VMWare workstation Can't delete snapshot drive

[rainless]

I'm using an old linux install where I created a snapshot, restored from that snapshot, and then went on to use the system for a year.

The problem is that I went to delete the snapshot and it told me I had to free up ten gigs to cleanup the snapshot files.  I did so... but now there's no option to clean up the file.

So now I have two virtual drives Linux-000002.vmdk which my VM is currently using... and Linux-000001.vmdk which I'm assuming is the old snapshot.

Problem is that if I move or delete Linux-000001.vmdk... it tells me it needs that drive to boot... even though it says it's only using Linux-000002.vmdk

Linux-000001.vmdk is taking up 23 gigs of space... so I kinda want out...

What should I do? (I think it's VMWare 9 or 10... can't remember.)

[a_p_]

Snapshots are used in chains where each "chain link" is required, and the one in the VM's configuration file is the latest one in the chain. If you cannot delete the snapshot(s) from the Snapshot Manager you can still clone the virtual disk from the command line using the vmware-vdiskmanager utility, and then attach the newly created clone to your VM. With "Linux-000002.vmdk" as the currently mentioned virtual disk file the clone command would be e.g.:

vmware-vdiskmanager -r Linux-000002.vmdk Linux-Clone.vmdk

You may want to take a look at the commands help to find out about other available options like "-t #" (target virtual disk format).

André

[rainless]

But will I be able to BOOT with that cloned disk?

Because I've deleted the snapshot... it says Linux-0002 *is* the correct disk... but it's still asking for linux-0001 to boot.

So are you saying that if I clone Linux-0002.vmdk it will stop asking for Linux-0001.vmdk?

[a_p_]

What you most likely have is a snapshot chain which looks like this:

Linux-000002.vmdk --> Linux-000001.vmdk --> Linux.vmdk

where Linux.vmdk is the base virtual disk and the other two are snapshots/delta disks.

With the clone command the data of all three .vmdk files will be merged into the target virtual disk file, which - from the guest operating's point of view - will contain the exact same data.

André