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>
  
  
  The vCenter /var/log/vmware/vpxd.log shows below errors:
  
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS warning vpxd[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"

  
  
  
  
• The ESXi /var/run/log/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 Advanced Parameters tab.
4. Add or modify these entries:
   
   ctkEnabled → false
scsix:x.ctkEnabled → false

   Note: Every hard disk added to the virtual machine is given a SCSI device that appears similar to scsi0:0, scsi0:1, or scsi 1:1. CBT is enabled (or disabled) individually on each disk.
5. Delete the ctk.vmdk files from VM folder
6. Use VI to comment out the changeTrackPath in each snapshot and base vmdk descriptor file:
   
   #changeTrackPath="ExampleVM-ctk.vmdk"


7. Power on the VM 
8. Perform a storage vMotion task on the VM.