template actions grayed out

[markokobal]

Hi,

Today I've found out that for one of my templates some of the actions are grayed out. I can successfully deploy vm from this template, however I can't convert it to vm, nor rename it, nor remove it from inventory, nor delete it from disk. There are no on-going actions for this template currently. How can I find out why those actions are grayed out (my other templates are just fine, hasn't got those actions grayed out)?

[Nikhil_Patwa]

Hi,

Looks like the Template VM has been orphaned and thus most of the functions are greyed out, check out the following VMware KB

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1022088

I suggest you first deploy a virtual machine from the template before deleting it from the database that way once you succeed you can convert your VM back to template.

Hope the information is helpful

Nikhil

[Dan4740]

The template was saved on an ESXi host that was in maintenance mode.  Once I exited MM, my template was available. 

[markokobal]

Hi,

Well, I've just deployed another vm from this template and voila - now the actions are still active for the template, not grayed out any more... Looks like the template was somehow stuck and now after deploying another successful vm out of it, it is OK again ...

[Nikhil_Patwa]

I guess the vCenter Server must have played some tricks and thus the options were greyed out, does happen with vCenter Server services.

Hope the issue is resolved once and for all.

[sssstew]

thanks everyone for the tip.  this worked for me too.  strange hey.

[JShroll]

Deploying a couple fake VMs got the options to re-appear for me too. 

[annya]

I just ran into this issue. Last week I updated all hosts in the Cluster and also migrated the templates onto another host while migrating running and powered off vm:s. The solution above to deploy a virtual machine from the template fixed the problem. When I converted the template to a virtual machine I noticed that it's asking the question about if I copied or moved the virtual machine.

The environment I'm working in had more hosts and more cluster that haven't been updated yet so that is what makes me think that migrating a template between hosts is causing this issue.

[dospavlos]

This fix worked for me in vCenter 5.5 non-update 1

[VirtualBlueStar]

I had exactly same issue after update to 5.5 update 1b

Solved after a simple VM deploy as said

[Realstocky]

I experienced the same problem described, although a restart of the "VMware VirtualCenter Server" service, resolved my issue.  Was able to edit the template and convert back without needing to deploy a VM from the template

[tihiggins]

Obviously not the case for many here, but we ran into a similar issue and it stemmed from one admin mounting an ISO and not unmounting it.  If it still doesn't seem to work for someone, that is a key place to look.

Nevermind - didn't read it right at first.  Our issue was trying to convert to template.

[TonyKhan]

Hey thanks everyone!  I experienced an exact issue.  The problem was resolved by creating a dummy vm.

Thanks again!

Tony

[Ariel Sanchez Mora]

I found another way and blogged about it - use PowerCLI. Since this isn't a permissions issue, will allow you to convert back to VM without any trouble. I only expanded a little on Arne Fokkema's excellent post

VMware Gotchas: vSphere template "convert to virtual machine" option grayed out

[websterd13]

I was trying to rename my templates and ran into this.  I used your power cli stuff and just changed the command to rename the templates.  Only took a second for each one and after the rename, all the options were not grayed out any longer.

Thanks,

Dave