Can't move some VMs into a folder

[dchunt]

In vCenter 5.1 (either the Web Console or the VI client) I can move most VMs in the 'VMs and Templates' view from the 'Discovered virtual machine' folder to another folder that I have created.  However, some other VM's will not move.  I get the red circle with the black X when I try to drag them to the folder I want.  I can't see any difference between the VMs.  They are all Windows 2003 or 2008 VM's with VMware Tools installed, although in some cases it is out of date.

What am I missing?

Thanks,

dan

[a_p_]

Assuming it's not a permission issue, is there anything special with these VMs? Do they have snapshots, RDMs, independent virtual disks, attached local devices, ...

André

[dchunt]

It's not a permission issue.  I am in the administrator's role for the whole vCenter.  I have checked for snapshots, RDM's, independent virtual disks and attached local devices. - no to all.  In one case I have two domain controller VMs that are identical.  One I can move into the folder I created; the other I can't.

Also, I thought that folders (unlike things like clusters, resource pools, etc) are just for logically organizing the VM's and nothing else.  So even if there were snapshots or RDMs or attached local devices, I don't see why it would make a difference.  Maybe I don't understand the purpose of folders.

Thanks,

Dan

[dchunt]

I tried moving the VM's on a different day and this time at least for some of them I was able to drag them into the folder I wanted.  I'm still wondering why it would make a difference what state the VM was in since I assume the folders are just a logical way of organizing the VMs and don't have a special meaning like a HA cluster or resource pool would.

Dan

[dchunt]

I had a problem with a locked VM today that wouldn't allow me to storage vMotion it.  It was locked because of an HP Data Protector backup where the VEPA lock didn't release.  When I tried to storage vMotion the server, I would get "This method is disabled by '_DP_VEPA_LOCK_' "

Looking at KB 2008957, it indicates that this lock that is entered in the database for the VM during a backup could not only prevent storage vMotion but would also prevent drag and dropping a VM to a folder.  I opened an incident with VMware and they indicated that the problem was with vCenter and that they should have a fix for it by vSphere 6.

So this could have been causing my problem with moving VMs to folders all along.

FWIW,

Dan