13 Replies Latest reply on Apr 22, 2018 8:55 PM by Darr01n

VM Unknown (Inaccessible) - Configuration file cannot be found

Desertsweeper Oct 22, 2012 2:57 PM

I am running a single VM on a small HP Proliant server with ESXi 5.0 which boots off a thumb drive

The box has two drives mirrored with a raid card

The machine was powered down safely

The drives were removed

The machine was accidentally powered on without the drives (yes he is in the corner)

When I put the drives back in and powered up the box vSphere showed the VM as "Unknown (inaccessible)" with the EVENTS description "Configuration file cannot be found". The details shows "Configuration file for Unknown on localhost.localdomain in ha-datacenter cannot be found"

I powered the machine down and went into the raid card bios configuration where i observed a mirror sync in progress. This continued for a little over 4 hours and finally it reported the drives as "optimal".

I rebooted the box but vSphere still shows the VM as Unknown (inaccessible).

I thought I was being clever installing our small dental practice server onto a VM but suddenly realise I am way out of my depth here. Is there any hope to get the VM going and can anyone point me in the right direction?

Many thanks

1. Re: VM Unknown (Inaccessible) - Configuration file cannot be found

sparrowangelstechnology Oct 22, 2012 3:06 PM (in response to Desertsweeper)

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2172
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2. Re: VM Unknown (Inaccessible) - Configuration file cannot be found

Desertsweeper Oct 22, 2012 3:13 PM (in response to sparrowangelstechnology)

OK thanks but before I follow those instructions - what is concerning me is that I can not see my Datastore under Configuration > Storage > Datastores

Configuration > Storage > Devices shows me the disk as mounted with the primary partition as VMFS

Do I still procede or do I have an underlying Datastore corruption issue?

Many thanks for jumping in so quickly Sparrowangels
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3. Re: VM Unknown (Inaccessible) - Configuration file cannot be found

sparrowangelstechnology Oct 22, 2012 3:25 PM (in response to Desertsweeper)

if you dont see your datastores then it appears to be a data store issue.
rescan your storage. hopefully it comes up.
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4. Re: VM Unknown (Inaccessible) - Configuration file cannot be found

Desertsweeper Oct 22, 2012 3:46 PM (in response to sparrowangelstechnology)

Yup I guessed that...I have tried to rescan many times but to no avail. I just dont understand why it shows the drive as present and "mounted" with a primary partition VMFS in devices, but refuses to show it in Datastores...

I have tried to reboot a few times but that doesnt help. The RAID conroller shows the Mirror as "Optimal".

Is there a way to force things or do i go to my not-so-recent backup and many hours of rebuilding SBS?
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5. Re: VM Unknown (Inaccessible) - Configuration file cannot be found

Desertsweeper Oct 22, 2012 3:48 PM (in response to Desertsweeper)

I notice if I right-click on the drive in devices i can "manage paths" and "detach"...would that be of any use in solving this?
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6. Re: VM Unknown (Inaccessible) - Configuration file cannot be found

Desertsweeper Oct 22, 2012 3:57 PM (in response to Desertsweeper)

OK things are looking up... i went to "add storage" and after a while up popped the drive...so i added it with the existing signature option and viola - my storage appeared! Now I have my named VM back! And miracle of all miracles it powers on...first task - make a backup...

Many thanks for your help and encouragement...
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7. Re: VM Unknown (Inaccessible) - Configuration file cannot be found

sparrowangelstechnology Oct 22, 2012 3:59 PM (in response to Desertsweeper)

glad to see it come back.
cehck out veeam free backup or ghettovcb for your vm backups.
http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-8760

good tools both of them.

1 person found this helpful
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8. Re: VM Unknown (Inaccessible) - Configuration file cannot be found

Desertsweeper Oct 22, 2012 4:04 PM (in response to sparrowangelstechnology)

Many thanks again - will head on over and figure out how to tarball etc

Off topic I know but you seem knowledgeable - should I go about upgrading to ESXi 5.1 or is it safe to tick along on 5.0?
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9. Re: VM Unknown (Inaccessible) - Configuration file cannot be found

sparrowangelstechnology Oct 22, 2012 5:05 PM (in response to Desertsweeper)

I would personally stick to 5.0 for the next few months but many here say 5.1 is fine.
Unless its a new install no need to go to 5.1 asap unless you need the new features it can do.
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10. Re: VM Unknown (Inaccessible) - Configuration file cannot be found

Desertsweeper Oct 22, 2012 5:23 PM (in response to sparrowangelstechnology)

It is fairly new - a few months and seems to be running fine. It's hosting a Windows SBS 2003 VM that is a clone of our old server that died. It runs very well. I have just now added more memory and two new drives, again in Raid-1, so we can install SBS 2008 alongside and migrate everything over in an orderly fashion. Thanks again for your help, lifesaver...
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11. Re: VM Unknown (Inaccessible) - Configuration file cannot be found

aidinbaran Nov 14, 2014 12:20 AM (in response to sparrowangelstechnology)

Hi,
Unfortunately I am experiencing the same issue with the difference that I have restored iSCSI access to the LUN and I can browse my datastore and see the files within. but esx 5.5 host still displays all the VMs in that datastore as "inaccessible". I have tried a bunch of possibilities without any positive result, including:
1. removing the VMs from inventory and adding them again
2. delete files in /var/lib/vmware/hostd/stats
3. Rename vmInventory.xml and adding the VMs again

The one thing that I have noticed which makes me more fightened is that I cannot download or copy the existing VM files within my datastore but I am able to create new ones!

Any suggestions that may save me?
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12. Re: VM Unknown (Inaccessible) - Configuration file cannot be found

alijam Jul 31, 2016 5:40 AM (in response to aidinbaran)

Hi

I know this is a way old thread but I face exactly the same issue, I cannot find a single thread or KB to help me resolve it.

I have rebuilt the failed RAID5, I can see all folders and files , But I cannot delete, move,copy the files.
I have removed the inaccessible vms . But The register vm button is grayed out on .vmx files too.

ANY HELP would be GREATLY appreciated
Regards
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13. Re: VM Unknown (Inaccessible) - Configuration file cannot be found

Darr01n Apr 22, 2018 8:55 PM (in response to Desertsweeper)

Like a hardware you would like to conserve the setup before the unit is powered. The above mentioned configuration is what you'll want to utilize in virtually all hosting situations. The configuration might also alter with all the command. The sole thing which this configuration isn't going to do the task for, in reality, is if you're serving different content according to different IP addresses or interfaces. Take note that even with the esxcli command, you can't modify a great deal of the firewall configurations. Servers may also have several names for a single Ethernet address if they are web servers. Be sure the tgtd service is operating on the server with storage.

A response file is a configuration file that employs exactly the same syntax. To make alterations to the network settings you will have to open the perfect document term life insurance . In case you've got a VMX File that was corrupted, also you have to create a new one. 1 thing to watch for if you locate the aforementioned methods aren't working is that you might have a corrupt VMX File.

Pick the datastore which comprises the OVF document you would rather deploy from and browse to the file that is specific. This document could be updated after it's released. It includes.
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