restore VM to another ESX host

[Marecki]

situation is:

2 ESX hosts (esx01 and esx02) + storage named ESX + 1 VC server, connected also VCB machine.

There is also second esx cluster ESX03 and ESX04 + storage called ESX (but without VC).

Now I make VCB backup of one vm that is physically placed on ESX01 (let's assume it is named VM01) and storage also called ESX. So path is /vmfs/volumes/ESX/VM01.

When I have this backed via VCB I would like to copy this backed VM via SCP to ESX03 (connected to ESX storage). So I make this step with no problems, then I login via VI Client to ESX03 directly, I browse ESX Storage, I see copied VM files, I add vmx file to Inventory, but when I try to power it on I get error:

"A file was not found".

How to fix this thing? Thanks for any answers.

[VMKR9]

Check the path to the vmdks in the vmx file, a simple fix would be remove the disks from the vms properties and add them back in.

[oreeh]

Open the VMX file in an editor and check for invalid paths.

[Marecki]

I removed both disks, then when I try to add existing vmdk, I don't see any files in this browser. When I go to putty, I see, that both vmdk files are present in vm folder

[VMKR9]

hmm, sounds like your copy has not worked correctly, can you provide a directory listing from the console so we can see?

[oreeh]

With two disks you should see four VMDK files.

Two descriptor files and two flat files.

[VMKR9]

also try doing a vmkfstools -i just copy to same directory but name the vmdk differently and that should confirm if the vmdk is valid?

[Marecki]

login as: root

root@172.29.28.137's password:

Last login: Tue May 20 14:40:56 2008 from 172.29.68.85

# cd /vmfs/volumes/ESX/

# ls

VM01 VM02

# cd VM01/

# ls

catalog VM01.vmxf vmware-1.log vmware-5.log

VM01.nvram scsi0-0-0-VM01.vmdk vmware-2.log vmware-6.log

VM01.vmsd scsi0-1-0-VM01_1.vmdk vmware-3.log vmware.log

VM01.vmx unmount.dat vmware-4.log

[oreeh]

You are missing the flat files.

Should be scsi0-0-0-VM01-flat.vmdk and scsi0-1-0-VM01_1-flat.vmdk in your case.

[Marecki]

don't worry (regarding to names) I already changed all names while pasting to this post

As I said those files listed in post are made by VCB backup. When it backs up VM by VCB it makes only each vmdk file for each disk. That is why I now think it will be not possible to restore such VM without Virtual Center, am I right?

[VMKR9 · Accepted solution]

ok you need to do a vcb restore, use restore.exe or vmware converter

[Marecki]

ok, with VMWare Converter it works. Thank You all for help.