vMotion fails with error "Module 'MonitorLoop' power on failed"

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• vMotion may fail when all of the following conditions are met:

- Using vCenter 7.0.
- Destination ESXi host is newer version/build than Source ESXi host.
- Using DRS and resource pools.
- Affected Virtual Machine has all memory reserved.
 

• You see the error in the Destination ESXi host:

hostd.log:
------------
2022-09-04T17:25:42.690Z verbose hostd[2102552] [Originator@6876 sub=Vigor.Vmsvc.vm:/vmfs/volumes/datastore/VM/VM.vmx] VMotionPrepare: MigrateFromDest message: Module 'MonitorLoop' power on failed.
--> The VM failed to resume on the destination during early power on.

vmkernel.log:
------------
2022-09-04T17:25:42.683Z cpu33:22312387)Admission failure in path: host/user/pool16/pool57:vm.22312387:vmm.22312387
2022-09-04T17:25:42.683Z cpu33:22312387)vmm.22312387 (55658140) extraMin/extraFromParent: 3145728/3145728, pool57 (55658128) childEmin/eMinLimit: 28423/3173120
2022-09-04T17:25:42.684Z cpu33:22312387)WARNING: MemSched: vm 22312388: 4764: invalid memory allocation for VMM group: Admission check failed for memory resource
 

• You see the error in the affected Virtual Machine log:

vmware-X.log
------------
2022-09-04T17:25:42.688Z| vmx| | I005: Msg_Post: Error
2022-09-04T17:25:42.688Z| vmx| | I005: [vob.sched.group.mem.invalid3] Group vmm.22312387: Failed to apply memory configuration for VMM group vmm0:VM. (min: 3145728, max: 3145728, minLimit: 18446744073709551615, shares: 18446744073709551613, units: pages)
2022-09-04T17:25:42.688Z| vmx| | I005: [msg.vmmonVMK.admitFailed] Could not power on virtual machine: Admission check failed for memory resource.
2022-09-04T17:25:42.688Z| vmx| | I005+ See the VMware ESX Resource Management Guide for information on resource management settings.
2022-09-04T17:25:42.688Z| vmx| | I005: [msg.monitorLoop.createVMFailed.vmk] Failed to power on VM.

Environment

VMware vSphere 7.0.x

Cause

This issue may occur because the required overhead memory size for Virtual Machine differs depending on the version/build of ESXi host.

Resolution

Virtual Machine migration will be successful with either of the following.

• Setting the Virtual Machine memory reservation value to 0.

Set the memory reservation value to 0 from Virtual Machine "Edit Settings".
Migrate to the Destination ESXi host.
After successful migration, set back the memory reservation value to original max value.

• Cold migration.

Power off Virtual Machine.
Migrate to the Destination ESXi host.
Power on Virtual Machine.

Additional Information

Impact/Risks:
Unable to enter the Maintenance mode, when trying to maintain the source ESXi host.