"vSphere HA virtual machine failover failed" error when vSphere HA triggers a failover for specific VMs
search cancel

"vSphere HA virtual machine failover failed" error when vSphere HA triggers a failover for specific VMs

book

Article ID: 417389

calendar_today

Updated On:

Products

VMware vSphere ESXi VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

  • vSphere HA triggers a failover for all the VMs on a host that is in powered off/not-responding state, but the task fails for specific VMs with the error:

    vSphere HA virtual machine failover failed

  • A CD/DVD device is attached to the VM and configured to Connect at power on.

  • VMs perform vMotion (live migration) successfully to other ESXi hosts, but vSphere HA failover consistently fails.

  • As per /var/run/log/fdm.log for the primary ESXi host:

    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS Db(167) Fdm[2102515]: [Originator@6876 sub=Placement opID=29fd####] Vm /vmfs/volumes/65fa30ef-11bc16a6-da4c-############/<VM_Name>/<VM_Name>.vmx failed placement with fault [N3Vim5Fault21NoActiveHostInClusterE:0x000000f2a38####
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS Db(167) Fdm[2102515]: [Originator@6876 sub=Placement opID=29fd####] Setting insufficient resource timeout to 60 seconds and retrying placement for vm /vmfs/volumes/65fa30ef-11bc16a6-da4c-############/<VM_Name>/<VM_Name>.vmx
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS Db(167) Fdm[2102515]: [Originator@6876 sub=Placement opID=29fd####] Reset the placement status of vm /vmfs/volumes/65fa30ef-11bc16a6-da4c-############/<VM_Name>/<VM_Name>.vmx to 0, vim.fault.NoActiveHostInCluster (vim.fault.NoActiveHostInCluster)

  • /var/run/log/hostd.log confirms that the ISO file is inaccessible:

    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS In(166) Hostd[20999##]: [Originator@6876 sub=Vmsvc.vm:/vmfs/volumes/65fb84b0-153da07a-2068-############/<VM_Name>/<VM_Name>.vmx] CacheDatastores: fileBacking [] /vmfs/volumes/65f04c41-b644631a-b35a-############/datastorename /<filename>.iso has null datastore reference
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS Db(167) Hostd[20999##]: [Originator@6876 sub=Vmsvc.vm:/vmfs/volumes/65fb84b0-153da07a-2068-############/<VM_Name>/<VM_Name>.vmx] Handling vmx message 1053800: Cannot connect file "/vmfs/volumes/65f04c41-b644631a-b35a-############/datastorename /<filename>.iso" as a CD-ROM image: Could not find the file

  • /var/run/log/vmkernel.log records initialization failures for PCI devices (e.g., Vendor ID 80##) with the following error:

    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS In(182) vmkernel: cpu0:2097###)PCI: 13##: 00##:7#:0#.0 80##:344# 80##:00## disabled due to insufficient resources or because the device is not supported: Not supported
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS In(182) vmkernel: cpu0:2097###)PCI: 13##: 00##:7#:0#.0 80##:344# 80##:00## disabled due to insufficient resources or because the device is not supported: Not supported
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS In(182) vmkernel: cpu0:2097###)PCI: 13##: 00##:7#:0#.1 80##:344# 80##:00## disabled due to insufficient resources or because the device is not supported: Not supported
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS In(182) vmkernel: cpu0:2097###)PCI: 13##: 00##:7#:0#.2 80##:344# 80##:00## disabled due to insufficient resources or because the device is not supported: Not supported
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS In(182) vmkernel: cpu0:2097###)PCI: 13##: 00##:7#:0#.3 80##:344# 80##:00## disabled due to insufficient resources or because the device is not supported: Not supported
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS In(182) vmkernel: cpu0:2097###)PCI: 13##: 00##:f#:0#.0 80##:344# 80##:00## disabled due to insufficient resources or because the device is not supported: Not supported
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS In(182) vmkernel: cpu0:2097###)PCI: 13##: 00##:f#:0#.3 80##:344# 80##:00## disabled due to insufficient resources or because the device is not supported: Not supported

Environment

  • VMware vSphere ESXi 7.0.x
  • VMware vSphere ESXi 8.0.x
  • VMware vCenter Server 7.0.x
  • VMware vCenter Server 8.0.x

Cause

  • The primary cause of the failure is that the VM's CD/DVD drive is mounted to an ISO file stored on a datastore only the source ESXi host can access.

  • Because High Availability (HA) requires the recovery host to access all attached devices to power on the VM, the target ESXi host marks itself as incompatible when it cannot reach the ISO.

  • As a result, the failover fails and the VM cannot restart due to the inaccessible storage component.

Resolution

Detach the ISO file or disconnect the CD/DVD drive from the affected virtual machine/s:

  1. Log in to the vSphere Client.

  2. Navigate to the affected Virtual Machine in the inventory.

  3. Right-click the VM and select Edit Settings.

  4. Expand the CD/DVD drive component.

  5. Uncheck the Connected and Connect at power on checkboxes.

  6. Change the Media setting from Datastore ISO File to Client Device or Host Device.

  7. Click OK to save the changes.

Powered by Wolken Software