Backup & Recovery

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  • 1.  VMDK files left over from VCB -

    Posted Nov 05, 2010 08:23 AM

    Hello,

    I recently upgraded our vSphere to 4.1, thus needed to re-install the Virtualcenter VM completely - now that's everything moved I found the following in the old VirtualCenter's directory: lots of .vmdk files from failed or interrupted VCB Sessions.

    These files seemed to get added to the VCB Proxy in hot-add mode, but sometimes didn't get deleted.

    filesize of the vmdks is 1MB, some are 64KB - Provisioned size is always identical to the source VM the .vmdk belonged to.

    Can I safely delete those files? As I don't know how VMFS works, I rather ask first :smileyhappy:



  • 2.  RE: VMDK files left over from VCB -

    Posted Nov 05, 2010 01:27 PM

    First, so you have a bunch of -0000.vmdk files sitting around? If so, make sure that they are not attached to anything. If they are then we need to look into the CID and ParentCID information for each file so we can trace it back and see if we would need to clone the VMDK with vmkfstools. If they are not attached to anything I would say do the following:

    1. Create a folder in the VM's folder called old_vmdk

    2. Move those VMDKs into that folder.

    3. Verify everything is running properly.

    4. Go and delete the files and remove the folder that was created.

    If you found this at all helpful please award points by using the correct or helpful buttons! Thanks!



  • 3.  RE: VMDK files left over from VCB -

    Posted Nov 05, 2010 01:34 PM

    First, so you have a bunch of -0000.vmdk files sitting around?

    that's right

     If so, make sure that they are not attached to anything. 
    Hmm... how do I know if a free flying .vmdk is attached to anything? (There's no .lck files like on WS)
    
                                                
    
					
                                                    

        
                                                
				
    
                                                
    
                                                    
                                                
    
                                                
                                            
    
                                        
    

                                        
                                        

                                    
			
    

                                    
                                
    

                                
                                
    
                                
    
                            
		
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                                            4.  
                                            RE: VMDK files left over from VCB -
                                            
                                            
    
				Best Answer
			
    
                                            
                                        
    
                                    
    
                                    
    
                                        
    
				
                                                
    
                                                    
    
					
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
            
        
    
				
    

                                                
    
                                            
			
    
                                    
    
                                
    
                                
                                

                                
    
                                    
    
                                        
                                    
    

                                    
    
				

                                        
    
                                            
    
                                                
    
                                                    
    
                                                        Posted Nov 05, 2010 01:48 PM
                                                        
                                                    
    
                                                
    
                                            
    
                                            
    
                                                

                                                
                                            
    
                                        
    

                                        
    
                                            
    
                                                
    One easy way to see is to look if you have any snapshots running on the VM.  That is normally where you would see these.

    If you found this at all helpful please award points by using the correct or helpful buttons!  Thanks!
    
                                                
    
					
                                                    

        
                                                
				
    
                                                
    
                                                    
                                                
    
                                                
                                            
    
                                        
    

                                        
                                        

                                    
			
    

                                    
                                
    

                                
                                
    
                                
    
                            
		
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                                            5.  
                                            RE: VMDK files left over from VCB -
                                            
                                            
                                            
                                        
    
                                    
    
                                    
    
                                        
    
				
                                                
    
                                                    
    
					
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
            
        
    
				
    

                                                
    
                                            
			
    
                                    
    
                                
    
                                
                                

                                
    
                                    
    
                                        
                                    
    

                                    
    
				

                                        
    
                                            
    
                                                
    
                                                    
    
                                                        Posted Nov 10, 2010 03:37 PM
                                                        
                                                    
    
                                                
    
                                            
    
                                            
    
                                                

                                                
                                            
    
                                        
    

                                        
    
                                            
    
                                                
    well there is not a single snapshot on the datastore. And the old Vcenter is already deleted as well.
     
    So I consider those files totally orphaned and will delete them (once I catch a moment when a fresh backup is finished :smileyhappy: 
    
                                                
    
					
                                                    

        
                                                
				
    
                                                
    
                                                    
                                                
    
                                                
                                            
    
                                        
    

                                        
                                        

                                    
			
    

                                    
                                
    

                                
                                
    
                                
    
                            
		
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