A virtual machine operation fails with the error: Failure to create journal file provider

Products

• VMware
• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• Virtual machine operations fail. The operations can include:
• Create
• Rename
• Edit Settings
• Cold Migrate
  
  
• Cold migrating a virtual machine to the same host but a different datastore produces the error:
  
  A general system error occurred, failed to create journal file provider

Environment

VMware ESX Server 3.5.x
VMware ESX Server 3.0.x
VMware vCenter Lab Manager 2.4.x
VMware vCenter Lab Manager 3.0.x
VMware VirtualCenter 2.5.x
VMware vCenter Lab Manager 2.5.x

Resolution

This issue may be caused by:

• Lack of resources within the VMware ESX service console.
• Lack of disk space on the VMware ESX host.
• Lack of disk space on the VMware VirtualCenter server.
• An anti-virus program is running on the VirtualCenter server, which prevents access to the files located in the folder:
  
  C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\journal\
  Note: The path may change depending on platform, and drive letter assignments.

Validate that each troubleshooting step below is true for your environment. Each step will provide instructions or a link to a document, in order to eliminate possible causes and take corrective action as necessary. The steps are ordered in the most appropriate sequence to isolate the issue and identify the proper resolution. Please do not skip a step.

1. Ensure that the VMware ESX service console has enough resources. For more information, see Checking for resource starvation of the ESX Service Console (1003496).
2. Ensure that the VMware ESX host has enough disk space in the required partitions. For more information, see Investigating disk space on an ESX host (1003564).
3. Ensure that the VirtualCenter server is not running out of disk space.
4. Verify whether an anti-virus program or service is running on the VirtualCenter server, and ensure that it is not preventing access to the above mentioned folder. For more information, contact your vendor.

If the problem still exists after trying the steps in this article, do the following:

1. Gather the VMware Support Script Data. For more information, see Collecting Diagnostic Information in a VMware Virtual Infrastructure Environment (1003689).
2. File a support request with VMware Support and note this KB Article ID in the problem description. For more information, see How to Submit a Support Request.

Additional Information

Collecting diagnostic information in a VMware Virtual Infrastructure Environment