ESXi4 U1 Windows 7 VM claims no config files

[tbullock]

So I updated my home ESXi4 playbox to U1 last night. All VM's work fine except for my Windows7 32 VM.

If I start that one it will time out and say no config file was found(it is there). Once that happens, my entire ESXi4 box comes to a halt, all running VM's on it lock up, and I can not even browse my data store(local storage).

Wondering if this has been seen before?

I tried a convert of the VM, it fails saying it can not tell what hardware is there(again, points to config file).

[RParker]

I'd say delete the VM, start over. A VM should not cause the host to time out, regardless of the VM type or even if it's support. Data doesn't control programs.

It sounds like a glitch or something happened, rebuild the VM.

[lazyllama]

You could try removing the VM from the inventory (not deleting from disk), and create a new VM using the existing VM disk.

That should create a new VMX config file and as long as the virtual disk is intact, should sort things out.

Think of it as removing the hard drive from a machine with a blown motherboard and putting it into an identical machine.

[tbullock]

I actually had just tried that and it did not work. Actually got the same issue, once it got to the place it freezes(happens on boot), get the config error and I can not browse the data store......

[lazyllama]

Hmm... that does sound quite broken then.

Any clues in the vmware.log files in the VM directory on the datastore (if you don't start the Windows VM)?

It sounds a bit like something may have locked the files and the lock isn't getting cleared.

[tbullock]

log makes 0 sense to me.

just tried to build a brand new Windows 7 VM. During install(at the last two steps) it freezes. Can same error.

Error is Unable to connect to the MKS: Virtual Machine files does not exist. Again, datastore1 can not be seen when i go to Configuration/Storage and try to browse it.

And again, this makes all of the running VMs die, also.

this ONLY happens with Windows 7 VM, and only since i updated last night to U1. I will add that I have not tried a server 2008 R2 install yet. At this point, if no one knows what causes this, I am just blowing the entire ox up and starting over.

Shame, just finished ripping 400 CDs to the Windows 7 VM to use as a media server in my home network(via homegroup to an Asrock ION 330 media PC in my home theater). Because i decided to not even listen to my own advice I give my co-workers on a daily basis, I performed no back up before hand!

[DSTAVERT]

Doesn't mean you can add the vmdk to another VM. Try installing a new VM and then adding the "broken" vmdk to a running guest.