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scalder
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resized vm with snapshots - the parent virtual disk has been modified since the child was created

Hi there,

I have unfortunately resized a vmdisk using vmkfstools –X, but did not realize there were snapshots.

Of course now when I go to start the VM, I am greeted with :

Cannot open the disk '/vmfs/volumes/41756fd6-d459be68-fafa-0002a54edbe7/VANPGVMAPPDEV3/VANPGVMAPPDEV3-000006.vmdk' or one of the snapshot disks it depends on.

Reason: The parent virtual disk has been modified since the child was created.

I noticed the couple of threads here regarding this issue, but it seems that the solutions given were more specific to each setup so I am posting mine.

Here is the content of my image directory

# ls

VANPGVMAPPDEV3-000002-delta.vmdk

VANPGVMAPPDEV3-flat.vmdk

VANPGVMAPPDEV3.vmxf

VANPGVMAPPDEV3-000002.vmdk

VANPGVMAPPDEV3.nvram

vmware-21.log

VANPGVMAPPDEV3-000003-delta.vmdk

VANPGVMAPPDEV3-Snapshot2.vmsn

vmware-22.log

VANPGVMAPPDEV3-000003.vmdk

VANPGVMAPPDEV3-Snapshot3.vmsn

vmware-23.log

VANPGVMAPPDEV3-000004-delta.vmdk

VANPGVMAPPDEV3-Snapshot4.vmsn

vmware-24.log

VANPGVMAPPDEV3-000004.vmdk

VANPGVMAPPDEV3-Snapshot5.vmsn

vmware-25.log

VANPGVMAPPDEV3-000005-delta.vmdk

VANPGVMAPPDEV3-Snapshot6.vmsn

vmware-26.log

VANPGVMAPPDEV3-000005.vmdk

VANPGVMAPPDEV3.vmdk

vmware.log

VANPGVMAPPDEV3-000006-delta.vmdk

VANPGVMAPPDEV3.vmsd

vmware-vmx-zdump.0

VANPGVMAPPDEV3-000006.vmdk

VANPGVMAPPDEV3.vmx

From some resources online, I’ve had a suggestion to simply comment out references to snapshot files in my .vmx file…

# cat VANPGVMAPPDEV3.vmx

#!/usr/bin/vmware

config.version = "8"

virtualHW.version = "4"

floppy0.present = "true"

powerType.powerOff = "default"

powerType.powerOn = "default"

powerType.suspend = "default"

powerType.reset = "default"

displayName = "VANPGVMAPPDEV3"

extendedConfigFile = "VANPGVMAPPDEV3.vmxf"

numvcpus = "2"

scsi0.present = "true"

scsi0.sharedBus = "none"

scsi0.virtualDev = "lsilogic"

memsize = "2040"

scsi0:0.present = "true"

scsi0:0.name = "VANPGVMAPPDEV3.vmdk"

scsi0:0.deviceType = "scsi-hardDisk"

ide0:0.present = "true"

ide0:0.fileName = "/dev/cdrom"

ide0:0.deviceType = "atapi-cdrom"

ide0:0.startConnected = "true"

floppy0.startConnected = "false"

floppy0.fileName = "/dev/fd0"

ethernet0.present = "true"

ethernet0.allowGuestConnectionControl = "false"

ethernet0.wakeOnPcktRcv = "false"

ethernet0.networkName = "VLAN 189"

ethernet0.addressType = "vpx"

ethernet0.generatedAddress = "00:50:56:bd:1b:b2"

guestOS = "winnetenterprise"

uuid.bios = "50 3d 12 95 64 0f 8c f0-b3 7f 5c 2b fe fc c3 78"

log.fileName = "vmware.log"

sched.cpu.min = "0"

sched.cpu.units = "mhz"

sched.cpu.shares = "normal"

sched.mem.minsize = "0"

sched.mem.max = "512"

sched.mem.shares = "normal"

toolScripts.afterPowerOn = "true"

toolScripts.afterResume = "true"

toolScripts.beforeSuspend = "true"

toolScripts.beforePowerOff = "true"

cpuid.1.eax = "--xxxxxxxx--


"

cpuid.80000001.ecx = "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx0"

cpuid.80000001.edx = "xx0xxxxxxxx0xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"

draw = "gdi"

priority.grabbed = "normal"

priority.ungrabbed = "normal"

tools.synctime = "FALSE"

vmware.tools.requiredversion = "7201"

checkpoint.cptconfigname = "VANPGVMAPPDEV3"

scsi0:0.redo = ""

scsi0:0.mode = "persistent"

nvram = "VANPGVMAPPDEV3.nvram"

scsi0:0.fileName = "VANPGVMAPPDEV3-000006.vmdk"

uuid.location = "56 4d 32 c2 64 e8 ab 5f-8a 78 7b 86 67 21 9f 80"

sched.swap.derivedName = "/vmfs/volumes/41756fd6-d459be68-fafa-0002a54edbe7/VANPGVMAPPDEV3/VANPGVMAPPDEV3.vswp"

checkpoint.vmState.readOnly = "FALSE"

checkpoint.vmState = ""

That being said, I don’t see any references to any .vmsn files there.

It would be nice (but is not vitally necessary) to save the snapshot files.

I would like to either

a) revert back to the previous size and have the VM working (So that I may commit the snapshots first before resizing), or

b) just get the VM running with the resized disk but without snapshots.

Please let me know if anyone has any suggestions,

Thanks,

-Sean

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depping
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open "VANPGVMAPPDEV3.vmdk",

Look for the line "# Extent description", beneath it there's a number right after "RW". that number should be inserted into the vmdk files of the delta.vmdk's, replacing the number that's there now. This number represents the new disk, and the delta's still have the old number of the previous disk size. if you change this you can commit the delta files.

Duncan

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kharbin
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Hi Sean

You may be able to recover the data in the snaps. It would require resizing the flat VMDK back to its original size. Vmware does not have a utility for this, but PHD does. See the following post on how to use it.

http://communities.vmware.com/message/743155#743155

But be carefull. You must make it the exact same byte count it originally was or it will not work.

You should make a backup copy of this VMs directory before attempting anything further. This way if one attempt fails it does not destroy your only copy.

Ken Harbin

www.esXpress.com

scalder
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Hi Kharbin,

Thanks for the input. I have backed up the directory and may give that peice of software a try.

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depping
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open "VANPGVMAPPDEV3.vmdk",

Look for the line "# Extent description", beneath it there's a number right after "RW". that number should be inserted into the vmdk files of the delta.vmdk's, replacing the number that's there now. This number represents the new disk, and the delta's still have the old number of the previous disk size. if you change this you can commit the delta files.

Duncan

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scalder
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Hi Duncan,

This has been helpful, and I can start the VM without errors now.

The only issue is that it hangs during the Windows screen,... which might be a result of the disk resizing (?). I booted into gparted to try to expand the partition but it saw no devices.

Should I maybe attempt a Windows Repair?

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