vmware workstation vmx file empty how to repair with another vmx file

[jack_newbie]

Hello!

I was installing a large program inside my vm with a preconfigure size of 50gb and snapshots. I could'nt finish the instllation because disk was full, but after that the vm crashed. everytime i star it it gives me a message of full disk and shuts down. I looked for help, and I saw that maybe i could recover to an earlier snapshot, that's what i did but unfortunately i lost all the content of the vmx file so now i can't even start it.

I wonder if copying a vmx file form a similar vm (based on winxp pro) and then modifying the name of some files like .vmdk, .nvram, I can repair it....

but I don't know wich disk file name to put because I have many. When i do it it guives me the attached message message.

In attachments you can see also all the disk files I have with snapshots, wich one i have to use?

I see some comments about vcenter converter but i don't know if will be useful.

I have very valuable work in this vm. Thank you for your time.

[rcporto]

Instead of using a .vmx from another similar virtual machine, try recreate a new virtual machine and when asked for the virtual disks, point to the existing virtual disks. Here is the procedure: VMware KB: Recovering a lost or deleted Workstation virtual machine configuration file

[jack_newbie]

Hello Porto,

Thank you for the advice.

I'm on the way to create the vmx but i have a question for you: in my vm i have several disk files, do you know to which one i have to point?

Best regards

[jack_newbie]

Hello again..

i tired to point to the shortest disk by name (i guess this is the first one) wicgh ends with -cl1.vmdk

but it gave me this error: is for the above post

[rcporto]

Since your VM has snapshots, try use the disk which ends with 000001.vmdk, if you have more than one snapshot, look for .vmdk with 000002.vmdk or higher number.

And a tip is try make a backup (copy the entire folder) of your virtual machine before try rebuild the .vmx file and point to old .vmdk.

[a_p_]

Welcome to the Community,

According to the file names you posted I'd expect that the ...-000001.vmdk file is the one that should show up in the configuration file.

If the vmware*.log files were not already overwritten, it might be possible to restore the .vmx file from a log file. Please take a look at HowTo: Recreating a .vmx from the vmware.log file where I posted a batch script to do this.

Please close VMware Workstation (or at least the VM's tab) while editing or recreating files. This way the files will be reread.

As already mentioned by rcporto‌ make sure you backup the files to avoid possible data loss!

André

[jack_newbie]

Ok! how can i use this file?

it's from cmd command?

best rgards

[a_p_]

Either simply drag&drop the vmware.log on the batch file, or call the script from the command line with the vmware.log file as an argument.

André