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dfehse
Contributor
Contributor

Restart VMs after a ESX Host crash without HA

Hello,

i sure this was dissuced somewhere else more the one time, but I can't find help for the this Problem.

I have 2 ESXi 4.1 on a EQL Box. B'c we have too much VMs I can't use HA (Hosts can't hold all VMs needed). Now one is crashed, and of course all VMs that where on this Host died too. Now I have the VMs all with disconnected in the vCenter. How can I restart those VMs on another Host, all options are grayed out?

Thx

Daniel

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9 Replies
AWo
Immortal
Immortal

Have you restarted vCenter, already?


AWo

VCP 3 & 4

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dfehse
Contributor
Contributor

No .. and I think this can't be the solution to restart vCenter when on Host fails!

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AWo
Immortal
Immortal

Sometimes this resets what is displayed in vCenter. What is so bad about restarting that service?


AWo

VCP 3 & 4

\[:o]===\[o:]

=Would you like to have this posting as a ringtone on your cell phone?=

=Send "Posting" to 911 for only $999999,99!=

vExpert 2009/10/11 [:o]===[o:] [: ]o=o[ :] = Save forests! rent firewood! =
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dfehse
Contributor
Contributor

It's not that its bad, it just didn't help. B'c vCenter itsself has nothing to do with HA.

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AWo
Immortal
Immortal

B'c vCenter itsself has nothing to do with HA.

No, without vCenter you do not have HA.

However, I was more after getting your display right. As far as I understood, your guests went down, crashed, because you do not use HA but vCenter shows that they are running so you can't start them again. That's why I asked if you have restarted vCenter already. To get the status corrected.


AWo

VCP 3 & 4

\[:o]===\[o:]

=Would you like to have this posting as a ringtone on your cell phone?=

=Send "Posting" to 911 for only $999999,99!=

vExpert 2009/10/11 [:o]===[o:] [: ]o=o[ :] = Save forests! rent firewood! =
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GreatWhiteTec
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Remove the VM from the inventory. Go back to the datastore of the failed VM and right click on the .vmx file and add back to inventory to the Host that is up.

This will re-register the VM in vCenter.

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A+, DCSE, MCP, MCSA, MCSE, MCTS, MCITP, MCDBA, NCDA, VCP4

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dfehse
Contributor
Contributor

I solved problem with VMWare Support, here is the solution:

If HA isn't in place or didn't work after a Host crash (check that first, if host an VMs realy don't run anymore) then remove the host form vCenter. After that you will be able to go the host you want to restart the VMs, start Datastorebrowser go to the VMs that are stopped b'c of Host crash, right chlick the *.vmx file and ad to inventory. After that you can start the VMs. Repeat that for all VMs you want to start.

If host come up again, add it to the vCenter und accept to take over the VMs that where on this host when it crashes. VMs that where not restartet somewhere als will be added to inventory others will be skiped.

Thx for your input

Daniel

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GreatWhiteTec
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Ummm. isn't that what I posted? Can i get some points over here..?

Glad you got it to work though

____________________

A+, DCSE, MCP, MCSA, MCSE, MCTS, MCITP, MCDBA, NCDA, VCP4

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dfehse
Contributor
Contributor

.. yes, and no. b'c you can't do a "remove" from inventory when VM is disconnected. Everything is grayed out. So you must first remove host vom vCenter and then you able to add VMs to inventroy.

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