vCenter Server displays error the object has already been deleted or has not been completely created

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

In the VMware vCenter Server UI, users may encounter a task-related error when viewing or managing Virtual Machines. The following error message is observed: The object 'vim.Task:task-XXXX' has already been deleted or has not been completely created. This typically occurs when the vCenter task database or the management agent loses track of a specific task ID associated with the VM's state.

Environment

• VMware vCenter Server 8.0.x
• VMware ESXi

Cause

The error is caused by a stale task reference in the vCenter Server inventory or a synchronization mismatch between the ESXi host management agents (hostd) and vCenter Server regarding the VM's current task state.

Resolution

To resolve this issue and refresh the VM's state in the inventory, perform a manual migration (vMotion) to reset the management hooks:

1. Log in to the vSphere Client.
2. Locate the affected Virtual Machine.
3. Right-click the VM and select Migrate.
4. Select Change compute resource only and move the VM to a different ESXi host in the cluster.
5. Once the migration is complete, migrate the VM back to the original ESXi host.
6. Verify the error message no longer appears and the VM remains powered on.