Error: An internal error occurred in the vSphere Client occurs while adding an existing virtual disk to a virtual machine

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• Adding an existing virtual disk to a virtual machine fails.
• When you browse to the virtual disk in the Add Hardware wizard, you see the error:
  
  An internal error occurred in the vSphere Client
  Details: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

Contact VMware support if necessary.

• The hostd.log file (located at /var/log/vmware) contains the error:
  
  F5A3DB90 error 'DatastoreBrowser' opID=02B43E6B-00000144] Could not convert disk adapter type 4 for /vmfs/volumes/Datastore-UUID/VM/VM.vmdk

Environment

VMware ESXi 4.1.x Embedded
VMware ESXi 4.0.x Embedded
VMware ESXi 3.5.x Embedded
VMware vCenter Server 4.1.x
VMware ESXi 3.5.x Installable
VMware ESX 4.0.x
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Installable
VMware vCenter Server 4.0.x
VMware ESX 4.1.x
VMware ESXi 4.0.x Installable
VMware ESX Server 3.5.x

Cause

This issue occurs when you add an existing virtual disk by connecting to the ESX/ESXi host or vCenter Server using vSphere Client. When an incorrect value is set for ddb.adapterType in the virtual disk's descriptor (vm.vmdk) file.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, ensure that the ddb.adapterType is either BusLogic or LSI Logic, set accordingly to the controller used by the virtual machine.

To determine what virtual SCSI controller type the virtual machine is using, see Changing the virtual SCSI controller of a virtual machine (1002149).

 

To set the ddb.adapterType:

1. Open the virtual disk's descriptor file using a text editor
2. Ensure that the ddb.adapterType is either buslogic or lsilogic.
3. Close and Save the file.

Additional Information

Changing the virtual SCSI controller of a virtual machine