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  • 1.  Converting thick to thin and get an error message

    Posted Sep 24, 2013 09:06 PM

    I created this VM using VMWare Converter. It was originally a .tib file and I converted it to a vm. I swear I selected thin but now it is showing thick. I tried to follow these instructions for converting it but I get the error message seen in the screen shot. What I don't understand is why there are six vmdk files when there are only three disks. Did the converter make thick and thin disc's possibly???



  • 2.  RE: Converting thick to thin and get an error message

    Posted Sep 24, 2013 09:23 PM

    Each virtual disk consists of two files, a descriptor file and the data (flat) file, and the file you need to specify for the command is the descriptor (the small .vmdk) file. Anyway, from the files in the folder it looks like the VM is powered on, which would explain why the files are locked.

    André



  • 3.  RE: Converting thick to thin and get an error message

    Posted Sep 25, 2013 02:55 PM

    I powered off the VM and retried the command specifying the correct vmdk file. It started to work and then failed. I also attempted to use the VMWare converter and it failed. You can see the error messages in the screenshot. Also you can see that the disc is in fact thick in the second screen shot. I also had to remove the vm from the inventory and add it back. It was showing as inaccessible.



  • 4.  RE: Converting thick to thin and get an error message

    Posted Sep 25, 2013 05:48 PM

    Does the error occur for all of the virtual disks or only for the one in the screen shot? If you didn't do so, please try to clone the other virtual disks to see whether this is a general issue or maybe related to the first virtual disk. Also, after powering off the VM, which files do you see in the VM's folder?

    André



  • 5.  RE: Converting thick to thin and get an error message

    Posted Sep 26, 2013 04:51 AM

    While using the converter,the error shows as some network issue.

    Please go through the checklist mentioned here.

    May be some conditions were not met in your scenario which is causing the problem.

    Hope this helps

    -SatyS



  • 6.  RE: Converting thick to thin and get an error message

    Posted Sep 24, 2013 10:38 PM

    Definitely, the VM seems powered on, you need to perform this with the VM powered off. The correct syntax should be:

    vmkfstools -i DOL-40-ACD-A.vmdk -d thin DOL-40-ACD-A-thin.vmdk

    Another question: why do you think the disk is not thin? If you are 100% sure you selected this, the disk should be thin. Can you post a screenshot of the Browser Datastore for this folder?



  • 7.  RE: Converting thick to thin and get an error message

    Posted Sep 25, 2013 01:57 AM

    You could easily convert the the virtual machine from thin to thick by storage vmotion and choose thick.

    Anand



  • 8.  RE: Converting thick to thin and get an error message

    Posted Sep 25, 2013 04:58 AM

    Definitely the error was due to powered on state of the VM.You need to power off the VMS for doing this operation.

    You can get more details here.

    Hope this also helps

    PeteNetLive - KB0000579 - VMware ESXi - Converting 'Fat' Provisioned Drives to 'Thin' and 'Thin' to 'Fat'

    Other methods for converting thick to thin are

    -Using storage vmotion

    -Using converter

    Hope this helps

    -SatyS