Failed to power on virtual machine

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

This resource provides a guide to identify symptoms and align them with solutions to resolve the failure of virtual machines to power on/VM power-on issues.

Symptoms:
When attempting to start up a virtual machine (VM), it fails to power on.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 7.0.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 6.7
VMware vCenter Server 6.5.x
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.7.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 7.0.0
VMware vCenter Server 6.7.x
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.5.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 6.5

Cause

The failure of a VM to power on may be caused by any of the following reasons:

• ESXi OS problems
• File corruption
• File locks
• Guest OS problems
• License problems
• Network problems
• Storage Array/Datastore problems
• User permissions
• VM configuration problems
• VM snapshot problems
• VM unfinished tasks
• vCenter OS problems

Resolution

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General symptoms:

Symptoms	Causes	Resolutions
Guest OS doesn't load properly	Guest OS file/partition corruption VM configuration Virtual hardware/guest OS driver incompatibility	Troubleshooting unresponsive guest operating system issues
Microsoft Cluster VM won't power on after disk provisioning change	Wrong disk provisioning, such as, not using Thick, eager-zeroed provisioning	Check and convert disks to supported provisioning per About Setup for Windows Server Failover Clustering on VMware vSphere. For more information see Setup for Failover Clustering and Microsoft Cluster Service
Power on task hangs	ESXi OS problem vCenter OS problem vCenter/ESXi communication problem	Virtual machine power on task hangs
VM name shows as a path	Communication problems between ESXi hosts and array Datastore problems/corruption Storage array configuration Storage array problems	Virtual machines names appear as ds:///vmfs/volumes/datastore/vm_name
VM power on option greyed out in vCenter	ESXi OS problem vCenter OS problem vCenter/ESXi communication problem	Virtual Machine Power On/Off options greyed out on vCenter Server client
VM orphaned or invalid in vCenter UI	Usually problems accessing datastore containing VM files	Virtual machines appear as invalid or orphaned in vCenter Server

 

vCenter/ESXi host UI messages:
Symptoms	Causes	Resolutions
A file was not found	• Datastore errors Datastore missing VM descriptor file not updating for disk changes Virtual disk descriptor file problem Virtual disk file missing	Unable to power on virtual machine with Error: Can't open 'vmfs/volumes/.vmdk': Could not find the file"
A general system error occured: vDS host error	vCenter Server database problem with VM virtual nic records	Unable to power on virtual machine with Error: A general system error occurred: vDS host error
A specified parameter was not correct. memoryAllocation.reservation	VM memory reservation that is greater than the memory limit set on that same virtual machine	Powering on a virtual machine fails with the error: memoryAllocation.reservation
Another task is already in progress	Another VM task, such as disk consolidation is in progress, or is hung	Virtual machine power on task hangs
APIC ID mismatch	VM virtual hardware doesn't support the guest OS requirements	Unable to power on virtual machine with Error: APIC ID mismatch
Bad address	Storage communication problems	Starting a virtual machine from the command line on VMDK file/files fails with the error: Bad address
Can't open '/vmfs/volumes/<vm file path>.vmdk' : Could not find the file	Datastore errors Datastore missing VM descriptor file not updating for disk changes Virtual disk descriptor file problem Virtual disk file missing	Unable to power on virtual machine with Error: Can't open 'vmfs/volumes/.vmdk': Could not find the file"
Cannot open the disk '/vmfs/volumes/<vm file path>.vmdk' or one of the snapshot disks it depends on.	Change tracking file problem Datastore problem File lock problem Memory allocation problem Parent virtual disk modified Virtual disk problem	Powering on a virtual machine fails with the error: Cannot open the disk
Cannot use host <hostname> because the host's CPU is not compatible with the virtual machine's suspend state	VM state was suspended or snapshot with memory included, then moved to a new host with different CPU features	Powering on a virtual machine from a suspend state or reverting to a snapshot fails
Could not open change tracking files	Change tracking file is not clearing	“could not open/create change tracking files” error when powering on VM
cpu min outside valid range	CPU minimum reservation value outside the range the physical CPU can serve	Virtual machine does not power on when there is high CPU reservation
Device 'Bootstrap' is not available	Most commonly, attempting to power on a VM on a host that does not hold the lock on the VM files. ESXi has insufficient access to underlying storage Bad data in the VM descriptor file (*.vmx)	Error Device 'Bootstrap' is not available when powering on a VM on ESXi 6.x
Device 'HotPlugManager' is not available	Making configuration changes on powered-on VM which shares virtual disks with other VMs	Check if VM shares a disk with other VMs Power off VM before making configuration changes
Error 32 (Broken pipe)	Two processes try to talk to each other over a connection (called a pipe) and one of the processes unexpectedly disappears	Power off or suspend the virtual machine if it is running Power the VM on again
Invalid CPU allocation requested for VM	CPU minimum reservation value outside the range the physical CPU can serve	Virtual machine does not power on when there is high CPU reservation
Failed to enumerate disks	Virtual disk files are not accessible due to: File locks held by other ESXi hosts Access permission being blocked by storage array Storage array problems Bad information in virtual machine descriptor file Bad information in virtual disk descriptor file Bad virtual disk data file (*-flat.vmdk)	Check that permissions for the ESXi host to access the storage is not being blocked at the storage array. Check access control lists, and so forth. Also see: Powering on a virtual machine fails with the error: File system specific implementation of Ioctl[file] failed
Failed to initialize swap file	Most commonly, datastore out of space File lock problems Datastore problems	Unable to power on virtual machine with Error: Failed to initialize swap file
Failed to lock the file	File lock problems	Investigating virtual machine file locks on ESXi hosts
Failed to find a host for powering on the virtual machine	VM resource reservations higher than host can serve CPU incompatibility between VM and ESXi host	Virtual Machine not Compatible with any Host
Failed to revert the execution state of the virtual machine <vm name> on host <host name>	VM state was suspended or snapshot with memory included, then moved to a new host with different CPU features	Powering on a virtual machine from a suspend state or reverting to a snapshot fails
Feature 'bad_requirement:hv.capable' was 0, but must be at least 1.	Affects vCLS cluster management appliances when using nested virtual ESXi hosts in 7.x	Support for running ESXi/ESX as a nested virtualization solution
Feature requirements of this virtual machine exceed capabilities of this host's current EVC mode	VM state was suspended or snapshot with memory included, then moved to a new host with different CPU features	Powering on a virtual machine from a suspend state or reverting to a snapshot fails
File system specific implementation of GetPageRef[file] failed	Unable to read virtual machine file	Powering on a virtual machine fails with the error: File system specific implementation of Ioctl[file] failed
File system specific implementation of Ioctl[file] failed	Bad entries in virtual disk descriptor files (*.vmdk, *.vmx) Communication problems between ESXi host and storage array ESXi OS problems Problems with file locks Virtual disk data corruption	Powering on a virtual machine fails with the error: File system specific implementation of Ioctl[file] failed
File system specific implementation of LookupAndOpen[file] failed	Virtual disk files not opening properly	VM fails to power on with Error: "File system specific implementation of LookupAndOpen [file] failed"
Insufficient capacity on each physical CPU	CPU reservation higher than ESXi host can support	Powering on a virtual machine fails with the error: Insufficient capacity on each physical CPU
Invalid CPU allocation requested for VM	CPU reservation higher than ESXi host can support	Powering on a virtual machine fails with the error: Insufficient capacity on each physical CPU
License not available or other license-related error	Usually exceeded license or wrong type of license applied to ESXi hosts or vCenter Server	See Licensing ESXi 6.x/7.0.x and vCenter Server 6.x/7.0.x  See vSphere Virtual Machine Administration Contact your license vendor
Module 'CheckpointLate' power on failed	VM state was suspended or snapshot with memory included, then moved to a new host with different CPU features	Powering on a virtual machine from a suspend state or reverting to a snapshot fails
Module 'Disk' power on failed.	Change tracking file problem Datastore problem File lock problem Memory allocation problem Parent virtual disk modified Virtual disk problem	Powering on a virtual machine fails with the error: Cannot open the disk
Module MonitorLoop Power on Failed	The MonitorLoop program module detected that the VM did not power on. This is a high level message.	Look at the message details reported in the user interface. Follow the box in this article that aligns with the details.
msg.cpuid.FeatureName	VM requires a CPU processor feature which ESXi host is not providing	Unable to power on virtual machine with Error: "msg.cpuid."
No host  is compatible with the virtual machine		Virtual Machine not Compatible with any Host VM Power On failed. No host is compatible with the VM
One of the parameters supplied is invalid	The Virtual SAN cluster UUID has changed	Virtual SAN cluster UUID changes may result in VM power-on failures
PBM error occurred during PreReconfigureCallback	Manually copying VM files from traditional storage to vSAN	Flat VMDK on vSAN
The attempted operation cannot be performed in the current state (Powered on) from the Host	Control of VM processes lost to ESXi host	Ensure no critical process such as snapshot consolidation is running on the VM per Virtual machine power on task hangs If no critical process is running, follow Unable to Power off a Virtual Machine in an ESXi host to shut down the processes
The available Memory resources in the parent resource pool are insufficient for the operation	VM memory reservation settings higher than host can support ESXi OS problem vCenter Server OS problem vCenter/ESXi host communication problem ESXi host server hardware configuration problem	Unable to power on VM with Error: The available Memory resources in the parent resource pool are insufficient for the operation
The features supported by the processors in this machine are different from the features supported by the processors in the machine on which the checkpoint was saved.	VM state was suspended or snapshot with memory included, then moved to a new host with different CPU features	Powering on a virtual machine from a suspend state or reverting to a snapshot fails
The file specified is not a virtual disk (15)	The .vmdk descriptor file for the virtual machine boot disk is corrupt or missing	Powering on the virtual machine fails with the error: The file specified is not a virtual disk (15)
The operation is not allowed in the current state	A critical process is running A VM has hung processes	Virtual machine power on task hangs
The parent virtual disk has been modified since the child was created	Parent to a snapshot virtual disk file has been changed after the snapshot was taken	"The parent virtual disk has been modified since the child was created" error A virtual machine cannot boot after resizing a base virtual machine disk (VMDK) that is part of a snapshot chain
The specified device is not a valid physical disk device	Usually VM files put into ESXi host's scratch partition	Virtual machine operations on a ESXi 6.x host fails with the error: The specified device is not a valid physical disk device
The virtual CPU performance counter events are not compatible with the host CPU.	VM state was suspended or snapshot with memory included, then moved to a new host with different CPU features	Powering on a virtual machine from a suspend state or reverting to a snapshot fails
The VM failed to resume on the destination during early power on	The destination file system does not support large files. Failed to lock the file. Could not open/create change tracking file. Cannot allocate memory No such device The file specified is not a virtual disk Insufficient permission to access file	Migrating a virtual machine fails with the error: The VM failed to resume on the destination during early power on : Reason
There is no more space for virtual disk VM.vmdk	Usually datastore VM files are on is out of space, very commonly seen when snapshots are created by backup software and fill remaining space quickly	There is no more space for virtual disk '.vmdk' "There is no more space for virtual disk .vmdk" error when starting vSAN VM
Transport (VMDB) error -45: Failed to connect to peer process	Usually temporary network errors due to congestion	Retry power on after a few minutes About vSphere Monitoring and Performance Check for messages about network errors Check for performance issues per
Unable to access file /vmfs/volumes/<filepath>.vmdk since it is locked	Most commonly, powered on VM contains locks on all files in use by the owning ESXi host to facilitate read and write access.	Troubleshooting issues resulting from locked virtual disks
Unable to access -000001.vmdk.ctk	Change tracking file is not clearing	“could not open/create change tracking files” error when powering on VM
Unable to write VMX file	Lock on VM descriptor file (*.vmx) held by another ESXi host *.vmx file corruption	Rule out file lock problems per Investigating virtual machine file locks on ESXi hosts If file locks are not the issue, follow Recreate a lost or deleted virtual machine .vmx configuration file on an ESXi host
Unsupported and/or invalid disk type	VM for VMware Hosted product (VMware Workstation,  VMware Player, VMware Fusion) powered on an ESXi host	A virtual machine fails to power on with the error: Unsupported and/or invalid disk type
Virtual disk 'Hard disk 2' is a mapped direct-access LUN that is not accessible	The host attempting to start or receive the virtual machine cannot access the device (LUN) backing the raw disk mapping	Powering on or migrating a virtual machine fails with the error: Virtual Disk 'X' is a mapped direct access LUN that is not accessible
Virtual machine disk consolidation is needed	Snapshots requiring more resources than ESXi host can handle Snapshot chain problems Snapshots exceed other limitations	Troubleshooting virtual machine snapshot descriptor problems
vmdk file is missing	Datastore errors Datastore missing VM descriptor file not updating for disk changes Virtual disk descriptor file problem Virtual disk file missing	Unable to power on virtual machine with Error: Can't open 'vmfs/volumes/.vmdk': Could not find the file"

Additional Information

Please refer to these relevant resources for additional information:

• Troubleshooting virtual machine power on task hangs
• Fusion virtual machines fail to start after upgrading Mac OS X
• Troubleshooting Fusion startup issues
• Troubleshooting Fusion virtual machine startup issues
  
   

Impact/Risks:
VM power-on failures may impact the ability of significant numbers of users to work.

However, some resolutions can lead to data loss. As a result, please exercise caution when this risk is highlighted below.