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Knowledge Base

Failed to power on virtual machine (82542)

Last Updated: 1/11/2022Categories: TroubleshootingTotal Views: 152470Language:
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Symptoms

When attempting to start up a virtual machine (VM), it fails to power on.

Purpose

This resource provides a guide to identify symptoms and align them with solutions to resolve the failure of virtual machines to power on/VM power-on issues.

Cause

The failure of a VM to power on may be caused by any of the following reasons:

ESXi OS problems

File corruption

File locks

Guest OS problems

License problems

Network problems

Storage Array/Datastore problems

User permissions

VM configuration problems

VM snapshot problems

VM unfinished tasks

vCenter OS problems

Impact / Risks

VM power-on failures may impact the ability of significant numbers of users to work.

However, some resolutions can lead to data loss. As a result, please exercise caution when this risk is highlighted below.

Resolution

​

General symptoms:

Symptoms

Causes

Resolutions

Guest OS doesn't load properly

Guest OS file/partition corruption

VM configuration

Virtual hardware/guest OS driver incompatibility

Troubleshooting unresponsive guest operating system issues

Microsoft Cluster VM won't power on after disk provisioning change

Wrong disk provisioning, such as, not using Thick, eager-zeroed provisioning

Check and convert disks to supported provisioning per About Setup for Windows Server Failover Clustering on VMware vSphere.

For more information see Setup for Failover Clustering and Microsoft Cluster Service

Power on task hangs

ESXi OS problem

vCenter OS problem

vCenter/ESXi communication problem

Virtual machine power on task hangs

VM name shows as a path

Communication problems between ESXi hosts and array

Datastore problems/corruption

Storage array configuration

Storage array problems

Virtual machines names appear as ds:///vmfs/volumes/datastore/vm_name

VM power on option greyed out in vCenter

ESXi OS problem

vCenter OS problem

vCenter/ESXi communication problem

Virtual Machine Power On/Off options greyed out on vCenter Server client

VM orphaned or invalid in vCenter UI

Usually problems accessing datastore containing VM files

Virtual machines appear as invalid or orphaned in vCenter Server

vCenter/ESXi host UI messages:

Symptoms

Causes

Resolutions

A file was not found

• Datastore errors

Datastore missing

VM descriptor file not updating for disk changes

Virtual disk descriptor file problem

Virtual disk file missing

Unable to power on virtual machine with Error: Can't open 'vmfs/volumes/.vmdk': Could not find the file"

A general system error occured: vDS host error

vCenter Server database problem with VM virtual nic records

Unable to power on virtual machine with Error: A general system error occurred: vDS host error

A specified parameter was not correct. memoryAllocation.reservation

VM memory reservation that is greater than the memory limit set on that same virtual machine

Powering on a virtual machine fails with the error: memoryAllocation.reservation

Another task is already in progress

Another VM task, such as disk consolidation is in progress, or is hung

Virtual machine power on task hangs

APIC ID mismatch

VM virtual hardware doesn't support the guest OS requirements

Unable to power on virtual machine with Error: APIC ID mismatch

Bad address

Storage communication problems

Starting a virtual machine from the command line on VMDK file/files fails with the error: Bad address

Can't open '/vmfs/volumes/<vm file path>.vmdk' : Could not find the file

Datastore errors

Datastore missing

VM descriptor file not updating for disk changes

Virtual disk descriptor file problem

Virtual disk file missing

Unable to power on virtual machine with Error: Can't open 'vmfs/volumes/.vmdk': Could not find the file"

Cannot open the disk '/vmfs/volumes/<vm file path>.vmdk' or one of the snapshot disks it depends on.

Change tracking file problem

Datastore problem

File lock problem

Memory allocation problem

Parent virtual disk modified

Virtual disk problem

Powering on a virtual machine fails with the error: Cannot open the disk

Cannot use host <hostname> because the host's CPU is not compatible with the virtual machine's suspend state

VM state was suspended or snapshot with memory included, then moved to a new host with different CPU features

Powering on a virtual machine from a suspend state or reverting to a snapshot fails

Could not open change tracking files

Change tracking file is not clearing

“could not open/create change tracking files” error when powering on VM

cpu min outside valid range

CPU minimum reservation value outside the range the physical CPU can serve

Virtual machine does not power on when there is high CPU reservation

Device 'Bootstrap' is not available

Most commonly, attempting to power on a VM on a host that does not hold the lock on the VM files.

ESXi has insufficient access to underlying storage

Bad data in the VM descriptor file (*.vmx)

Error Device 'Bootstrap' is not available when powering on a VM on ESXi 6.0

Device 'HotPlugManager' is not available

Making configuration changes on powered-on VM which shares virtual disks with other VMs

Check if VM shares a disk with other VMs

Power off VM before making configuration changes

Error 32 (Broken pipe)

Two processes try to talk to each other over a connection (called a pipe) and one of the processes unexpectedly disappears

Power off or suspend the virtual machine if it is running

Power the VM on again

Incompatible device backing specific for device ‘0’

Virtual disk provisioning changed after Storage vMotion

Failed to power on a machine with the error ‘Incompatible device backing specific for device ‘0’, after storage vMotion to vSAN datastore

Invalid CPU allocation requested for VM

CPU minimum reservation value outside the range the physical CPU can serve

Virtual machine does not power on when there is high CPU reservation

Failed to enumerate disks

Virtual disk files are not accessible due to:

File locks held by other ESXi hosts

Access permission being blocked by storage array

Storage array problems

Bad information in virtual machine descriptor file

Bad information in virtual disk descriptor file

Bad virtual disk data file (*-flat.vmdk)

Check that permissions for the ESXi host to access the storage is not being blocked at the storage array. Check access control lists, and so forth.

Also see: Powering on a virtual machine fails with the error: File system specific implementation of Ioctl[file] failed

Failed to initialize swap file

Most commonly, datastore out of space

File lock problems

Datastore problems

Unable to power on virtual machine with Error: Failed to initialize swap file

Failed to lock the file

File lock problems

Investigating virtual machine file locks on ESXi hosts

Failed to find a host for powering on the virtual machine

VM resource reservations higher than host can serve

CPU incompatibility between VM and ESXi host

Virtual Machine not Compatible with any Host

Failed to revert the execution state of the virtual machine <vm name> on host <host name>

VM state was suspended or snapshot with memory included, then moved to a new host with different CPU features

Powering on a virtual machine from a suspend state or reverting to a snapshot fails

Feature 'bad_requirement:hv.capable' was 0, but must be at least 1.

Affects vCLS cluster management appliances when using nested virtual ESXi hosts in 7.x

Support for running ESXi/ESX as a nested virtualization solution

Feature requirements of this virtual machine exceed capabilities of this host's current EVC mode

VM state was suspended or snapshot with memory included, then moved to a new host with different CPU features

Powering on a virtual machine from a suspend state or reverting to a snapshot fails

File system specific implementation of GetPageRef[file] failed

Unable to read virtual machine file

Powering on a virtual machine fails with the error: File system specific implementation of Ioctl[file] failed

File system specific implementation of Ioctl[file] failed

Bad entries in virtual disk descriptor files (*.vmdk, *.vmx)

Communication problems between ESXi host and storage array

ESXi OS problems

Problems with file locks

Virtual disk data corruption

Powering on a virtual machine fails with the error: File system specific implementation of Ioctl[file] failed

File system specific implementation of LookupAndOpen[file] failed

Virtual disk files not opening properly

VM fails to power on with Error: "File system specific implementation of LookupAndOpen [file] failed"

Insufficient capacity on each physical CPU

CPU reservation higher than ESXi host can support

Powering on a virtual machine fails with the error: Insufficient capacity on each physical CPU

Invalid CPU allocation requested for VM

CPU reservation higher than ESXi host can support

Powering on a virtual machine fails with the error: Insufficient capacity on each physical CPU

License not available or other license-related error

Usually exceeded license or wrong type of license applied to ESXi hosts or vCenter Server

See Licensing ESXi 6.x/7.0.x and vCenter Server 6.x/7.0.x

See vSphere Virtual Machine Administration

Contact your license vendor

Module 'CheckpointLate' power on failed

VM state was suspended or snapshot with memory included, then moved to a new host with different CPU features

Powering on a virtual machine from a suspend state or reverting to a snapshot fails

Module 'Disk' power on failed.

Change tracking file problem

Datastore problem

File lock problem

Memory allocation problem

Parent virtual disk modified

Virtual disk problem

Powering on a virtual machine fails with the error: Cannot open the disk

Module MonitorLoop Power on Failed

The MonitorLoop program module detected that the VM did not power on. This is a high level message.

Look at the message details reported in the user interface. Follow the box in this article that aligns with the details.

msg.cpuid.FeatureName

VM requires a CPU processor feature which ESXi host is not providing

Unable to power on virtual machine with Error: "msg.cpuid."

No host  is compatible with the virtual machine

Virtual Machine not Compatible with any Host
VM Power On failed. No host is compatible with the VM

One of the parameters supplied is invalid

The Virtual SAN cluster UUID has changed

Virtual SAN cluster UUID changes may result in VM power-on failures

PBM error occurred during PreReconfigureCallback

Manually copying VM files from traditional storage to vSAN

Flat VMDK on vSAN

The attempted operation cannot be performed in the current state (Powered on) from the Host

Control of VM processes lost to ESXi host

Ensure no critical process such as snapshot consolidation is running on the VM per Virtual machine power on task hangs

If no critical process is running, follow Unable to Power off a Virtual Machine in an ESXi host to shut down the processes

The available Memory resources in the parent resource pool are insufficient for the operation

VM memory reservation settings higher than host can support

ESXi OS problem

vCenter Server OS problem

vCenter/ESXi host communication problem

ESXi host server hardware configuration problem

Unable to power on VM with Error: The available Memory resources in the parent resource pool are insufficient for the operation

The features supported by the processors in this machine are different from the features supported by the processors in the machine on which the checkpoint was saved.

VM state was suspended or snapshot with memory included, then moved to a new host with different CPU features

Powering on a virtual machine from a suspend state or reverting to a snapshot fails

The file specified is not a virtual disk (15)

The .vmdk descriptor file for the virtual machine boot disk is corrupt or missing

Powering on the virtual machine fails with the error: The file specified is not a virtual disk (15)

The operation is not allowed in the current state

A critical process is running

A VM has hung processes

Virtual machine power on task hangs

The parent virtual disk has been modified since the child was created

Parent to a snapshot virtual disk file has been changed after the snapshot was taken

"The parent virtual disk has been modified since the child was created" error

A virtual machine cannot boot after resizing a base virtual machine disk (VMDK) that is part of a snapshot chain

The specified device is not a valid physical disk device

Usually VM files put into ESXi host's scratch partition

Virtual machine operations on a ESXi 6.0 host fails with the error: The specified device is not a valid physical disk device

The virtual CPU performance counter events are not compatible with the host CPU.

VM state was suspended or snapshot with memory included, then moved to a new host with different CPU features

Powering on a virtual machine from a suspend state or reverting to a snapshot fails

The VM failed to resume on the destination during early power on

The destination file system does not support large files.

Failed to lock the file.

Could not open/create change tracking file.

Cannot allocate memory

No such device

The file specified is not a virtual disk

Insufficient permission to access file

Migrating a virtual machine fails with the error: The VM failed to resume on the destination during early power on : Reason

There is no more space for virtual disk VM.vmdk

Usually datastore VM files are on is out of space, very commonly seen when snapshots are created by backup software and fill remaining space quickly

There is no more space for virtual disk '.vmdk'

"There is no more space for virtual disk .vmdk" error when starting vSAN VM

Transport (VMDB) error -45: Failed to connect to peer process

Usually temporary network errors due to congestion

Retry power on after a few minutes
About vSphere Monitoring and Performance

Check for messages about network errors

Check for performance issues per

Unable to access file /vmfs/volumes/<filepath>.vmdk since it is locked

Most commonly, powered on VM contains locks on all files in use by the owning ESXi host to facilitate read and write access.

Troubleshooting issues resulting from locked virtual disks

Unable to access -000001.vmdk.ctk

Change tracking file is not clearing

“could not open/create change tracking files” error when powering on VM

Unable to write VMX file

Lock on VM descriptor file (*.vmx) held by another ESXi host

*.vmx file corruption

Rule out file lock problems per Investigating virtual machine file locks on ESXi hosts

If file locks are not the issue, follow Recreate a lost or deleted virtual machine .vmx configuration file on an ESXi host

Unsupported and/or invalid disk type

VM for VMware Hosted product (VMware Workstation,  VMware Player, VMware Fusion) powered on an ESXi host

A virtual machine fails to power on with the error: Unsupported and/or invalid disk type

Virtual disk 'Hard disk 2' is a mapped direct-access LUN that is not accessible

The host attempting to start or receive the virtual machine cannot access the device (LUN) backing the raw disk mapping

Powering on or migrating a virtual machine fails with the error: Virtual Disk 'X' is a mapped direct access LUN that is not accessible

Virtual machine disk consolidation is needed

Snapshots requiring more resources than ESXi host can handle

Snapshot chain problems

Snapshots exceed other limitations

Troubleshooting virtual machine snapshot descriptor problems

vmdk file is missing

Datastore errors

Datastore missing

VM descriptor file not updating for disk changes

Virtual disk descriptor file problem

Virtual disk file missing

Unable to power on virtual machine with Error: Can't open 'vmfs/volumes/.vmdk': Could not find the file"

Related Information

Please refer to these relevant resources for additional information:

Troubleshooting virtual machine power on task hangs

Fusion virtual machines fail to start after upgrading Mac OS X

Troubleshooting Fusion startup issues

Troubleshooting Fusion virtual machine startup issues

Detectable by VMware SkylineTM

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VMware vSphere ESXi 7.0.0

VMware vSphere ESXi 6.7

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