how do you fix a broken CID chain?

[puffadder]

I accidentally deleted one of my snaphots and now my vm will not start. I have been unable to undelete the deleted snapshot and corresponding files. Is there ANY WAY to get my vm up and running again? I had a total of 8 snapshots. #4 was deleted manually. I am thinking I can go back to snapshot 3 and get it running but I would lose some valuable work if I did. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!! My need is urgent. Right now I am not touching anything until I figure this out. Please help!

[continuum · Accepted solution]

Hi

read my site

It has some explanations for problems like that. See this one for example http://sanbarrow.com/sickbay-lesson-fix-cid-chain.html

If you do not feel confident to fix it your self provide the data I ask for and I can look into it

Ulli

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VMX-parameters- VMware-liveCD - VM-Sickbay

[puffadder]

I understand that the cid values need to be edited. I see that in the link you sent and in other forums you've posted in. I am trying to create the text file to show the cid chain but have a question. In the description of the batch file you have in the link provided you show the following ..

echo. > listed-descriptors.txtecho ###################### "Windows Vista.txt" >> listed-descriptors.txtecho. >> listed-descriptors.txttype "Windows Vista.txt" >> listed-descriptors.txtecho ###################### "Windows Vista-000001.txt" ....echo. >> listed-descriptors.txttype "Windows Vista-000001.txt" >> listed-descriptors.txtecho ###################### "Windows Vista-000002.txt" ........ etc

The 4th line down reads "Windows Vista.txt" >> listed-descriptors.txt ..... shouldn't that read "Windows Vista.vmdk" >> listed-descriptors.txt ????? Everywhere that I would expect to see a vmdk file listed to be output to the descriptors file you show as a TXT file. Is that right? If it is then where do the txt fiels come from?

[puffadder]

Here is the contents of my directory ...

Volume in drive L is OneTouch4 Plus

Volume Serial Number is E79A-BF54

Directory of L:\VAIOLAPTOP

10/26/2009 10:28 AM <DIR> .

10/26/2009 10:28 AM <DIR> ..

10/25/2009 01:50 PM 8,684 nvram

09/19/2009 12:27 PM 572,194,816 VAIOLAPTOP-000001.vmdk

09/26/2009 11:55 PM 5,114,363,904 VAIOLAPTOP-000002.vmdk

10/25/2009 02:31 PM 3,118,465,024 VAIOLAPTOP-000003.vmdk

10/16/2009 12:01 PM 809,631,744 VAIOLAPTOP-000005.vmdk

10/16/2009 12:11 PM 89,391,104 VAIOLAPTOP-000006.vmdk

10/22/2009 10:26 PM 4,492,623,872 VAIOLAPTOP-000007.vmdk

10/25/2009 05:37 PM 2,697,723,904 VAIOLAPTOP-000008.vmdk

09/18/2009 09:39 PM 27,910 VAIOLAPTOP-Snapshot1.vmsn

09/19/2009 12:27 PM 27,918 VAIOLAPTOP-Snapshot2.vmsn

09/27/2009 12:04 AM 27,918 VAIOLAPTOP-Snapshot3.vmsn

10/16/2009 10:13 AM 27,970 VAIOLAPTOP-Snapshot5.vmsn

10/16/2009 12:06 PM 2,227,175,424 VAIOLAPTOP-Snapshot6.vmem

10/16/2009 12:06 PM 136,312,791 VAIOLAPTOP-Snapshot6.vmsn

10/16/2009 12:11 PM 27,970 VAIOLAPTOP-Snapshot7.vmsn

10/22/2009 10:27 PM 27,970 VAIOLAPTOP-Snapshot8.vmsn

09/18/2009 09:38 PM 48,226,697,216 VAIOLAPTOP.vmdk

10/25/2009 02:26 PM 3,236 VAIOLAPTOP.vmsd

10/23/2009 10:22 AM 2,567 VAIOLAPTOP.vmx

10/25/2009 07:39 PM <DIR> VAIOLAPTOP.vmx.lck

09/18/2009 10:29 AM 265 VAIOLAPTOP.vmxf

10/22/2009 10:26 PM 267,228 vmware-0.log

10/18/2009 09:04 PM 86,931 vmware-1.log

10/18/2009 12:17 PM 72,315 vmware-2.log

10/25/2009 01:51 PM 118,012 vmware.log

28 File(s) 71,419,130,449 bytes

3 Dir(s) 291,715,141,632 bytes free

[continuum]

sorry - I do not understand what you are talking about.

Please read the Anamnese-chapter and provide the data I ask for there in a single zip-file.

___________________________________

VMX-parameters- VMware-liveCD - VM-Sickbay

[puffadder]

In the link you put in your first reply it describes how to create a batch file which will combine all of the vmdks into a single file called listed-descriptors.txt. The btach file commands are using "TYPE" command to append the contents of the vmdks into the file listed-descriptors.txt. My question is that the batch file commands reference .TXT files and not .VMDK files. I am wondering if that is a typo in that post?

Should the line that reads ...

type "Windows Vista-000001.txt" >> listed-descriptors.txt

actually read ...

type "Windows Vista-000001.vmdk" >> listed-descriptors.txt

[continuum]

Ah - ok - I see your confusion now.

Well you actually use the only disktype where this procedure is not possible.

You must first extract the embedded descriptors of every vmdk using this command

dsfo.exe diskname.vmdk 512 800 diskname.txt

Sorry - I will update the site as soon as I find the time

___________________________________

VMX-parameters- VMware-liveCD - VM-Sickbay

[puffadder]

ok so here's the descriptor file text in a zip file

[puffadder]

bump

[continuum]

Hi

please please send the complete data as asked for - I really need all the vmware.logs and other small files to understand the issue

___________________________________

VMX-parameters- VMware-liveCD - VM-Sickbay

[puffadder]

apologies. I thought you only needed the txt files to start with. Here are the rest of the small files in the directory.

Here is what happened. I had 8 snapshots. The 6th one was taken while the vm was running. I used the vm tools to try and delete the 4th snapshot. It seemed to be hung (after quite a while of waiting) so I hit Cancel. The vmsn file for the 4th snapshot then was gone but the vmdk was not. So I deleted the vmdk file also for the 4th snapshot. I have not tried to run the vm since I got the error about it not being able to open. Let me know if you need anything else.

[puffadder]

Is there anything else you need that I have forgotten?

[continuum]

Hi

data is fine now. Good.

We have two ways to attack this:

- fake the missing snapshot

- rewrite the chain and skip themissing one

I don't know yet what is best and right now I have maybe 3-4 hours of other more important work .

Are you available in 3-4 hours from now ?

I should have two suggestions then.

Ulli

___________________________________

VMX-parameters- VMware-liveCD - VM-Sickbay

[puffadder]

I am available any time now. How would you like to proceed? Do you need remote access to my machine? If so I can arrange that. Let me know.

[continuum]

remote access would make it easier - send me a PM

___________________________________

VMX-parameters- VMware-liveCD - VM-Sickbay

[puffadder]

please go to

enter a session ID of 362732920

enter your name

you will probably be prompted to run a program, go ahead. You should see my screen when you are done. I will see your name pop up on mine also. You have about 13 minutes to join otherwise I have to start a new session. I don't know any other way to do it.

[puffadder]

last session expired. Please use session id 390069935

[puffadder]

trying again. New session id ... please use 109609881

[continuum]

you really should not post this in public - send a private message instead - I listen now

___________________________________

VMX-parameters- VMware-liveCD - VM-Sickbay

[puffadder]

My problem was corrected by Continuum through a remote support session. I did get my vm working again but the changed files from snapshot 4 were unrecoverable.