop6\CobraLaptop6.vmdk" failed,

If the file resides on a remote file system, please make sure your network connection

and the server where this disk resides are functioning properly. If the file resides on

removable media, reattach the media.

Choose Retry to attempt the operation again.

Choose Abort to terminate the session.

Choose Continue to forward the error to the guest operating system.

Retry

Abort

Continue

Retry is selected. Remember, I had to video the screen to catch this message!

This is a development machine and I use up to 80% of the memory when compiling/testing...

The host has an SSD drive that does/should not be defragged.

I use McAfee. I will check that it is not being scanned. There certainly was not 'virus scan' going on at the time...

The log file is as it was on the machine...

The other log files are attached.

Cheers

[continuum]

does

"C:\Virtual Machines\CobraLaptop6\CobraLaptop6.vmdk"

exist ?

remove said VM from favorites - close VMware and reopen it - add the VM to the favorites again - does that make a difference ?

Did you delete all eventually existing .lck files and directories ?

___________________________________

VMX-parameters- VMware-liveCD - VM-Sickbay

[CobraFlow]

This VM runs for about 5 mins perfectly well. Then the disk light lights up, I get the 'egg timer' icon. When I click an application it goes washed out (not responding) then nothing can get focus. Then the message flashes and the host shuts down.

I have copied the VM to another and the same thing happens when I use either (both on the same host disk at the same time).

Lewis

[Strend]

Hi. I am also having this exact problem on several VM's. Up until now this has only happend on VM's running XP but today it also happend on a vista VM.

When i get this error, no mater what i select (retry continue....) the host machine starts to hang / bug.

The VM's will not shutdown. Trying a forced reboot of the host machine does not work, i have to do a hard boot(holding power button).

After rebooting all VM's work fine for a while ( 1 day to several weeks ).

I dont have any relevant logs.

I have tried:

Updating Intel Matrix Storage Drivers

Deleting all lck files when VM's are shut down

Setting up completely new VM's (run ok for a while ....)

Defragmenting the drive containing all VM files.

CHKDISK

The entire drive is set as an excluded drive in NOD32 antivirus (no scanning of files on this drive)

Windows Defender is Disabled.

There is plenty free space on the drive.

Any hints or tips are welcome as this is getting very frustrating 😃

[CobraFlow]

I can not find a solution to this. I have tried everything that I can think of. I now use the SSD as my base machine (Vista) and remote desktop into the VM's running on ESXi. It seems that VMWare Workstation does not run correctly on an SSD drive!!!!

Lewis