Disable Linked clones VMDKs?

[A13x]

Does anyone know how to stop the VMs from making linked clones of the VMDK files? I seem to have files Server.vmdk, Server00001.vmdk, Server00002.vmdk etc, it is making it impossible to migreate with vmotion from one host to another because of these linked clones. The disks are thin provisioned and they randomly appear, no snapshots have been made.

[asp24]

If you are using VDR this is a known issue.

Check this blog for a solution:

http://blog.scottlowe.org/2009/06/29/snapshot-issue-with-vmware-data-recovery/

It seems like VDR is not changing back a value in the vmdk files (sometimes).

Look for the line "ddb.deletable = "false" in your vmdk-files (most likely the main vmdk + all delta's except from the last one). Change the value to "true"

Create a new snapshot.Then delete all snapshots. The new + all the old snapshots should go away.

[A13x]

Thanks for a point in the right direction a read a few posts on this matter and was wondering if there was a way to prevent it but now it looks like its the VM DR program which is creating them Rynardt Spies has written a script which can be automated to delete these files.

I guess the only way to preven this from happening in the future is to either wait for the path or not use DR.

When you say look for that line in the VMDK you do not mean opening up a VMDK file in nano or vi do you and manually editing the line?

[asp24]

Yes, I used nano to remove the lines/entries. That script did not exist when I needed it.

[A13x]

ah i just found out that the script only identifies thsoe vms that do have several vmdk delta files.