Datastore name changed accidentally using vSphere client on VM Host running 4 VM running

[tilsupport]

Hello All,

We are running VMware ESXi 6.0 running with 5 VM machine on it and using vSphere client to manage the same. While we copy .ISO file to datastore, we renamed datastore name accidentely without our notice. Since there were 5 VM running on same datastore our all VM machine crashed unexpectedly.

After rebooting VM host, we could not start the VM machine on that even after renaming the datastore to original name. We can see all folders and files intact on datastore with .lck and .vmx~ file in each VM folder. We are unable to register / add VM to inventory with those vmx file.

So please help In case somebody encounter the same issue and found any solution.

Thanks in advance for your support.

[a_p_]

Welcome to the Community,

renaming a datastore shouldn't cause such issues, because ESXi uses the datastore's unique ID, rather than its name.

To find out what's causing the issue, please provide more information, like warnings, and/or error messages. Also check the free disk space on the datastore.

André

[tilsupport]

Hi Andre,

Actually all running VM machine got stuck and we could not able to access same even from vSphere client. Even when we try to restart the server from vSphere client as well as from local console of VM host, it could not turned off. Hence we forcefully switched off the VM host.

Once we restart the server, we see VM Machine in inventory with .vmx file (inaccessible) and power on and all other options grayedout. If we see particular vmx file in the respected VM's folder we are able to see that. Find attached snaps for better understanding.

Even when I tried removing vm machine from inventory and try to add it from data store (.vmx), option to add vm is grayed out  (disable).

[a_p_]

This could be either an issue with inconsistent configuration files, or even an issue in the VMFS metadata.

At this point, I'd recommend that you try to contact continuum​, who I think will be able to analyze, and fix the issue.

Trying anything wrong at this point, may make things even worse.

André

[tilsupport]

Thanks for you guidance.

[continuum]

Hello
please read Create a VMFS-Header-dump using an ESXi-Host in production | VM-Sickbay
If you create a dump like described and provide a download link I may be able to help.
Ulli