RestrictedVersionFault while attempting to create a snapshot from CLI

[marius1]

I try to create a snapshot of a VM hosted by an ESXi 4.1 server using the CLI from a Windows PC.

The command I issue sounds like

C:\Programmi\VMware\VMware vSphere CLI\bin>vmware-cmd.pl -H "192.168.1.1" -U root "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/New Virtual Machine/New Virtual Machine.vmx" create snapshot "snapshot1" "Snapshot created by da Marius" 0 0

The error I get is:

Fault:
SOAP Fault:
-----------
Fault string: fault.RestrictedVersion.summary
Fault detail: RestrictedVersionFault

Reading other posts in this forum I suspect the problem is related to the free license I am using: is it correct?

Is there any other possible reason, maybe related to the syntax I used?

If so, is there any other way to create a snapshot from a command line?

Regards

marius

[J1mbo]

Correct, a paid license is needed (luckily only the most basic Essentials pack even is fine).

[NickEvans · Accepted solution]

Hi Marius1,

The free edition of ESXi is restricted to read only for RCLI. So that sounds like the problem you encountered.

If you have access to the console, you can run the command directly on the console.

Give it a whirl on the free edition to see if it works.

1. First you need to find the VM id of the virtual machine by running "vim-cmd vmsvc/getallvms".
(Use the id of the vm you want to snapshot and enter this into the command in step 2)

2. Create the snapshot by running "vim-cmd /vmsvc/snapshot.create <VMID> <snapshotname> <snapshot description> <include memory true/false>
e.g vim-cmd /vmsvc/snapshot.create 16 VMSnapshot SnapShotBeforeUpgrading true.

Thanks,

Nick.

[marius1]

Great!!!!

Many thanks, Nick!

Where can I locate a documentation about vim-cmd commands?

Regards

Marius