VM Workstation V9 "the file specified is not a virtual disk"

[jharvey]

I am using Workstation 9 and run all of my VM's from an external hard drive.   When I open up two of my most frequently used VM's the "Hard Disk" under devices is blank and when I try to start the VM it gives me the error "the file specified is not a virtual disk"

It looks like all of my .vmdk's are present and accounted for.

Any ideas why the "Hard Disk" field is blank?

Thank you for any ideas.

[mfelker]

Since you have a "Upgrade this VM" option displayed  why don't  yoou clone the existing machine (or better just make a snapshot).  You can clone the clone if you wish but  I've found you can revert from a snapshot..  What this option means is that the VM was created with WS 8.  Also try looking a  the VM hard drive in the GUI.  If you try to defrag   it and  it  shows you need to repari the virtual HD I believe there is a  tab to  try that.  Or you can  use vdisk-manager  cli to   try and repair

I forgot to add that you should look in the VM directory to see that all the vmdk files are actually lthere!

[jharvey]

Yes all 62 vmdk files are present and accounted for and looking at the .vmdk file all of the files it is looking for are there...

Anything I try gives me the "The file specified is not a virtual disk" error.  I tried the Upgrade, Clone and even the "Clean Up Disks" but I think since the VM image doesn't show an associated Hard Drive (that field is blank), it doesn't know where the Hard Drive files are located?

If I create a new VM and choose the "Use an existing virtual disk." It tells me "The file specified is not a virtual disk"...  So there has to be somethign wrong with the .vmdk file?

Thanks

[WoodyZ]

Archive (compress) all vmware*.log files for the target VM along with a directory listing for the VM showing filename, size and date/time stamp and the base .vmdk file (usually ~4KB) and the .vmx file into a single .zip archive and attach to reply post.

[jharvey]

Here is the attachment.  Thank you for the help.  From the reading I have done online I am guessing one of the files is corrupt?

[WoodyZ · Accepted solution]

The following Extents are zero length and why you're getting the error message.

"Windows XP Professional SP3-cl1-s001.vmdk"
"Windows XP Professional SP3-cl1-s020.vmdk"
"Windows XP Professional SP3-cl1-s038.vmdk"

The only thing you can try is copying an empty Extent (binary .vmdk file), one that is 320 KB in size to the name of the missing Extents and then try mounting it to recover any User Data you may need/want to recover.  That said, the likelihood of it being a viable virtual hard disk to run as a VM with the first binary Extent missing and now replaced is usually slim at best.  If you have a recent backup of the VM then copying the missing Extents from the backup is also an option.

[jharvey]

Thanks WoodyZ.  I tried to take a 320kb vmdk and replace the three with 0 size and both start the image then mount the hard drive and neither worked.  I have started a case with VMWare to see what they will offer as a solution but I am guessing this is a lost cause.

Thanks for your time!