Virtual machine VM_name disks consolidation failed

[Pianist1]

Hi all,

in the Monitor section under Events (in the selected VM) there is an error message: Virtual machine VM_name disks consolidation failed.

Where can I find more information about this error event? Is there any log or something similar?

[scott28tt]

It seems you are using vSphere, there is a whole area of VMTN for that product set, a moderator should be along to move your thread there - the {code} area is for SDK/API matters.

[Pianist1]

Hi @scott28tt !

I definitely agree that I could choose a wrong section of the forum. How can I move the thread?

[scott28tt]

You can't, but a moderator can - I already reported your thread which should alert moderators that it needs moving.

[a_p_]

This message usually shows up if the information in the Snapshot Manager doesn't match the VM's current snapshot state, which means that the VM still has an active snapshot that's not listed in the Snapshot Manager anymore.

This can happen if a snapshot could not be deleted (e.g. after a VM based backup). In such a case one of the VM's virtual disks (you can see this in Edit Settings) still shows a name likel "<vmname>-000001.vmdk". In such a case, check whether the backup server, or one of its proxies still has one of the VM's virtual disks mapped (hot-add), and - if no backup job is running anymore - remove that virtual disk from the backup server/proxy (do NOT opt to delete it from disk!). After that you should be able to resolve the issue by either running  Consolidate, or Delete All from the VM's Snapshot Manager.

André

[Pianist1]

Hi @a_p_ !

Thank you very much for your advice!

This procedure is something that we have already done.

The thing is, that this error (Virtual machine VM_name disks consolidation failed) reoccurs from time to time when the machine is being backuped. So, we are looking for what could be the reason for it. There is approximetly 5 VMs affected. Some of them have an old version of unsused backup software (their VSS providers service is still present), some of them not.

So, what could cause this behaviour? Which third party software?

[a_p_]

I'd start investigating in the backup server's logs. These logs should give some hints on whether it's e.g. an issue with disk locks, timeout situations, etc. Based on that, check if the backup vendor has advices, or settings to fix/workaround the issue.

André

[Pianist1]

Hi André,

thank you very much for your contribution!

Friends from the backup vendor company has advised us to increase the value for nRemoveSnapshotRetryAttempts and to increase the value for nRemoveSnapshotRetryIntervalSecs. According to them this workaround should have sorted out slow-responding vCenter/ESX environment.

However, there is another issue reporting that Virtual machine VM_name disks consolidation failed and back up job can not be therefore triggered. 

I am desperate how to fight with this issue! Do you have any other suggestions?

[Pianist1]

In the backup log file I have found following - see below. Is it somehow useful from VMware point of view?

CheckVMInfoError() - VM [vm_name] Error removing virtual machine snapshot. Please check Virtual Machine snapshot tree for any stale or missing snapshot chain.

VSBkpWorker::UnmountVM() - Leaving Cleanup string [VSIDA -j 543656 -a 2:110 -vmHost "vcenter_name" -vmName "vm_name" -vmGuid "guid_name" -vmCleanup "snapshot-xxxx" ] with JobManager as the unmount did not clear the cleanup string

RemoveDiskFromVM() - Failed to delete virtual disk [[datastore_name] xxx/vm_name-00000x.vmdk] from VM [proxy_name] with error - [Invalid configuration for device '0'.]

[a_p_]

Would it be possible to share a VM's vmware.log file after such an issue occurred?

André

[Pianist1]

Hi @a_p_ !And where is vmware.log located? On the VM (Windows OS) itself? Or somewhere in the vcenter?

[a_p_]

It's in the VM's folder on the datastore.

André