"An error occurred, please try again" error observed while browsing datastore

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms : 

• On trying to browse the datastore from vSphere Client, it threw error :
  'An error occurred, please try again'
  
  
• Lock errors reported in vmkernel logs of the ESXi host failing to browse datastore 
  
  (/var/run/log/vmkernel.log)
  

  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z In (182) vmkernel: cpu##:####### opID=########) DLX: 2679: vol '<Datastore_name>', lock at 7471104: Lock type: 10C00001. owner(s) MAC: ##:##:##:##:##:##:
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z In (182) vmkernel: cpu##:####### opID=########) [type 10c00001 offset 7471104 v 517450, hb offset 4030464

  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z In(182) vmkernel: gen 13815, mode 1, owner ########-########-####-############ mtime 49860787
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z In (182) vmkernel: num 0 gblnum 0 gblgen 0 gblbrk 0] alloc owner 0
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z In (182) vmkernel: cpu##:####### opID=#########) Fil3: 5205: Lock failed on file: #########-########-####-############ on vol '<Datastore_name>' with FD: <FD c0 r0>

YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z vmkernel: cpu##:####### opID=#########)DLX: 4607: vol '<Datastore_name>', lock at 7471104: [Req mode 1] Checking liveness:



• Running 'ls -l' command in the datastore fails to list any of the VM directories and shows blank:
  
  [/vmfs/volumes/<datastore-name>] # ls -l
[/vmfs/volumes/<datastore-name>] # 

Environment

vSphere ESXi 8.x

VMware vCenter 8.x

Cause

Exclusive Lock (of Lock Type - 10C00001) is held by ESXi host with physical NIC which has MAC address showing up in the vmkernel logs.

YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z In (182) vmkernel: cpu##:########)###: 5446: Vol: <Datastore_name> Lock at 7471104:<Datastore_name> type 281018369, lockTimeUS 4006006, leaseWaitTimeMS 4006, status: Lock was not free

YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z In (182) vmkernel: cpu##:########)###: 2670: vol <Datastore_name>, lock at 7471104: Lock type: 10C00001. Exclusive Lock(s) held on a file on volume #########-########-####-############ . numHolders:0 gblNumHolders:0, volume state 10, APD state $

2026-01-15T00:41:12Z In(182) vmkernel: gen 13815, mode 1, owner ########-########-####-############ mtime 49860787

YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z In (182) vmkernel: cpu##:########)###: 2679: vol 'p3its-slc-vdi-all08', lock at 7471104: Lock type: 10C00001. owner(s) MAC: ##:##:##:##:##:##:

Resolution

1. Follow steps provided in following KB to release lock on VMFS volume:
   Removing VMFS Volume locks on datastores
   
   
2. Browse datastore from vSphere Client :
   ESXi host > 'Datastores' tab> Right click on 'Datastore' in question > Click on 'Browse Files'