Storage vMotion failed for VM with error "Error caused by file /vmfs/volumes/<datastore_UUID>/VM-FOLDER/<VM_NAME>.vmdk"

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi
• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• Storage vMotion for a VM from one datastore to another datastore fails with error:
  
  Relocate virtual machine
   "Error caused by file /vmfs/volumes/<datastore_UUID>/VM-FOLDER/<VM_NAME>.vmdk"
  Failed to relocate <VM_name> from <Host_Name> <Source_datastore_name>in <cluster>to <Host_name>, <Destination_datastore>in <Cluster_Name>
  
  
• VPXD logs shows below errors:
  
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS warning ypxd[07002] [Originator@6876 sub=Vmomi opID=menpdo61-33191-auto-pm0-h5:70005043-17] VMOMI activation LRO failed; << 52b6b84a-48d6-cd51-543e-2f67597c25f5, <TCP '127.0.0.1 : 8085'>, <TCP '127.0.0.1 : 44778'>>, vm-#####, vim.VirtualMachine.relocate>, N3Vim5Fault9FileFault9ExceptionE(Fault cause: vim.fault.FileFault
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS info ypxd[07002] [Originator@6876 sub=Default opID-menpdo61-33191-auto-pm0-h5:70005043-17] [VpxLRQ] -- ERROR task-172316 -- vm-id-- vim.VirtualMachine.relocate: vim.fault.FileFault:
  -- > Result:
  -- > (vim.fault.FileFault) {
  faultCause = (ymodl.MethodFault) null,
  faultMessage = <unset>,
  file = "/vmfs/volumes/<datastore_UUID>/VM-FOLDER/<VM_NAME>.vmdk"
  msg = "Error caused by file /vmfs/volumes/<datastore_UUID>/VM-FOLDER/<VM_NAME>.vmdk"
  
  
  
• hostd.log shows below traces:
  
  

  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS info hostd [2548211][Originator@6876 sub=DiskLib opID=menpdo61-33191-auto-pm0-h5: 70005043-17-01-0379 user=vpxuser:VSPHERE.LOCAL\Administrator] DISKLIB-LINK: DiskLinkNativeVmfsCloneExisting: Failed to create native clone. (24).

  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS info hostd [2548211] [Originator@6876 sub=DiskLib opID=menpdo61-33191-auto-pm0-h5: 70005043-17-01-0379 user=vpxuser:VSPHERE.LOCAL\Administrator] DISKLIB-LIB CLONE : Failed to create native clone on destination handle : The specified feature is not supported by this version (24).

  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS info hostd[2548211] [Originator@6876 sub=DiskLib opID=menpdo61-33191-auto-pm0-h5: 70005043-17-01-0379 user=vpxuser:VSPHERE.LOCAL\Administrator] DISKLIB-LIB_CLONE: Failed to clone : Invalid change tracker error code (7228).

  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS warning hostd[2548211] [Originator@6876 sub=Libs opID=menpdo61-33191-auto-pm0-h5: 70005043-17-01-0379 user=ypxuser:VSPHERE.LOCAL\Administrator] [NFC ERROR]Nfc_DiskLib_Clone: Failed to create VMFSEx2 disk /vmfs/volumes/<datastore_UUID>/VM-FOLDER/<VM_NAME>.vmdk

  Invalid change tracker error code (7228).

  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS warning hostd[2548211] [Originator@6876 sub=Libs opID=menpdo61-33191-auto-pm0-h5: 70005043-17-01-0379 user=vpxuser: VSPHERE.LOCAL\Administrator] [NFC ERROR]NfcFileDskClone: Failed to clone disk at destination /vmfs/volumes/<datastore_UUID>/VM-FOLDER/<VM_NAME>.vmdk: Invalid change tracker error code (7228)

  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS info hostd [2548211][Originator@6876 sub=Libs opID=menpdo61-33191-auto-pm0-h5: 70005043-17-01-0379 user=vpxuser: VSPHERE.LOCAL\Administrator] [NFC VERBOSE] NfcFile_Clone: copy from /vmfs/volumes/<Source_datastore_UUID>/VM-FOLDER/<VM_NAME>.vmdk -> /vmfs/volumes/<Desination_datastore_UUID>/VM-FOLDER/<VM_NAME>.vmdk failed (10).

 

Environment

• VMware vSphere ESXi 7.x, 8.x
• VMware vCenter Server 7.x, 8.x

Cause

This issue occurs on CBT enabled VM and change tracking file is invalid or inconsistent. 

Resolution

Disable Change tracking:

1. Power off the VM
2. Right-click the VM → Edit Settings
3. Go to the VM Options tab → Expand Advanced > Configuration Parameters
4. Add or modify these entries:
   ctkEnabled → false
   disk0: scsi0:0.ctkEnabled → false
   disk1: scsi0:0.ctkEnabled → false
5. Delete the ctk.vmdk files from VM folder
6. Power cycle VM 

Storage vMotion will be successful