The vswp datastore changes from displaying to not displaying in the virtual machines summary tab

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

• The vSphere Client and Web Client stop displaying the vswp datastore for a virtual machine with custom vswp location.
• Virtual machines have a vswp swap file location not located in the default virtual machine directory.
• After a complete shut down and restart of the virtual machine, the vswp datastore starts to display.
• The vswp file still exists after the vswp datastore no longer displays in the vSphere Client and Web Client.
• The virtual machine’s vmx file contains the correct path for the custom vswp file location.

Environment

• VMware vSphere ESXi 5.0
• VMware vSphere Web Client 5.1.x
• VMware vCenter Server 5.5.x
• VMware vSphere Web Client 5.0.x
• VMware vSphere Web Client 5.5.x
• VMware vCenter Server 5.0.x
• VMware vCenter Server 5.1.x
• VMware vSphere ESXi 5.5
• VMware vSphere ESXi 5.1

Cause

This issue occurs after performing a VMware Storage vMotion or VMware vMotion on a virtual machine with a custom vswp location. You do not receive any warnings before this issue occurs. By default, datastores should display in the vSphere Client and vSphere Web Client.

Resolution

This is a known issue. Currently, there is no resolution.

 

• To work around this issue and display the vswp datastore in the virtual machine summary tab, enable vswp datastore display in the vSphere Client and Web. Shut down and restart the affected virtual machine to recreate the vswp file.
• To ensure the vswp file is configured to enable its creation on the correct datastore, open the virtual machine’s vmx file and verify the vswp file path.
• To open the virtual machine’s vmx file and verify the vswp file path:

1. Open an SSH session to the ESXi host, hosting the affected virtual machine.
2. Change directory to the virtual machine's directory on the datastore:
   
   cd /vmfs/volumes/datastoreName/vmDirectoryName
   
   
3. Open the virtual machine's vmx file in less:
   
   less vmName.vmx
   
   
4. Locate the line entry starting with:
   
   sched.swap.derivedName =
   
   
5. This line displays the location where the vswp file was created. For example:
   
   sched.swap.derivedName = "/vmfs/volumes/526980a3-e7b0d522-1ccb-00505617367d/testVM/testVM-12269531.vswp"