Error: "The requested operation could not be executed on vApp <vapp_name>. Stop the vApp and try again" when deleting standalone VMs in Cloud Director

Products

• VMware Cloud Director

Issue/Introduction

• Attempting to delete a standalone VM in Cloud Director (VCD) fails with an error of the form:

The requested operation could not be executed on vApp <vapp_name>. Stop the vApp and try again.

• The standalone VM is already in a Powered Off state and cannot be stopped.
• The standalone VM is connected to a network.
• The vApp is not visible in the VCD UI as the VM is standalone.

Environment

VMware Cloud Director 10.x

Cause

Standalone VMs in VCD have an automatically generated hidden vApp which is not visible in the VCD UI.
When a Standalone VM is powered off the hidden vApp should also be automatically powered off.

In some scenarios it is possible that the standalone VM will enter a powered off state but the hidden vApp stays powered on.
This will block the delete operation and generate the error above asking for the vApp to be powered off first.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, the affected standalone VM can be converted to a vApp so that it can be completely undeployed and deleted.
Example steps would be as follows:

1. From the Tenant UI of Cloud Director navigate to the Datacenters > Compute > Virtual Machines view and locate the affected standalone VM.
2. Click Actions menu for the affected VM and select Convert to vApp.
3. Complete the instructions to save the standalone VM as a vApp.
4. Locate the newly created vApp in the Datacenters > Compute > vApps view.
5. Power Off the vApp to completely undeploy it and then Delete the vApp to remove both vApp and VM.