VI 2.5 / ESX 3.5 Cannot Mount ISO files with ( ) [ ] in the filename

[Box293]

Since we've upgraded to VI 2.5 / ESX 3.5 we cannot mount ISO files to a guest VM if the ISO contains the following symbols:

( )

I have tested the VI 2.5 client connected to VirtualCenter 2.5 or directly to a ESX 3.5 host and both report the same error:

The Datastore ISO file you have specified does not exist.

You must specify a valid ISO image file.

Is anyone else experiencing this problem? We have quite a lot of ISO files and unless a fix comes out for this we may need to re-visit our naming standards.

[mike_laspina]

Try putting the full path and file name in quotes. I presume your are using the client method?

[Box293]

Here is the full name I am trying to use:

ISO/Microsoft/W2K3/Volume/Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise Edition Disc1 .iso

I've tried:

"[Updates-VAULT04] ISO/Microsoft/W2K3/Volume/Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise Edition Disc1 .iso"

Updates-VAULT04] "SO/Microsoft/W2K3/Volume/Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise Edition Disc1 .iso"

These do not work either.

What do you mean by client method? We use the VI Client and just browse to the ISO and click OK.

[mike_laspina]

What do you mean by client method? We use the VI Client and just browse to the ISO and click OK.

They can be mounted from a vmfs store or the PC client local path which is what I referred as client method.

Other ways I would try are single quotes + double like ' " the file " ' and delimiters like "the file/\] is very long"

Hope that helps

Darn editor took the backslash out trying again...use a backslash where the forward slash is now.

Message was edited by: mike.laspina

[Box293]

The ISO files are located on an NFS datastore, it used to work fine BEFORE the VI was upgraded to 3.5 / 2.5

I've tried what you said but it don't work for me. Honestly I shouldn't have to do anything like that, there should be just a simple point a click and it works ok.

My main point for posting this thread is to see if anyone else has the problem and to also raise the issue as a bug.

[mike_laspina]

Hello,

Yes it should work after an upgrade and hopefully they will fix it soon. However it is not a best practice to put symbol characters in a file name and these types of bugs are why we should aviod them. The part that sucks is you don't find these issues until after the fact.

[Dan_Pierson]

I had the same issue. The fix was to rename the file to all lowercase characters. I am submitting a bug report to VMware today with a list of stupid stuff

[Box293]

The fix was to rename the file to all lowercase characters

There's not such thing as a lowercase ( )

[Dan_Pierson]

Yes I know that. If you have a filename of say VMWARE(1).iso it will not work. But rename it vmware(1).iso it will work. I should have said lowercase letters. I have not tried all special characters but I know () and [] will work.

[Box293]

Interesting, I see what you are saying however this does not work for me either.

This may be because it is stored in a few folders deep that also have uppercase letters.

[fleeeeeeeee]

We had the same issue. Like someone stated earlier, the fix was to rename the ISO file to all lowercase letters.

[Murr38]

Hola.

We had the same issue, and the lower case rename fixed it up.

Thank you!

[SBAM]

Same Issue ESXi with + in the file name. Rename the file and voila. Thanks for your post directing me to the possible issue.

[Box293]

I can confirm that this is no longer a problem. Our current environment is vSphere vCenter 4.0 and ESX 3.5u4.

I can name an ISO using ( ) and it mounts fine.

VCP3 32846

VSP4 VML-306798