1,220 pts.
 Vmware vmdk file converting problem
Hi. I have test.vmdk workstation file. I wand convert for esxserver 4.0 . I tryed it by vmkfstools. i writed like that

vmkfstools -i test.vmdk edomain.vmdk

But i get the error 

[root@ESX Edomain]# vmkfstools -i test.vmdk edomain.vmdk Destination disk format: VMFS zeroedthick Failed to open 'test.vmdk': Broken pipe (2097161).

The directory is right

Then i tried to do this instruction

http://communities.vmware.com/thread/227143;jsessionid=2DA3CAB1E4F583CEC8887DDB6144C151?tstart=0

But the problem not resolved. The system cannot recognized the file after operation vmware-vdiskmanager. Please help

 



Software/Hardware used:
vmware esx server
ASKED: July 19, 2010  8:13 AM
UPDATED: July 20, 2010  9:56 AM

Answer Wiki:
How did you get the vmdk file over to ESX in the first place? If the source vmdk file came from VMware Workstation, you will need to run VMware Converter either on the running VM or the flat files (non-running VM) and then point it to your esx environment. Once in your environment, you can then run the command you had entered originally. Thanks Wiki for your post. I did mistake on my steps I uset vmkfstools. I copied the file not shutdowned server. i shutdown VMware Workstation file then copied the file, then used vmkfstools command. All is fine Thanks very much
Last Wiki Answer Submitted:  July 20, 2010  9:56 am  by  Aguacer0   8,120 pts.
All Answer Wiki Contributors:  Aguacer0   8,120 pts.
To see all answers submitted to the Answer Wiki: View Answer History.


Discuss This Question:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


 

Hi. I have test.vmdk workstation file. I wand convert for esxserver 4.0 . I tryed it by vmkfstools. i writed like that

vmkfstools -i test.vmdk edomain.vmdk

But i get the error

[root@ESX Edomain]# vmkfstools -i test.vmdk edomain.vmdk Destination disk format: VMFS zeroedthick Failed to open ‘test.vmdk’: Broken pipe (2097161).

The directory is right

Then i tried to do this instruction

http://communities.vmware.com/thread/227143;jsessionid=2DA3CAB1E4F583CEC8887DDB6144C151?tstart=0

But the problem not resolved. The system cannot recognized the file after operation vmware-vdiskmanager. Please help

 1,220 pts.

 

It is possible to use vmkfstools to convert vmdk’s.

From your error message (Destination disk format: VMFS zeroedthick),
and this concise summary of vmkfstools:

http://avarcher.net/esx3guide/VMKFSTOOLS.htm

I think you are trying to open a workstation image that is thin and convert into one that is thick. That is, the workstation allowed the vmdk to start small and grow to it’s specified size, but the new file is being created at it’s allocated size, all at once.

I would experiment with the FILE SYSTEM UPGRADE OPTIONS as follows:

VMFS-2 to VMFS-3 file system upgrade is a two step process. Before file system upgrade can begin the `vmfs2` and `vmfs3` drivers must be unloaded and the auxiliary file system driver, `fsaux`, should be loaded. The first step of upgrade uses the `-T` option. Once the first step completes, the auxiliary file system driver, `fsaux`, must be unloaded and the `vmfs2` and `vmfs3` drivers reloaded. The second step of file system upgrade makes use of the `-u` option.

-T , -tovmfs3

-x , -upgradetype [zeroedthick|eagerzeroedthick|thin]

Also, note the requirement to load the fsaux driver before starting the upgrade.

Hope this helps

 440 pts.