Unable to mount multiple vmdk files via vmware mount utility

[Priya_CT]

Hi,

I am using the vmware-mount for windows. I have the following .vmdk files given by the client:

1. spec.mf

2. spec.ovf

3.spec-disk1.vmdk - contains two .ntfs files

4.spec-disk2.vmdk - contains two .img files

When i tried mounting the first disk 'spec-disk1.vmdk' , it successfully mounts , but the drive is empty. All of the data are in an .img file in the second disk 'spec-disk2.vmdk'.

Question:

1. I was expecting all vmdk files to be picked up while 'VMware-mount /m:n G: ./spec-disk1.vmdk' was issued. Did not happen. How do i make the vmware-mount aware of the second disk file

2. When tried to read the volume type in second disk it says unknown : 'vmware-mount "./spec-disk2.vmdk" /p'  gives 'Volume  1 :  2097152 MB, Unknown'.

Please could someone help me to mount the data volume , i.e the .img inside the second disk image .

Many thanks.

[a_p_]

Welcome to the Community,

.vmdk files in OVA/OVF packages are usually in a compressed, stream optimized format.

I can't reproduce this at the moment, but it may be worth a try to convert the .vmdk files fo another format (e.g. Type 1 = a growable, split virtual disk) using the vmware-vdiskmanager command line utility.

André

[Priya_CT]

Hi Andre,

Many thanks for the help. I tried doing it with the following command : 'vmware-vdiskmanager -r "D:\spec\spec-disk2.vmdk" -t 1 newSpec-disk2.vmdk'.

It did work but around 82% it came out with error : Failed to convert disk: There is not enough space on the file system for the selected operation (0xd00000008).

My .vmdk is around 260GB in size and my disk had 230GB free space. To be honest this is just a sample test am doing. In real time I will 10 times this volume.

Please is there another way for me to mount the .img file inside the .vmdk without extracting it or without converting it into a larger  file size.  The reason I dont want to extarct the .img from .vmdk is the .img is around 900GB.

-Kind regards,

PC

[a_p_]

I'm afraid that there's no workaround available.

Maybe continuum​ has an idea, i.e. knows a way that I'm not aware of!?

André

[Priya_CT]

Hi Andre,

I added more disk space and am trying the conversion. For some reason after 'Convert : 100%' it hangs for like more than 3 hours and control doesnt come out. Am not sure whats happening.

Many thanks.

[a_p_]

Hmm, good question. You don't have anti virus scanning active for .vmdk files, do you?

André

[Priya_CT]

No

[a_p_]

Not sure what's causing this, and whether hitting Enter, or Ctrl-C will finish the job, or even delete the target .vmdk again!?

Does the Resource Monitor from the Windows Task Manager show the .vmdk files as still being in use?

André

[Priya_CT]

Hitting Eneter - nothing.

Tried ctrl+c. It came out, but the lock on the .vmdk still exists.

Tried deleting the target vmdk and reran the task same issue.

There is definitely a lock on the .vmdk file

Thanks.

[a_p_]

Just in case it matters, do you run vmware-vdiskmanager from a command prompt in elevated mode (Run as Administrator)?

Please run Process Explorer​​, and search for the .vmdk file to see which process accesses it.

André

[Priya_CT]

Yes. 'Run as Administrataor'.

Sorry. It took long, I have killed it and come out

[continuum]

Hi
sorry- dont have any news regarding a free reliable vmdk-reading tool.
For readonly inspections of vmdks with dubious or unknown content I highly recommend the latest UFS-explorer in trial mode.
When I need to write vmdks or want to extract data I tend to  use a LiveCD in a WS or ESXi VM.
Last time I used vmware-mount I had launch an admin-cmd, run the mount command and then had to view the content from cmd with dir X:\ and so on.
Allways worth a test is WinImage - sometimes even 7zip does a good job for a preview.

[Priya_CT]

Hi continuum,

Many thanks for the help. Yes. 7-zip has successfully worked and PowerISO also opened the .vmdk but wouldn't mount. The client would like me to test various methods of accessing the .vmdk. Hence looking into 'mounting as drive' option.

On another note, just noticed when mounting via 'VMware-mount /m:n G: 'D:\spec\spec-disk2.vmdk' it comes out clean.

With 'vmware-mount /L' , it does list -> 'G:\  =>  D:\spec\spec-disk2.vmdk''.

It just am unable to access it. It says G drive doesn't exists.

[continuum]

Given the sad history of vmware-mount I assume the former developers have decided to let vmware-mount die quietly in a corner - hoping that it gets unnoticed by the users.
Last known to work version must be several years old - so I would not trust vmware-mount with any recent vmdks.
Anyway - in practical terms trying vmware-mount nowadays must be considered as an attack of  nostalgia that will hopefully pass as quicky as it came.