Snapshot using a Snapshot Manager fails with the Error: "Operation not allowed in current state" when creating a snapshot or clone in vSphere
Article ID: 334177
Updated On:
Products
Issue/Introduction
- Attempting a snapshot or clone for a virtual machine fails. This occurs in the vSphere Client, VMware Consolidated Backup, or third-party solutions (e.g., Veeam, vRanger)..
- The following errors appear in vCenter Server:
Cannot create snapshot
Operation not allowed in current state
- The virtual machine, VMware vCenter Server, and the host appear to be running without problems, but the error persists.
- The ESXi host `/var/log/hostd.log` contains:
[YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.Z error 'vm:/vmfs/volumes/######-######/VMNAME/VMNAME.vmx'] Invalid transition requested (VM_STATE_ON_SHUTTING_DOWN -> VM_STATE_CREATE_SNAPSHOT): Invalid state
Environment
VMware vSphere ESXi 6.x / 7.x / 8.x
VMware vCenter Server 6.x / 7.x / 8.x
Cause
This issue occurs if the host management agents (hostd/vpxa) enter an inconsistent state, often reporting the VM is in an `ON_SHUTTING_DOWN` state even if it is powered on and running. This can also be triggered by active PCI passthrough devices or corrupted snapshot metadata.
Resolution
1. Verify the VM does not have PCI/DirectPath IO devices attached. If a PCI device is present, power off the VM to take a snapshot.
2. Disable the Virtual machine startup/shutdown with host feature on the host before proceeding.
3. Restart the management agents on the ESXi host. See [Restarting the Management agents in ESXi Restarting Management Agents in ESXi
4. Restart the **VMware Virtual Center service** (vpxd). See [How to stop, start, or restart vCenter Server services How to stop, start, or restart vCenter Server services
5. Attempt the snapshot or clone again.
If the issue persists, inspect the VM's `.vmsd` file for corrupted snapshot UIDs. See
Additional Information
To speak with a customer representative or a Support Engineer, see Contact Support
Feedback
