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VMware KB - A Virtual Machine Fails To Power On With The Error - Unsupported and - or Invalid Disk Type

This document discusses an issue where a virtual machine fails to power on with the error message "Unsupported and/or invalid disk type". This can occur if a virtual machine meant for VMware Workstation or Fusion is attempted to be powered on in vSphere. The disk would need to be converted or reformatted to the vSphere disk format using the vmkfstools command before powering on in vSphere.

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317 views4 pages

VMware KB - A Virtual Machine Fails To Power On With The Error - Unsupported and - or Invalid Disk Type

This document discusses an issue where a virtual machine fails to power on with the error message "Unsupported and/or invalid disk type". This can occur if a virtual machine meant for VMware Workstation or Fusion is attempted to be powered on in vSphere. The disk would need to be converted or reformatted to the vSphere disk format using the vmkfstools command before powering on in vSphere.

Uploaded by

piri_picchio
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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VMware KB: A virtual machine fails to power on with the error: Unsupported and/or invalid disk type

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

Knowledge Base

A virtual machine fails to power on with the error: Unsupported and/or invalid disk type (1028943)
Symptoms
Cannot power on the virtual machine
Powering on the virtual machine fails
You see the error:

Unsupported and/or invalid disk type


In the Events tab on the ESXi hosts or vCenter Server, you see the error:

Module DevicePowerOn power on failed.


Unable to create virtual SCSI device for scsi0:0, '/vmfs/volumes/datastorename/VirtualMachineHome/VirtualMachineDisk.vmdk'
Failed to open disk scsi0:0: Unsupported and/or invalid disk type 7. Did you forget to import the disk first?

Cause
This issue occurs if a virtual machine that is meant for VMware Hosted products such as VMware Workstation, VMware Player or VMware Fusion is powered-on on an ESX/ESXi host.
The underlying format used to store virtual machines on VMware Hosted products differs from the format used to store virtual machines on ESX/ESXi hosts.

Resolution
To import a virtual machine stored on a VMware Hosted product to an ESX/ESXi host, the virtual machine should first be converted using VMware vCenter Converter. For more information on conversion, see the
VMware vCenter Converter documentation (https://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vcc_pubs.html) .
Alternatively, to work around this issue in ESXi 5.0 and earlier versions, reformat the VMDK using the vmkfstools command, detach the currently attached VMDK from the virtual machine and then reattach
it:
1. Connect to the ESX/ESXi host via SSH.
For more information, see Using Tech Support Mode in ESXi 4.1 and ESXi 5.x (1017910) (/selfservice/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&docTypeID=DT_KB_1_1&externalId=1017910) .
2. Run this command:

vmkfstools -i HostedVirtualDisk ESXVirtualDisk

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

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

Where HostedVirtualDisk is the path to the vmdk on the host and ESXVirtualDisk is the vmdk to be output by the command.
For example:

vmkfstools -i /vmfs/volumes/datastore/virtual_machine_folder/ virtual_machine.vmdk /vmfs/volumes/datastore


/new_virtual_machine_folder/ virtual_machine.vmdk
3. Detach the currently attached VMDK from the virtual machine:
a. In the vSphere Client or vSphere Web Client, right-click the virtual machine and click Edit Settings.
b. Select the hard disk.
c. Click Remove.
d. Select the Remove from virtual machine option.
e. Click OK.
4. Reattach the newly formatted VMDK from Step 2:
a. In the vSphere Client or vSphere Web Client, right-click the virtual machine and click Edit Settings.
b. Click Add.
c. Select the hard disk.
d. Click Next.
e. Select the Use an existing virtual disk option.
f. Click Next.
g. Click Browse and locate the new VMDK created in Step 2.
h. Click Next.
i. Click Next.
j. Click Finish to close the Add Hardware window.
k. Click OK to close the Virtual Machine properties window.
5. Power on the virtual machine.
For importing the virtual disk files in ESX 5.1 hosts, see Powering on a virtual machine on an upgraded host fails with the error: File [VMFS volume] VM-name/VM-name.vmdk was not found (2036572) (/selfservice
/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&docTypeID=DT_KB_1_1&externalId=2036572) .
Note: To access the command line on an ESXi host, you must enable Tech Support Mode. For more information, see Tech Support Mode for Emergency Support (1003677) (http://knova-prod-kcc-vip.vmware.com:8080
/contactcenter/authoring/search.do?cmd=displayKC&externalId=1003677) .

For more information on this method, see Migrate VMware Workstation and VMware GSX Server Virtual Machines in the ESX Configuration Guide (http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vs_pubs.html) .

Tags
cannot-power-on-vm power-on-vm vm-power-on vm-power-on-fails

See Also
Using Tech Support Mode in ESXi 4.1, ESXi 5.x, and ESXi 6.0 (1017910) ( http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1017910)
Powering on a virtual machine on an upgraded host fails with the error: File [VMFS volume] VM-name/VM-name.vmdk was not found (2036572) ( http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2036572)

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

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

Falha de inicializao da mquina virtual com o erro: tipo de disco invlido e/ou incompatvel (2046481) ( http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2046481)
El encendido de una mquina virtual falla y aparece el error: Tipo de disco no compatible y/o invlido (2046879) ( http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2046879)
/ (2076035) ( http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2076035)
(2079977) ( http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2079977)

Update History
02/15/2013 - Added link to article 2036572
09/25/2015 - Added 5.5 and 6.0 products.

Request a Product Feature


To request a new product feature or to provide feedback on a VMware product, please visit the Request a Product Feature (http://www.vmware.com/contact/contactus.html?department=prod_request) page.
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KB: 1028943
Updated: Sep 28, 2015
Categories:
Troubleshooting
Languages:
English
Product(s):
VMware ESX
VMware ESXi
Product Version(s):
VMware ESX 4.0.x
VMware ESX 4.1.x
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Embedded
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Installable
VMware ESXi 5.0.x

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

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

VMware ESXi 5.1.x


VMware ESXi 5.5.x
VMware ESXi 6.0.x

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