I read that VDDK APIs gives read-only access to disk associated with any snapshot of online virtual machines.
Is there any way to mount online VMDKs? I tried as below but disk mount utility throws error message.
vmware-mount.exe K: "D:\Vms\2000\2000-000001.vmdk" /m:n
VMware-mount cannot mount this virtual disk. Make sure it is the latest snapshot
and does not belong to a suspended VM. Check the logfile for more details.
Thanks in Advance...
Hi,
Yes. you can create a snapshot of a running VM and use diskmount to mount for read-only. Any changes you make to the virtual disk while it is
mounted are discarded when you revert to the snapshot. You cannot mount a virtual disk if any of its .vmdk files are compressed or have read only permissions.
Change these attributes before mounting the virtual disk.
Hari
Also, to create a snapshot of a running VM you can use VI API.
Thanks Hari, for these inputs.
Here is my scenerio:
1) I have workstation and 2000.vmx VM is running on it.
2) I have taken snapshots shots using workstation snashot manager. It created 2000-000001.vmdk, 2000-000002.vmdk, and other files.
3) Now I want to mount these snapshot. Note that the VM is running on workstation.
I have used disk mount as you suggested with read-only option. ( /m:n Am I right?), but not able to mount. If I power-off 2000.vmx VM, it mounts and works fine. Here the output when VM is running.
vmware-mount.exe K: "D:\Vms\2000\2000-000002.vmdk" /m:n
Unable to mount the virtual disk. The disk may be in use by a virtual
machine, may not have enough volumes or mounted under another drive
letter. If not, verify that the file is a valid virtual disk file.
vmware-mount.exe K: "D:\Vms\2000\2000-000001.vmdk" /m:n
Unable to mount the virtual disk. The disk may be in use by a virtual
machine, may not have enough volumes or mounted under another drive
letter. If not, verify that the file is a valid virtual disk file.
Thanks,
AshVI
Hi, I am not sure your situation. But I can't reproduce your scenario.
When the VM is ON, You can Not mount the latest snapshot with neither /m:n or /m:w, but you should be able to mount the previous snapshots in the /m:n mode.
Please see my scenario below.
I have 2 snapshots
So I got 3 vmdks:
ws6.0_win2k3_sp1_scsi_up.vmdk
ws6.0_win2k3_sp1_scsi_up-000001.vmdk
ws6.0_win2k3_sp1_scsi_up-000002.vmdk
When VM is ON:
C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Virtual Disk Development Kit\bin>vmware-mount.exe /L No volumes mounted.
C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Virtual Disk Development Kit\bin>vmware-mount.exe T: "C:\Docume nts and Settings\wxiao\Desktop\Images\ControllerType\ws6.0_win2k3_sp1_scsi_up-000002.vmdk" /m:n
Unable to mount the virtual disk. The disk may be in use by a virtual machine, may not have enough volumes or mounted under another drive letter. If not, verify that the file is a valid virtual disk file.
C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Virtual Disk Development Kit\bin>vmware-mount.exe T: "C:\Docume nts and Settings\wxiao\Desktop\Images\ControllerType\ws6.0_win2k3_sp1_scsi_up-000002.vmdk"
Unable to mount the virtual disk. The disk may be in use by a virtual machine, may not have enough volumes or mounted under another drive letter. If not, verify that the file is a valid virtual disk file.
C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Virtual Disk Development Kit\bin>vmware-mount.exe T: "C:\Docume nts and Settings\wxiao\Desktop\Images\ControllerType\ws6.0_win2k3_sp1_scsi_up-000001.vmdk" /m:n
C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Virtual Disk Development Kit\bin>vmware-mount.exe /L T:\ => C:\Documents and Settings\wxiao\Desktop\Images\ControllerType\ws6.0_win2k3_sp1_scsi_up-0000
01.vmdk
C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Virtual Disk Development Kit\bin>vmware-mount.exe /d T:
C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Virtual Disk Development Kit\bin>vmware-mount.exe T: "C:\Docume nts and Settings\wxiao\Desktop\Images\ControllerType\ws6.0_win2k3_sp1_scsi_up.vmdk" /m:n
C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Virtual Disk Development Kit\bin>vmware-mount.exe /L T:\ => C:\Documents and Settings\wxiao\Desktop\Images\ControllerType\ws6.0_win2k3_sp1_scsi_up.vmdk
C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Virtual Disk Development Kit\bin>vmware-mount.exe /d T:
I have tried your scenario of previous snapshot mounting but I m unable to do so, It says "VMware-mount cannot mount this virtual disk. Make sure it is the latest snapshot and does not belong to a suspended VM. Check the logfile for more details.".
I have attached log files here for reference.
E:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Virtual Disk Development Kit\bin>vmware-mou
nt.exe k: "E:\Virtual Machines\MS-DOS\MS-DOS-000001.vmdk"
Unable to mount the virtual disk. The disk may be in use by a virtual
machine, may not have enough volumes or mounted under another drive
letter. If not, verify that the file is a valid virtual disk file.
E:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Virtual Disk Development Kit\bin>vmware-mou
nt.exe k: "E:\Virtual Machines\MS-DOS\MS-DOS-000002.vmdk"
Unable to mount the virtual disk. The disk may be in use by a virtual
machine, may not have enough volumes or mounted under another drive
letter. If not, verify that the file is a valid virtual disk file.
E:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Virtual Disk Development Kit\bin>vmware-mou
nt.exe k: "E:\Virtual Machines\MS-DOS\MS-DOS-000001.vmdk"
VMware-mount cannot mount this virtual disk. Make sure it is the latest snapshot
and does not belong to a suspended VM. Check the logfile for more details.
Thanks.
I know this message is old but this thread helped me figure out the vmware-mount.exe located in the latest VDDK. rbbaldha was using a much older version (build-84675) of the vmware-mount command so whatever issues (s)he encountered may be resolved. I am currently using VMware DiskMount Utility version 4.2.0 build-225311
Hurdles: My first attempt was to copy only the VMDK files I thought I needed.
Best Practice: Copy the entire folder.
Hurdles: I also had the machine powered on when I copied the folder (which may confuse vmware-mount in thinking the vmdk is actually in use).
Best Practice: Ensure the .vmdk is not mounted to a powered on virtual machine when copying files.
FYI I was also able to mount a .vmdk with a snapshot (i.e.):
vmware-mount.exe z: F:\VMTEST\VMTEST_1-000001.vmdk /m:n