Orphaned VM problem

[csimoes]

I have a Windows VM with 3 disk one of 10GB and the other 2 with 100Gb witch one, I had a problem migrating this VM from an host-to -host and the VM became orphaned. I remove it from inventory, and when I try to add again to the inventory it gives a time out error. What can I do to add this VM again to the inventory?

[RDPetruska]

What VMware product and version are you using, so we can move this thread to the appropriate forum?

[csimoes]

Sorry, ESX 3.0.2

[Rob_Bohmann1 · Accepted solution]

When you say you try to readd it to inventory, are you doing this by browsing the datastore, right clicking on the *.vmx file and using the add to inventory menu?

If so, and this is resulting in errors, it sounds like something may be wrong with the vmx configuration file. If this is the case, I would write down the particulars of this server, (mem amount, # of cpu's, os version, location of disks, etc) and then remove from inventory. Next create a new vm to the same specifications and name and then choose to use existing disk(s) and add it to the inventory that way. This has worked for me in the past.

Hope this helps,

Rob

[jitendrakmr]

You said "migrating this VM from host-to-host", is that 'storage motion' were you doing? If yes then did you migrate VM by connecting to virtual center server or by manually moving VM files? Did you get any error while performing storage motion? Also is that machine stored locally on that esx host?

Can you please paste here the output of "ls -l" command inside the Vm's directory? and please also attach vmware.log and vmx file of that machine.

Jitendra Kumar

MCSE 2003, VCP, CCNA, ITIL Foundation

[csimoes]

Thanks for you help,

We use VMotion to move VM from a host-to-host, the VM are in 4 datastores on a SAN.

In this particular case the vmotion fail and the vm became orphaned. Like I said, I remove the vm from inventory, browsed the datastore for the vmx file and add to the inventory, where after a while it gives time out error.

Now mysteriously I rebooted the hosts for patching, and I don't know how but the vm is in inventory and its working ok, I wasn't very worry because it is a testing machine. But we have similar vm in production with the same characteristics and this worries me. It's working now.

# ls -l

total 13646592

-rw-rr 1 root root 37 May 29 15:40 SIRINGE-9c2297f5.hlog

-rw------- 1 root root 3221225472 Jun 5 16:57 SIRINGE-9c2297f5.vswp

-rw------- 1 root root 10751490048 Jun 5 16:54 SIRINGE-flat.vmdk

-rw------- 1 root root 8664 Jun 5 16:57 SIRINGE.nvram

-rw------- 1 root root 339 Jun 5 16:58 SIRINGE.vmdk

-rw------- 1 root root 0 Jan 14 14:03 SIRINGE.vmsd

-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 1771 Jun 5 18:06 SIRINGE.vmx

-rw------- 1 root root 251 Jun 5 18:06 SIRINGE.vmxf

-rw-rr 1 root root 29012 May 13 13:40 vmware-19.log

-rw-rr 1 root root 25002 May 20 18:54 vmware-20.log

-rw-rr 1 root root 27514 May 29 15:40 vmware-21.log

-rw-rr 1 root root 26926 Jun 5 16:55 vmware-22.log

-rw-rr 1 root root 22782 Jun 5 18:06 vmware-23.log

-rw-rr 1 root root 4029 Jun 5 17:01 vmware-24.log

-rw-rr 1 root root 4029 Jun 5 17:03 vmware.log