Remove snapshot error

[jantjebouw]

Hi,

I'm unsure where to post this. But i think this is the right section.

When removing 2 of our snapshots in vCenter i get an error doing this. See the screenshot for more details.

So my question is how can i remove these snapshots?

Edit:

I was unable to upload the screenshot so here are the messages:

Remove snapshot server x failed Operation failed since another task is in progress.

Remove snapshot server y failed An error occurred while communicating with the remote host

[firestartah]

Hi

Form thos errors it seems there is still a running task/s( working or not). If you ssh into the esxnode the machine your trying to do the snapshot maintenence on and login as root or use su - command one in and run the following commands this should hopefully clear the job

service vmware-vpxa restart

service mgmt-vmware restart

This should clear the stuck job and allow you to remove the snapshot

If you found this or other information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful".

[wallboy_]

I have seen a few of these when workign with clients and they can be a pain to get rid of.

before you try to remove the snapshot you will have to see that the VM is writing to as a HD. TO do this go to edit the VM and then select the first HD, look in the location section to see if it is using a file with a long 0000 or delta in the name. If it is then you must be carefull when removing it.

It could be many things causing the error and there are many ways to fix it depending on your VMware skill's, The simple way os to just clone the machine and then remove the old one!!!!

But if you like getting stuck in or do not have the storage for this them i would try the following.

ssh onto the ESX server.

login as root or SU -

browse to the VM directory using CD to the vmfs/volumes

create a snapshot first using command vmware-cmd vmname.vmx createsnapshot snapts "troubleshooting 1 0" this will create a snapshot and sometimes can push the VMX back into life

let the snapshot compleate and you will see a new file called ......delta.vmdk

now to consolidate the snapshots use the command vmware-cmd removesnapshots

When you are removing snapshots it can take HOURS for them to compleatly consolidate. the time taken depends on the VM and the ESX servers disk I/O's so wait for a good few hous checking the ...delta.vmdk files are decresing in size, you can do this via double clicking on the datastore the VM in stored on in the VI client.

Hope this helps, but if there are still problems then I think a clone will be the best way foward. Don't leave this too long as snapshots will grow and grow over time and if the datastore runs out of space your ESX server could crash, a snapshot file can grow to the size of its origonating disk.

[jantjebouw]

Tnx for the quick reply, it work perfectly.

[firestartah]

Not a problem, very glad it helped. Has happened to me a few times.

Please mark the question as answered and mark mine as "Correct"

Thanks

[firestartah]

Please mark the question as answered and mark mine as "Correct"

Thanks

[firestartah]

Please mark the question as answered and mark mine as "Correct"

Thanks