If you’ve ever run into this, it’s a real bummer. I encountered it after using rsync to clone a vm.
At the outset, I want to say either using vm -> manage -> clone or file -> export to OVF are both easier options, but if you’ve already copied a vm by hand, you can try this out:
After I rsynced my VM, I wanted to rename the files to differentiate it from the old VM.
For the example, let’s say my old VM’s name was Windows Ent EFI and I wanted to rename it to winInsiders
I use this one-liner just to rename the .vmdk files:
for f in *.vmdk; do mv "$f" "$(echo "$f" | sed s/"Windows Ent EFI"/winInsiders/)"; doneand renamed the remaining files {$f.nvram, $f.vmds, $f.vmx, $f.vmxf} by hand (wanted to be careful)
At first, I had forgotten about references in the winInsiders.vmx to old filenames, so when I tried to re-add the hard drive, I ran into the “cannot find the file specified” error
I deleted any .lck directories first (not sure if this is necessary, but it seemed like a good idea)
Then I looked inside the .vmx file with a text editor, and found a few keys that needed new values, because they referenced the old names.
They were:
nvram
extendedConfigFile
scsi0:0.fileName
There could always be more, that’s why instead of editing it by hand, run sed on the .vmx file, as it is faster and far less error-prone (just like the renaming command above, but with the -i flag, meaning inside the file):
sed -i s/"Windows Ent EFI"/winInsiders/g winInsiders.vmx
Then do the same for the .vmxf and first .vmdk file (the first .vmdk in a split virtual disk is just a file descriptor, plain text):
sed -i s/"Windows Ent EFI"/winInsiders/g winInsiders.vmxf
sed -i s/"Windows Ent EFI"/winInsiders/g winInsiders.vmdk
It should work now (at least, it did for me).
Recovering zfs evangelist. Random tech tip disseminator. React/Next.JS site developer, but currently only in spare time. Previously resided: Oakland, SF, Tokyo. Now near Seattle, loving vote by mail.
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1st Option
The error in the screenshot could be related to a file corrupted during the copy of the VM to the second machine or a failed clone itself. To test if the clone is ok it would be a good ideia to play it on the first machine since it’s still available. If it’s ok, then try copying the cloned VM again to the second machine.
2nd Option
Alternatively you could use VMware vCenter Converter Standalone which is a free tool capable of converting P2V and V2V (the latter would be like cloning a VM from one place to another).
Now you just have to browse for the .vmx file of the VM you want to convert.
Chose the location in which the VM will be converted to (like a shared folder on the second machine).
Next you’ll see the current specifications of the VM and you can change them if you want by editing each option.
Done. Click next and if you’re ok with the summary, click finish to begin the convertion.
Once it finishes you can add the VM to the Workstation on the second machine and play it. VMware vCenter Converter Standalone is a very helpful tool and I suggest you check the other options, like converting P2V, since it might be useful some times.
I recently upgraded my VMWare Workstation from Version 10 to 12. The software is running on Windows 10/64.
I never had any issues with VMWare Workstation 10 on Windows 7, 8 and 8.1. But after the upgrade, almost after every restart I saw the following error message when I tried to start a VM
There are several Google search results, even for older versions. Here is the most recent one, that adresses the issue and provides a ( non working ) workaround.
I uninstalled, rebooted, installed the software as advised in the technote. After several restarts it seemed to work, but the error message returned right after the next system restart.
I then looked at AntiVirus and AntiMalware software as a potential candidate for the trouble. I found a couple of registry entries that had been identified to be ‘potentielly unwanted’ and quarantined.
I restored them and after a restart I could start the VMs. Problem solved !
Err, not really.
The error message returned this morning … Damn.
Next, I looked into the Event Log. Not really helpful, because it only said that something went wrong, but no further information.
But I could at least see a pattern. Each time, the error ocurred, It looks like some service was not started because of missing dependencies.
Next, I ran services.msc and found the following.
I tried to start the services manually. Both services started without any errors. And also, I was able to start the VMs.
I am not really sure what causes the service start to fail; looks like some kind of bad timing.
I will now change the service startup from automatic to manual and add some start/stop scripts to my desktop.
I do not use the VMs on a daily basis; so starting the VMWare services manually will also save some system resources.
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