Simple CID mismatch error or total disaster? Please help.

guynamedghost

Hello,

I believe my actions have resulted in a CID mismatch error, but I do not have enough experience with VMWare Workstation to confidently proceed with the troubleshooting steps outlined in the VMware's article (KB Article: 1007969).

If someone can get this VM to boot from it's current state, or even a snapshot or two previous, that would be wonderful. I just don't want to start from scratch.

If I should be posting this issue to another forum or website entirely, please let me know. Hopefully I have provided enough details to allow someone to share their expertise.

I am studying to take the Microsoft MCITP exams and am in a bit of a scary situation. Basically I moved a team of VM's into a different directory. Three of the four power on, but one VM will not. This VM is the Win Server 2008 DC and contains all of the snapshots from my lab exercises from the past couple months.

Any help is greatly, greatly appreciated.

I am using linked clones to save space on my primary HDD (120 GIG Intel SSD). All of my VM's live within this path:


C:\Users\jeffrey\Documents\virtual machines\


The following VM's are in a team:


C:\Users\jeffrey\Documents\virtual machines\Clone of Windows Server 2008 R2 x64
C:\Users\jeffrey\Documents\virtual machines\Clone of Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 2_server_core.vmwarevm
C:\Users\jeffrey\Documents\virtual machines\Clone of Windows 7_vm_1
C:\Users\jeffrey\Documents\virtual machines\BranchOffice


I wanted to place their parents into a sub directory called "VM Masters"
I moved the following VM's into "C:\Users\jeffrey\Documents\virtual machines\VM Masters"


C:\Users\jeffrey\Documents\virtual machines\Windows 7_vm_1.vmwarevm\
C:\Users\jeffrey\Documents\virtual machines\Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 2_server_core.vmwarevm
C:\Users\jeffrey\Documents\virtual machines\Windows Server 2008 R2 x64.vmwarevm




After the move, I powered on the team.




"Clone of Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 2_server_core.vmwarevm" , "Clone of Windows 7_vm_1" and "BranchOffice" required that I browse to the correct vmdk file and then they boot successfully.




****HOWEVER****


"Clone of Windows Server 2008 R2 x64.vmwarevm" could not find the following file" :


"Windows Server 2008 R2 x64-000008.vmdk"


I browsed inside each subdir in "C:\Users\jeffrey\Documents\virtual machines\" and could not locate it.


Now here is where things get beyond my comfort level. A little back story is necessary.



Last year I began my MCITP studies using VM Fushion on a Mac. It quickly became apparent that I would need to invest in a dedicated windows rig (8GIGS RAM, SSD, etc...). If memory serves the "Windows Server 2008 R2 x64.vmwarevm" VM was originally created on VM Fusion. I imported the Fushion VM into VMware Workstation 7 on my new Desktop PC and I was up and running again.


I ended up finding the missing "Windows Server 2008 R2 x64-000008.vmdk" file inside the following path


"E:\vm\MCITP_VMs_orig_modify_with_care\Virtual Machines\Windows Server 2008 R2 x64.vmwarevm" (This VM was originally created with Fusion.)


Next, I attempted to power on "Clone of Windows Server 2008 R2 x64" but it gave me the following error:


"Cannot open the disk 'C:\Users\jeffrey\Documents\virtuals machines\Clone of Windows Server 2008 R2 x64\Windows Server 2008 R2 x64-cl1-000005.vmdk" or one of the snapshot disks it depends on. Reason: The parent virtual disk has been modifed since the child was created."


I should have stopped here, dove into the forums and calculated the next move. Instead I foolishly went into Snapshot Manager and reverted from "You Are Here" to a previous snapshot and clicked Go To. Things went for bad to worse. "Clone of Windows Server 2008 R2 x64" is now stuck in a suspended state.


When I attempt to resume I get the following error:


"Cannot open the disk 'C:\Users\jeffrey\Documents\virtual machines\Clone of Windows Server 2008 R2 x64\Windows Server 2008 R2 x64-cl1-000005.vmdk' or one of the snapshot disks it depends on.Reason: The parent virtual disk has been modified since the child was created."


Fully immersed in sh*t, it seemed like the perfect time to back up, so the following VM's folders are backed up to an external drive:
1. C:\Users\jeffrey\Documents\virtual machines\Clone of Windows Server 2008 R2 x64
2. C:\Users\jeffrey\Documents\virtual machines\Windows Server 2008 R2 x64.vmwarevm
3. The original Fushion VM


Is it possible to climb out of this hole? Below is a portion of the log that I believe points to the issue
"C:\Users\jeffrey\Documents\virtual machines\Clone of Windows Server 2008 R2 x64\vmware.log"


Again, any assistance is greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

---

Jan 06 10:20:46.906: vmx| DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Opened [18]: "Windows Server 2008 R2 x64-000008-s019.vmdk" (0xe)
Jan 06 10:20:46.906: vmx| DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Opened [19]: "Windows Server 2008 R2 x64-000008-s020.vmdk" (0xe)
Jan 06 10:20:46.906: vmx| DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Opened [20]: "Windows Server 2008 R2 x64-000008-s021.vmdk" (0xe)
Jan 06 10:20:46.906: vmx| DISKLIB-LINK : Opened 'E:\vm\MCITP_VMs_orig_modify_with_care\Virtual Machines\Windows Server 2008 R2 x64.vmwarevm\Windows


Server 2008 R2 x64-000008.vmdk' (0xe): twoGbMaxExtentSparse, 83886080 sectors / 40 GB.
Jan 06 10:20:46.906: vmx| DISKLIB-LINK : Attach: Content ID mismatch (3515b64a != 7ebd2200).
Jan 06 10:20:46.906: vmx| DISKLIB-CHAIN : "E:\vm\MCITP_VMs_orig_modify_with_care\Virtual Machines\Windows Server 2008 R2 x64.vmwarevm\Windows Server


2008 R2 x64-000008.vmdk" : failed to open (The parent virtual disk has been modified since the child was created).
Jan 06 10:20:47.296: vmx| DISKLIB-LIB : Failed to open 'C:\Users\jeffrey\Documents\virtual machines\Clone of Windows Server 2008 R2 x64\Windows Server


2008 R2 x64-cl1-000005.vmdk' with flags 0xa (The parent virtual disk has been modified since the child was created).
Jan 06 10:20:47.296: vmx| DISK: Cannot open disk "C:\Users\jeffrey\Documents\virtual machines\Clone of Windows Server 2008 R2 x64\Windows Server 2008 R2


x64-cl1-000005.vmdk": The parent virtual disk has been modified since the child was created (1.
Jan 06 10:20:47.296: vmx| Msg_Post: Error
Jan 06 10:20:47.296: vmx| [msg.disk.noBackEnd] Cannot open the disk 'C:\Users\jeffrey\Documents\virtual machines\Clone of Windows Server 2008 R2


x64\Windows Server 2008 R2 x64-cl1-000005.vmdk' or one of the snapshot disks it depends on.
Jan 06 10:20:47.296: vmx| [msg.disk.configureDiskError] Reason: The parent virtual disk has been modified since the child was


created.

---

azjag

I tried to recreate the error you were experiencing but was not able to. Did you include all the steps you took?

If you know where the .VMX files are you could remove all the VM's and then re-add them. You may be left with starting from scratch.

guynamedghost

azjag,

Sincere thanks for taking the time and energy to try and replicate the issue. If I missed any steps, I will report back.

>If you know where the .VMX files are you could remove all the VM's and then re-add them. You may be left with starting from >scratch.

Is there a KB article or guide that would detail this process?

After some research, I have made progress, albeit minor. After following KB Article #1003846, I was able to get the VM into a Powered Off state. It is no longer stuck in Suspend.

In the meantime, I thought it may be helpful to post the logs for "C:\Users\jeffrey\Documents\virtual machines\Clone of Windows Server 2008 R2 x64\Windows Server 2008 R2"

Log: Clone of Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 vmware.log - Pastebin.com
Full Debug Mode: Clone of Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 vmware.log FULL Debug Mo - Pastebin.com

Of particular interest is Line # 459. Does "fileSearchPath =" detail the child-parent disk structure (chain)? That would be very helpful.

Thanks again.