Windows 2016 server corrupted no boot

[MichBU]

Hello

I asked last days ago a question about exporting my windows2016 machine under workstation pro15 and got an answer. So I zipped the whole directory but before I deleted some snapshots for space optimising

Now I cannot boot anymore on my Windows machine.

I have a panel blue asking for repair advanced option or shut down.

I tried many options but no result

Hope you can help and thanks in advance.

[Alex_Romeo]

Hi,

can post the image of the error and the files that are inside the folder of the virtual machine.

ARomeo

[MichBU]

Hello,

Thanks for answering to my post.

I attached (hope I did it in  good way) the error message I get during the windows2016 boot and also the content ot the VM WINDOWS Directory.

Thanks for your help.

[Alex_Romeo]

Hi,

have you tried to select the first option?

ARomeo

[MichBU]

Hi,

Yes I tried Continuer, but no way it return to this panel.

I can access to the command prompt.

Thanks

[Alex_Romeo]

Hi,

you can follow the steps in this post to repair the virtula disk. Also good for "vmware workstation 15.5"

VMware Knowledge Base

ARomeo

[MichBU]

I tried the command but got an error:

C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation>vmware-vdiskmanager -R "c:vmware\win2016F\disque virtuel.vmdk"

VixDiskLib: Failed to initialize PhoneHome library.

FILE: FileLockCreateEntryDirectory creation failure on 'C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation\vmware\win2016F\disque virtuel.vmdk.lck': The system cannot find the file specified

FILE: FileIO_Lock on 'C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation\vmware\win2016F\disque virtuel.vmdk' failed: The system cannot find the file specified

Any idea??

Thanks

[Mits2020]

C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation>vmware-vdiskmanager -R "c:vmware\win2016F\disque virtuel.vmdk"

Shouldn't it be ... -R "c:\vmware\..." ?  (missing \ after c:)

[MichBU]

OUps,

Sorry,

I got an error too:

C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation>vmware-vdiskmanager -R "c:\vmware\win2016F\disque virtuel.vmdk"

VixDiskLib: Failed to initialize PhoneHome library.

Thanks

[Alex_Romeo]

... you did not enter "\" in c:

C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation>vmware-vdiskmanager -R "c:vmware\win2016F\disque virtuel.vmdk"

C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation>vmware-vdiskmanager -R "c:\vmware\win2016F\disque virtuel.vmdk"

ARomeo

[MichBU]

I did it correctly and get the error,

C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation>vmware-vdiskmanager -R "c:\vmware\win2016F\disque virtuel.vmdk"

VixDiskLib: Failed to initialize PhoneHome library.

Did I miss something??

Thanks

[Alex_Romeo]

the command is correct.

try to create a new virtual machine and mount the vmdk of this vm.

ARomeo

[MichBU]

Could you please help in this ??

I cannot see how and when I can "mount" my VM file??

Thanks a lot in advance

[Alex_Romeo]

• create a new virtual machine, in "custom" mode:

• when you get to the HDD screen, select "use an existing ...":

• select your ".vmdk" file

ARomeo

[MichBU]

Hi,

I succeed to create a new one and I have inserted the VMDK file to this new.

So, now I can boot to Windows 2016 server!!  You save my live.

But, Looks like this Windows new VM machine is one year old, as I do not find all programmes I have installed and others files.

Maybe I missed a step or did not choose the right parameters??

Is it possible to restore a Snapshot I have form the old one??

Thanks a lot for your help, I really appreciate.

[Alex_Romeo]

because the rest is in the snapshots. But I wanted to see if at least the vmdk worked. We have a departure.

Try giving this command to the original vm:

The command will look similar to this:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\username\VMware Workstation\vmware-vdiskmanager.exe" -r "D:\Virtual Machines\Windows 7\Windows 7.vmdk" -t 0 "C:\Users\username\Desktop\NewDisk.vmdk"

VMware Knowledge Base

ARomeo

[MichBU]

Sorry, I need to understand your idea.

You want to execute a command from the Virtual file machine which does not work like:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\username\VMware Workstation\vmware-vdiskmanager.exe" -r "C:\VmWare\win2016F\disque virtuel.vmdk" -t 0 "C:\Users\username\Desktop\NewDisk.vmdk"

Is that correct??

[Mits2020]

The location of vmware-vdiskmanager.exe  is in  c:\Program Files (x86)\VMWare\VMware Workstation\

Obviously Alessandro made a typo - just replace "username" with "VMware".

[MichBU]

Hi,

Indeed I saw this error, but the question was about the file, should I take the "original" vmdk fiile from the VM which does not boot?

If this is OK for my understanidng, I executed the command as requested and the new VM file I store it into a test directory.

C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation>vmware-vdiskmanager.exe -r "C:\VmWare\win2016F\disque virtuel.vmdk" -t 0 "C:\test_vm\NewDisk.vmdk"

VixDiskLib: Failed to initialize PhoneHome library.

Creating disk 'C:\test_vm\NewDisk.vmdk'

  Convert: 100% done.

Virtual disk conversion successful.

Hope this is what your requested as a test.

Thanks a lots

[Mits2020]

Clearly I have not access to Alessandro's mind, so please wait for his instructions. In any case, please keep a safe backup of the original untouched files (if the VM is really valuable to you).