Error when registering a VM

[Ziest]

Hello all,

I just recieve a VM from another site and I am trying to register it. I go to the Datastore, right click on the vmx, click on Add to inventory, It goes through all the screens, I click on finish and after a couple of seconds I get the following error.

"A specified parameter was not correct"

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks Much!

[Texiwill]

Hello,

Login to the SC and run the following:

vmware-cmd -s register pathtovmxfile

You may get better errors out of this.

Best regards,

Edward

[esiebert7625]

Check out this tech note, do you have enough free space on your datastore?

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=2173&slice...

[esiebert7625]

Also check your vmx file, there may be a parameter in there that is causing that error message.

[Ziest]

Man you guys are quick!

There is enough of room on the datastore.

I ran the vmware-cmd -s register and received the following error

VMcontrol error -999: Unknown error: SoapError: ServerFaultCode(1588) : (Invalid datastore format 'filenameofvmx' .)

[esiebert7625]

Are you using ESX, was the VM from another ESX server? If so was it the same version of the ESX server you are trying to register it on? How did you copy the VM? Did you use vmkfstools -i to import the vmdk file? Also have you tried just creating a new VM and telling it to use the vmdk file? The VM from the other server might use vSwitches that do not exist on this server.

Message was edited by:

esiebert7625

[Ziest]

Are you using ESX, -- Yes 3.0.1

was the VM from another ESX server? -- Yes

If so was it the same version of the ESX server you are trying to register it on? -- Yes

How did you copy the VM? - pscp to local storage on the ESX server

Did you use vmkfstools -i to import the vmdk file? -- Nope and I did not see a -i switch

Also have you tried just creating a new VM and telling it to use the vmdk file? -- Yes and that works like a champ. I can see all the data on VMDK

The VM from the other server might use vSwitches that do not exist on this server. AHHH yes. I am sure that it did. How do I strip those out? I looked in the VMX file but I did not see anything specific to the vSwitch.

Thanks

[esiebert7625]

It would be the network name in the vmx file, change that to whatever exists on your ESX server

ethernet0.networkName = "VM Network VLAN20"

fyi...Don't forget to award points for helpful answers using the Helpful/Correct buttons...thanks

[esiebert7625]

Also make you might want to remove this line and let it re-add it since your path will be different.

sched.swap.derivedName = "/vmfs/volumes/4404e8b4-bcfd52fc-1e4b-0017a4a91076/Balor/Balor-b93c960e.vswp"

And if there are any CD-ROM's mapped in the vmx file remove them...

ide0:0.fileName = "/vmfs/volumes/67d8f808-f46509b9/WIN2000-SP4.iso"

[Ziest]

Hi,

I deleted all the line with references to

ethernet0.

sched.swap.derivedName =

ide0:0.fileName =

Then tried both Adding to the inventory and vmware-cmd -s register and they both failed with the same error messages. Anything else you guys can think of?

Thanks Much

[esiebert7625]

Can you post your vmx file...

[Ziest]

Here you go:

This is the error I am getting:

\[root@suric1esx7 AlstomTemplate]# vmware-cmd -s register VS-O-W2k3_Std_SP2_2CPU.vmdk

VMControl error -999: Unknown error: SoapError: ServerFaultCode(1588) : (Invalid datastore format '[]VS-O-W2k3_Std_SP2_2CPU.vmdk'.)

Here is the VMX file:

\[root@suric1esx7 AlstomTemplate]# vi VS-O-W2k3_Std_SP2_2CPU.vmx

#!/usr/bin/vmware

config.version = "8"

virtualHW.version = "4"

floppy0.present = "false"

nvram = "VS-O-W2k3_Std_SP2_2CPU.nvram"

powerType.powerOff = "default"

powerType.powerOn = "default"

powerType.suspend = "default"

powerType.reset = "default"

displayName = "VS-O-W2k3_Std_SP2_2CPU"

extendedConfigFile = "VS-O-W2k3_Std_SP2_2CPU.vmxf"

numvcpus = "2"

scsi0.present = "true"

scsi0.sharedBus = "none"

scsi0.virtualDev = "lsilogic"

memsize = "512"

scsi0:0.present = "true"

scsi0:0.fileName = "VS-O-W2k3_Std_SP2_2CPU.vmdk"

scsi0:0.deviceType = "scsi-hardDisk"

ide0:0.present = "true"

ide0:0.clientDevice = "FALSE"

ide0:0.deviceType = "atapi-cdrom"

ide0:0.startConnected = "FALSE"

floppy0.startConnected = "false"

floppy0.clientDevice = "true"

guestOS = "winnetstandard"

uuid.bios = "50 29 98 3b a4 a4 cc d8-a6 41 cd bc 42 4b 9b a8"

toolScripts.afterPowerOn = "true"

toolScripts.afterResume = "true"

toolScripts.beforeSuspend = "true"

toolScripts.beforePowerOff = "true"

sched.cpu.min = "0"

sched.cpu.units = "mhz"

sched.cpu.shares = "normal"

sched.mem.minsize = "0"

sched.mem.max = "unlimited"

sched.mem.shares = "normal"

scsi0:0.redo = ""

uuid.location = "56 4d 18 47 b1 25 c6 34-fe 28 6f 2b c4 ba 33 99"

tools.syncTime = "FALSE"

Thanks again

[esiebert7625]

Try using the full path when registering the vm

instead of...

vmware-cmd -s register VS-O-W2k3_Std_SP2_2CPU.vmdk

use...

vmware-cmd -s register /vmfs/volumes/MyVolume/MyVM/VS-O-W2k3_Std_SP2_2CPU.vmdk

Similar threads...

http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?messageID=583363&#583363

http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?messageID=647822&#647822

[Ziest]

The vmware-cmd with the full path worked. But still getting the error when I try to add it to the inventory.

Thanks

[esiebert7625]

Are you getting the invalid datastore error or the parameter error?

And to confirm, if you create a new VM and tell it to use the existing vmdk file it works OK?

[Ziest]

I was receiving the invalid datastore when I ran the vmware-cmd -s command. When I used the full path as you suggest it worked like a champ. So I am not longer receiving the invalid datastore

I am still receiving the parameter error when I right mouse click on the VMX file and click on add to inventory.

I did create a new VM and added the VMDK as the d drive and that worked fine.

[esiebert7625]

So basically it works through the command line with vmware-cmd but does not work when using the VI Client. You vmx file looks OK and if it does work using the CLI I'm not sure what is causing the error. That error is pretty general and can be caused by a variety of things.