VMware Communities
AlycatSoftware
Contributor
Contributor

Unable to take a snapshot

I have just noticed I do not have any AutoProtect snapshots for the last week or so. I have AutoProtect set to daily.

I tried to take a snapshot and reccieved: Error taking snapshot: An error occurred while saving the snapshot: Failed to lock the file.

I am in the process of moving to a new laptop.

It received an unrecoverable error at the same time. I have run the script, and will send from that laptop.

Reply
0 Kudos
24 Replies
AlycatSoftware
Contributor
Contributor

File attached.

Reply
0 Kudos
AlycatSoftware
Contributor
Contributor

Another thread on the forum mentioned looking through the vmware.log file, and gave info to enable me to find which file was locked open. I cannot find vmware.log, I tried on both host and guest. What log file should I be searching?

Reply
0 Kudos
a_p_
Leadership
Leadership

The vmware.log is located in the VM's folder. In addition to the vmware.log, please post a list of files in the VM's folder with all details (name, extension, size, time stamp)

André

continuum
Immortal
Immortal

Do you speak about C:\My Virtual Machines\Development\Development.vmx ?

You probably cant create new snapshots as the file C:\My Virtual Machines\Development\Development-000008-s002.vmdk is corrupt

Please post the filelist Andre asked for


________________________________________________
Do you need support with a VMFS recovery problem ? - send a message via skype "sanbarrow"
I do not support Workstation 16 at this time ...

Reply
0 Kudos
AlycatSoftware
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks you for the reply.

Attached is vmware.log

Reply
0 Kudos
AlycatSoftware
Contributor
Contributor

List of files...

Reply
0 Kudos
AlycatSoftware
Contributor
Contributor

You probably cant create new snapshots as the file C:\My Virtual Machines\Development\Development-000008-s002.vmdk is corrupt

Can I fix that? Is that file vital or can I just delete it?

Thank you for the help.

Reply
0 Kudos
AlycatSoftware
Contributor
Contributor

Do you speak about C:\My Virtual Machines\Development\Development.vmx ?

Yes, "Development" is my VM, I only have one.

Reply
0 Kudos
continuum
Immortal
Immortal

Rename C:\My Virtual Machines\Development\Development-000008-s002.vmdk to
C:\My Virtual Machines\Development\Development-000008-s002.vmdk-org


then copy
C:\My Virtual Machines\Development\Development-000012-s002.vmdk to C:\My Virtual Machines\Development\Development-000008-s002.vmdk


if that is the only corrupt file you should get away with that - but you will lose some data.
In any case I would consolidate the vmdk immediatly by cloning it via vdiskmanager


________________________________________________
Do you need support with a VMFS recovery problem ? - send a message via skype "sanbarrow"
I do not support Workstation 16 at this time ...

Reply
0 Kudos
AlycatSoftware
Contributor
Contributor

Rename C:\My Virtual Machines\Development\Development-000008-s002.vmdk to
C:\My Virtual Machines\Development\Development-000008-s002.vmdk-org
then copy
C:\My Virtual Machines\Development\Development-000012-s002.vmdk to C:\My Virtual Machines\Development\Development-000008-s002.vmdk


Did that, and ran VM, "your computer was unable to start"... Windows tried to repair.

I have a copy of the vm from only a few days ago, and all my files from within the VM are backed up in real time, think I might try that... I will report back.

Thanks.

Reply
0 Kudos
continuum
Immortal
Immortal

If possible - boot the VM from a Windows LiveCD and run a checkdisk


________________________________________________
Do you need support with a VMFS recovery problem ? - send a message via skype "sanbarrow"
I do not support Workstation 16 at this time ...

Reply
0 Kudos
AlycatSoftware
Contributor
Contributor

Don't have a Windows 7 CD.

Reply
0 Kudos
AlycatSoftware
Contributor
Contributor

On new computer, scheduled a chkdsk of vm and rebooted, all showed clean, did a snapshot and all ok, so will copy vm files back to existing computer (the one where I can't do a snapshot) - running scan on host first...

Reply
0 Kudos
continuum
Immortal
Immortal

the checkdisk needs to be done inside of the VM

- or you may discard the corrupt snapshot number 000008


________________________________________________
Do you need support with a VMFS recovery problem ? - send a message via skype "sanbarrow"
I do not support Workstation 16 at this time ...

Reply
0 Kudos
AlycatSoftware
Contributor
Contributor

Yep, on new computer, ran chkdsk on guest inside vm, and also on host, both were ok.

Running chkdsk on existing computer, host, then will copy vm files from new computer onto existing and hopefully all will be ok.

Reply
0 Kudos
a_p_
Leadership
Leadership

You said:

I have a copy of the vm from only a few days ago, ...

Can you check whether the "Development-000008-s002.vmdk" has been backed up and has the same time stamp as the other "Development-000008-s0xx.vmdk" files in the VM's folder. In this case it might help to just restore the corrupted file!?

André

Message was edited by: a.p. - Just saw your latest post. In this case you can ignore mine ...

Reply
0 Kudos
AlycatSoftware
Contributor
Contributor

One of the first things I looked at, no, they are different, in time and size.

Should they have been the same? I do not understand the files created by vm.

Reply
0 Kudos
continuum
Immortal
Immortal

your VM should start without issues if you assign "Development-000012.vmdk" instead of "Development-000008.vmdk"

if you do that you will lose the work you done inside the VM since 26.03 this year.

If you want us to check wether you can use the file from your backupdir - we need the same info about that VM as you already sent for the active VM


________________________________________________
Do you need support with a VMFS recovery problem ? - send a message via skype "sanbarrow"
I do not support Workstation 16 at this time ...

Reply
0 Kudos
AlycatSoftware
Contributor
Contributor

The vm from which I am copying loads ok on my new computer, and snapshots run ok, so I hope that means it should work ok on my existing computer?

your VM should start without issues if you assign "Development-000012.vmdk" instead of "Development-000008.vmdk"

Sorry, what do you mean by "assign"?

if you do that you will lose the work you done inside the VM since 26.03 this year.

All my files within the vm are mirrored in real time, that would not be huge issue...

If you want us to check wether you can use the file from your backupdir - we need

the same info about that VM as you already sent for the active VM

I think I will finish the copy and see if it loads...

Reply
0 Kudos