unable to unlock a virtual machine

[RahulC]

Hi guys,

Whenever i try to power on a virtual machine, i get the error below. Is there a way i can unlock the this VM from its host.

Unable to access file <unspecified filename> since it is locked System

[Troy_Clavell]

What VMware product are you hosting this guest on?

[scott28tt]

This discussion doesn't belong in this area of the forums, please advise what VMware product you are using and I can move this discussion to the most relevant area.

[RahulC]

Sorry about the delay. Esx 4.1 is the host hosting this 2003 VM that i am unable to power on.

[scott28tt]

Moved to the ESX 4 community forum.

[aravinds3107]

Check this KB

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=10051

[RahulC]

[root@ABCD123 SERVER]# vmkfstools -D /vmfs/volumes/4958d4bf-2c20a507-2982-001a4bff0978/SERVER/SERVER-1257e06f.vswp
[root@ABCD123 SERVER]# tail /var/log/vmkernel
Mar  6 10:35:57 ABCD123 vmkernel: 0:13:41:17.008 cpu1:4331)WARNING: Swap: vm 4332: 2457: Failed to open swap file '/volumes/       4958d4bf-2c20a507-2982-001a4bff0978/LONINF005/LONINF005-fad8f839.vswp': Lock was not free
Mar  6 10:35:57 ABCD123 vmkernel: 0:13:41:17.008 cpu1:4331)WARNING: Swap: vm 4332: 4356: Failed to initialize swap file '/vo       lumes/4958d4bf-2c20a507-2982-001a4bff0978/LONINF005/LONINF005-fad8f839.vswp': Lock was not free
Mar  6 10:35:57 ABCD123 vmkernel: 0:13:41:17.008 cpu1:4331)WARNING: Swap: vm 4332: 4521: Swap initialization failed Lock was        not free
Mar  6 10:35:57 ABCD123 vmkernel: 0:13:41:17.008 cpu1:4331)WARNING: World: vm 4332: 1111: init fn swap failed with: Lock was        not free!
Mar  6 10:37:30 ABCD123 vmkernel: 0:13:42:49.816 cpu6:4198)FS3: 142: <START SERVER-1257e06f.vswp>
Mar  6 10:37:30 ABCD123 vmkernel: 0:13:42:49.816 cpu6:4198)Lock [type 10c00001 offset 46454784 v 375, hb offset 4177920
Mar  6 10:37:30 ABCD123 vmkernel: gen 29147, mode 1, owner 4f4d0250-e7143d4a-8eea-0022640d38f8 mtime 1326]
Mar  6 10:37:30 ABCD123 vmkernel: 0:13:42:49.816 cpu6:4198)Addr <4, 92, 107>, gen 108, links 1, type reg, flags 0x0, uid 0,        gid 0, mode 600
Mar  6 10:37:30 ABCD123 vmkernel: 0:13:42:49.816 cpu6:4198)len 4294967296, nb 4096 tbz 0, cow 0, zla 3, bs 1048576
Mar  6 10:37:30 ABCD123 vmkernel: 0:13:42:49.816 cpu6:4198)FS3: 144: <END SERVER-1257e06f.vswp>

Please help I just can t go beyond this.SERVER-1257e06f.vswp seems to be locked. how do i unlock it

[aravinds3107]

Did you try to restart the management agents of the host on which VM found running?

[virtualdutch]

If you want to “kill” the process, you can log onto to the ESXi Server, and selecting Restart Network Management Agents.

or login to the ESXi server via ssh, and run /sbin/services.sh

[RahulC]

This is an ESX server, would this still work run /sbin/services.sh

I am not able to run this command

[virtualdutch]

On ESX you should use service mgmt-vmware restart

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=100556...

[RahulC]

Did that already. Same error cant power on the machine

[aravinds3107]

Are you able to remvoe the VM from vcenter(Remove from Inventory)? If Yes try to remvoe and re-add it to the Inventory

If this is not solving then i think rebooting of the ESX host should remvoe the lock

[TomHowarth]

Can you print out the list of files on the data store that relate to this Virtual machine please

[RahulC]

I have even rebooted the host but i am still unable to power on that server. I have identified the lock as stated in my earlier comments. Is there no other way to release the lock

[RahulC]

[root@ESXHOST SERVER1234]# vim-cmd vmsvc/getallvms
Vmid     Name                         File                             Guest OS                                                   Version   Annotation
16     LONRBO006   [Storage1] Server1/Server1.vmx   windows7Server6                                         4Guest   vmx-07
32     LONCTX081   [Storage 2] Server2/Server2.vmx        winNetStandardG                                         uest     vmx-07
48     SERVER1234   [Storage 3] SERVER1234/SERVER1234.vmx        winNetStandard6                                         4Guest   vmx-04

Cat vmware-223.log

Mar 06 13:14:37.999: vmx| MONITOR MODE: guestOS preferred modes: HWMMU BT HV
Mar 06 13:14:38.000: vmx| MONITOR MODE: filtered list          : BT
Mar 06 13:14:38.000: vmx| HV Settings: virtual exec = 'software'; virtual mmu = 'software'
Mar 06 13:14:38.122: vmx| VMMon_ConfigMemSched: vmmon.numVCPUs=2
Mar 06 13:14:38.123: vmx| CreateVM: Swap: generating normal swap file name.
Mar 06 13:14:38.124: vmx| Swap file path: '/vmfs/volumes/4958d4bf-2c20a507-2982-001a4bff0978/SERVER1234/SERVER1234-1257e06f.vswp'
Mar 06 13:14:42.133: vmx| Msg_Post: Error
Mar 06 13:14:42.134: vmx| [vob.swap.poweron.openfailure.status] Failed to initialize swap file '/volumes/4958d4bf-2c20a507-2982-001a4bff0978/SERVER1234/SERVER1234-1257e06f.vswp' : Lock was not free
Mar 06 13:14:42.134: vmx| [msg.vmmonVMK.creatVMFailed] Could not power on VM : Lock was not free.
Mar 06 13:14:42.134: vmx| [msg.monitorLoop.createVMFailed] Failed to power on VM----------------------------------------
Mar 06 13:14:42.148: vmx| Module MonitorLoop power on failed.

Sorry didint check your post earlier. here is the print

[TomHowarth]

no that is not what I meant,  I want to see what is acutally on the datastore.  ie what is in the following folder

/vmfs/volumes/4958d4bf-2c20a507-2982-001a4bff0978/SERVER1234/

[RahulC]

root@ESXHOST SERVER1234]# cd /vmfs/volumes/4958d4bf-2c20a507-2982-001a4bff0978/SERVER1234
[root@ESXHOST SERVER1234]# ls
SERVER1234-1257e06f.hlog  SERVER1234.vmx   vmware-222.log  vmware-231.log
SERVER1234-1257e06f.vswp  SERVER1234.vmxf  vmware-223.log  vmware-232.log
SERVER1234_1-flat.vmdk    vmware-198.log  vmware-224.log  vmware-233.log
SERVER1234_1.vmdk         vmware-216.log  vmware-225.log  vmware-234.log
SERVER1234-aux.xml        vmware-217.log  vmware-226.log  vmware-235.log
SERVER1234-flat.vmdk      vmware-218.log  vmware-227.log  vmware-236.log
SERVER1234.nvram          vmware-219.log  vmware-228.log  vmware-237.log
SERVER1234.vmdk           vmware-220.log  vmware-229.log  vmware.log
SERVER1234.vmsd           vmware-221.log  vmware-230.log

Is this what you are looking for?

[virtualdutch]

Have you removed the virtual machine already from the inventory and readd the .vmx from the datastore to the inventory?

[TomHowarth]

delete the file ending in *.vswp that is your swap memory that is created on power on.  if you delete that you should be able to start or guest.  the guest will be in a crash consisant state.

if there is a folder in the directory with the *.lkc extension delete that too