Unable to remove inaccessible datastore from vCenter server as it is greyed out.

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Datastore showing inaccessible on vCenter and unable to remove as it is greyed out.

Environment

• VMware ESXi 7.x

• VMware ESXi 8.x

• VMware ESXi 9.x

Cause

• The issue is seen when the VMs are associated with the affected datastore (either VMDK, ISO files or any other files).

• Though the datastore is inaccessible, since the virtual machine configuration is still pointing at the datastore path, it would not allow to detach/remove the datastore.

Resolution

In order to resolve the issue, verify the VMs that are associated with the affected datastore. If there are reference files shown up on VM configuration, verify and remove from the virtual machines.

Post detaching the VMDKs/any other reference pointing to the affected datastore from the VMs, the datastore would disappear upon rescan.

Steps to verify and fix.

1. On vCenter server UI, click on the datastore showing inaccessible.

2. In the right hand side panel, please click on VMs.

3. It may show some VMs shown up on inaccessible datastore. However, the VMs listed there may be running on a different datastore and VMDKs are attached from the inaccessible datastore and show '0' MB capacity.

4. Verify the datastore association with VM by editing the VM settings and checking for the VMDKs and CD/DVD or ISO.

   1. Refer the below screen: 

   2. 

5. Verify the impact of detaching the VMDK from VM. If the datastore is already inaccessible, the Guest OS/VM may not be using the VMDK from the affected datastore.

6. Once it is verified, the VMDK can be detached from the VM/s. Upon performing a rescan for the datastore, the inaccessible datastore would disappear.

When we detach the VMDKs from the affected datastore, it would remove the associations with datastores and expected to detach the datastore as expected.