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NEED HELP! VMWare workstation 17 pro not finding files

  • 1.  NEED HELP! VMWare workstation 17 pro not finding files

    Posted Jun 24, 2026 07:34 PM

    NEED  HELP! Am changing computers, had moved some files from VM folder, then put them back. All files are there, but now the VM has me manually connect to the vmx file, then one of the snapshot files, then it says it cannot find it, or the supporting files, but all are there. Have tried several options found online, no change. How can I reconnect so it will load? Advance THANKS!



  • 2.  RE: NEED HELP! VMWare workstation 17 pro not finding files

    Posted Jun 25, 2026 03:47 AM

    All the file references in the VMX file are local, unless you attached an existing virtual Hard drive to the VM. So it sounds like a file permission problem, as in the user running Workstation does not seem to have the correct permissions to read/write the VM files.




  • 3.  RE: NEED HELP! VMWare workstation 17 pro not finding files

    Posted Jun 28, 2026 02:09 AM

    Can you please clarify "then one of the snapshot files"?

    There should (usually) be no need to connect to virtual disks/snapshots after moving the complete VM's folder to a new PC.

    Please attach a completed file listing to your next reply, i.e. run dir *.* /oen > filelist.txt and attach the resulting .txt file to your reply.

    André




  • 4.  RE: NEED HELP! VMWare workstation 17 pro not finding files

    Posted Jun 29, 2026 12:33 AM

    Thank you for your reply. Will be happy to run that report, however, not sure how to do it, would you please explain? Thank you.


    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: NEED HELP! VMWare workstation 17 pro not finding files

    Posted Jun 30, 2026 01:23 PM

    One option is to use the Windows Explorer, and navigate to the VM's folder. Then enter CMD in the address bar, which will open a command prompt in that folder. From there run the command dir *.* /oen > filelist.txt 

    André


    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: NEED HELP! VMWare workstation 17 pro not finding files

    Posted Jul 01, 2026 06:50 AM

    Did you check the permissions of the files and folders? 

    If they are OK, since you moved files around, something may have got behind, can you double-check?

    Also, if you didn't just move, but copy, some of the files will have a new ID ... not sure if VMware cares about a file (internal) ID, but it might. Somebody else can give you instructions in this regard, if this is an issue at all.

    Generally speaking, there is never a reason to move files around. One directory = one VM ... just leave the files alone. The directory can be moved or copied, as a whole, anywhere you want, between OS's, versions, disks and stuff.


    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: NEED HELP! VMWare workstation 17 pro not finding files

    Posted 30 days ago
      |   view attached

    Finally got to run that report, please see attached. Have to either figure out how to open the vm, or extract the outlook files from the files. Greatly7 appreciate your help!!!


    Attachment(s)

    txt
    filelist.txt   6 KB 1 version
    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: NEED HELP! VMWare workstation 17 pro not finding files

    Posted 29 days ago

    @Catharine Rajan: I gave you, what I believe, is the solution, which you flatly ignored and went for something that just gave you a list of files. I try again, but since you lack very basic IT admin skills you should hire a pro. I could do this, even remotely given the PC/server has internet access, in a minute. Do the following on the VM folder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWgDDip5Bqo Pick the user you're logged in with.


    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: NEED HELP! VMWare workstation 17 pro not finding files

    Posted 29 days ago

    Wow, such a helpful message. I do know enough to know that it is not a permissions issue. Thank you for weighing in.


    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: NEED HELP! VMWare workstation 17 pro not finding files

    Posted 28 days ago

    It was a very helpful message, because I gave you a link to a video which illustrates what you should be doing, seeing that you don't know what you're doing, nor could search for "how to check file permissions on Windows" on the internet. Go on, go down the wrong path, and not check the video. Workstation has a problem opening the VMX file, if your description is correct, so it's not even at the point of missing snapshots.

    @a_p_: I can imaging that the disk is a 2GB/slice type, and VMWare only creates snapshots for slices that are changing/were created after the slice was created. I don't think snapshots were created right before OS install.


    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: NEED HELP! VMWare workstation 17 pro not finding files

    Posted 29 days ago
    Edited by a_p_ 29 days ago

    Many of the required ...-s0xx.vmdk file s are missing.

    Each virtual disk and each snapshot consist of a small descriptor .vmdk file (the ones without "s0xx" in its file name) and 25 data .vmdk files.

    Unless you can still find the missing files on the ols PC or a backup, it may be possible to restore t least an earlier version of that VM.

    Please compress/zip all the small descriptor .vmdk files along with the .vmx and .vmsd file, and attach the resulting .zip archive to your next reply.

    André


    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: NEED HELP! VMWare workstation 17 pro not finding files

    Posted 29 days ago

    Thank you, appreciate the help and patience. Have difficulty understanding how files are missing as nothing was deleted, but here we are. Will zip up and send files shortly, including files from a backup, although they are older, in case that helps. My real dilemna is that immediately before moving to another computer, I'd moved all of the emails for 2025 to the .pst files in the vm. (sored in the Documents, VM folder) As such, I don't think they will be in the an earlier version of the vm, or would I somehow have access to them that way? This is the really the only thing I need to rescue from the vm files, the rest doesn't matter. Thanks so much again, sending files shortly.


    Original Message


  • 13.  RE: NEED HELP! VMWare workstation 17 pro not finding files

    Posted 29 days ago

    Have quit a few, when you say small .vmdk files, what size qualifies as 'small'? Under 1MB or similar?


    Original Message


  • 14.  RE: NEED HELP! VMWare workstation 17 pro not finding files

    Posted 25 days ago

    The small files are the 13 files without "-s0xx" in their file names. They are basically readable text files.

    André


    Original Message


  • 15.  RE: NEED HELP! VMWare workstation 17 pro not finding files

    Posted 21 days ago
      |   view attached

    Thank you, please find the files attached. 


    Attachment(s)

    7z
    vmx files to zip.7z   3 KB 1 version
    Original Message


  • 16.  RE: NEED HELP! VMWare workstation 17 pro not finding files

    Posted 16 days ago

    With all the missing files, I'm afraid that the only valid VM state that can be safely restored is the one from 08/15/2025 by editing the VM's configuratin (.vmx) file.

    nvme0:0.fileName = "CSG_2025-000012.vmdk" --> nvme0:0.fileName = "CSG_2025.vmdk"

    Please ensure that VMware Workstation is closed when you do this, so that the configuration file gets re-read after the manual modification.

    André


    Original Message