Virtual Machine (VM) is listed as Orphaned and vCenter Shows it Running on the Wrong Host

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• vCenter shows a VM as Orphaned
• The VM is online and accessible in the environment.
• When selecting the orphaned VM in vCenter and going to the Related Objects section on the Summary tab, you see the Host is listed as host1.example.com
• Logging into host1.example.com using the ESXi Host Client reveals the VM is not in the host's inventory.
• Checking other hosts in the environment reveals the VM is running on a different ESXi host.

Environment

• VMware vCenter Server 7.x, 8.x

Cause

Typical triggers include vCenter restoration or host management service restarts.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, perform the following steps to refresh the connection between the ESXi host and vCenter Server:

1. In vCenter, right-click the orphaned VM and select Remove from Inventory.
2. Locate the ESXi host where the VM is actively running.
3. Right-click the host and select Connection > Disconnect.
4. Click OK to confirm.
5. Right-click the host again and select Connection > Connect.
6. After the connection task completes, the VM should re-register automatically and no longer appear orphaned.

If the issue persists, refer to Virtual machines appear as invalid or orphaned or inaccessible for advanced troubleshooting.

Additional Information

If you require further assistance, contact Broadcom Technical Support by visiting our Contact Broadcom Support page.