How to Recover Files from a Virtual Machine?
“VMware File Not Found” is an error message that pops up as you try to launch your VM on VMware Fusion or other VMware virtualization platforms. The error message is triggered by different possible issues, including misconfigured or corrupted VMDK, VMX files. When you face such issues, you should troubleshoot the problem and then follow the best procedure to fixing the issue.
Understanding the “VMware File Not Found” Error
Mostly, this error appears to VMware Fusion admins. If you’re spinning VMware Fusion VMs using Packer and Vagrant, you will most likely get this error someday because VMware doesn’t automatically clear up the library completely, which could lead to file read issues.
Well, some VMware Workstation users may still encounter issues like this – the “VMware File Not Found” error. But, either way, there are a couple of troubleshooting tips you can try out as workarounds for problems like this. Also, below are some common reasons why this error appears.
Common Causes
These may not always be the case, but they are common causes of VMware VM not launching problems.
- Corrupted VMX Files: VMware VMX files are configuration files for virtual machines hosted on a VMware environment. If the VMX files of a VM are missing or corrupted, the VM won’t launch – you will get the “file not found” error.
- Missing or Moved VMDK Files: VMDK files represent the entire files and data of a VMware VM; these files stand as the virtual storage of VMware VMs. Similar to VMX files, if a VMDK file is missing (maybe moved from the main directory to a new location) or corrupt, the connected VM won’t launch.
- Incorrect File Paths: If you recently moved some of your files to a new directory, maybe you moved the VM file(s) too, and such could be the reason for the “File not Found” error.
Symptoms and Indicators
Apparently, the common signs that your VM files have been compromised are the appearance of error messages and the respective VM not launching when you power it.
Tip: what is VMDK file?Diagnosing the VMware File Not Found Problem
Verifying File Locations
Checking VM Directory
- Navigate to the directory where the virtual machine (VM) files are stored.
- Ensure that all necessary files, such as the .vmx configuration file and the virtual disk files (e.g., .vmdk), are present.
- Verify the integrity and completeness of the VM files.
Ensuring Correct Path in VMX File
- Open the .vmx file associated with the VM using a text editor.
- Check the paths specified for the virtual disk files and other resources.
- Confirm that the paths are accurate and point to the correct locations.
- Tip: what is VMX?
Using VMware Logs
Locating Log Files
- Identify the location of the VMware log files, typically found in the same directory as the VM files or in the vmware.log file.
- If necessary, check the host system logs for additional information.
Analyzing Log Entries for Clues
- Open the log files and look for error messages or warnings related to file access issues.
- Pay attention to entries that mention missing files, incorrect paths, or permission issues.
- Use the timestamps in the logs to correlate events and identify when the problem first occurred.
Solutions for VMware Workstation
Restoring Missing Files
Recover Files From Virtual Machine
- Utilize data recovery software to attempt recovery of deleted .vmdk files.
- Check the system’s Recycle Bin or Trash to see if the files can be easily restored.
- Ensure that no further data writes occur on the disk to avoid overwriting the deleted files.
Restoring from Backups
- Locate the most recent backup of the VM or its individual files.
- Use VMware’s snapshot feature if applicable to revert to a previous state.
- Restore the necessary files from the backup location to the VM directory.
Repairing VMX File
Manual VMX File Edits
- Open the .vmx file in a text editor and carefully inspect for any incorrect paths or missing parameters.
- Compare with a known good .vmx file from a similar VM to identify discrepancies.
- Correct any errors found and save the file, ensuring the file extension remains .vmx.
Using VMware Workstation's Built-In Repair Tool
- Open VMware Workstation and select the problematic VM.
- Use the "Repair" option available within VMware Workstation to automatically diagnose and fix issues.
- Follow any prompts provided by the tool to complete the repair process.
Solutions for VMware Fusion
Reconnecting Moved Files
Relocating VMDK Files
- Identify the new location of the moved .vmdk files, extract VMDK if necessary.
- Move the .vmdk files back to their original directory if possible.
- If relocating back is not feasible, ensure the new location is accessible and permissions are correctly set.
Updating VMX File with Correct Paths
- Open the .vmx file associated with the VM in a text editor.
- Update the paths for the virtual disk files to reflect their new locations.
- Save the .vmx file and ensure the file extension remains .vmx.
Reinstalling VMware Fusion
Ensuring Clean Reinstallation
- Uninstall VMware Fusion completely from the system.
- Delete any remaining configuration files and directories associated with VMware Fusion.
- Download the latest version of VMware Fusion from the official VMware website.
Verifying File Integrity Post-Reinstallation
- Install VMware Fusion and restart the system.
- Open VMware Fusion and check that all previous VMs are listed and accessible.
- Verify the integrity of VM files by starting each VM and ensuring they function correctly.
Preventative Measures
Regular Backups
Best Practices for VM Backups
- Schedule regular backups of VMs to ensure data is consistently saved.
- Store backups in multiple locations to prevent data loss due to hardware failure.
- Verify the integrity of backups regularly by performing test restores.
- Use incremental backups to save time and storage space while keeping up-to-date copies of VM data.
- Label and organize backups clearly to facilitate easy retrieval when needed.
Automated Backup Solutions
- Implement automated backup software that supports VMware environments.
- Configure the backup software to perform regular, unattended backups according to a set schedule.
- Enable features like snapshot integration and application-aware processing for more reliable backups.
- Monitor backup logs and reports to ensure backups are completed successfully without errors.
- Set up alerts to notify administrators of any backup failures or issues, allowing for quick resolution.
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Conclusion
Virtual machines are created and used to cater to various purposes, both personal and enterprise needs. The data and apps stored on VMs are often very important, and most times confidential, hence, a VM going offline can be a really big deal for some persons or companies – but these things cannot be completely controlled, and there’d always be user flaws.
To ensure data availability at all times and minimize the effect of data loss scenarios, enabling regular VM backups is the best solution. If you have just one VM, you can get a plug-and-play external hard drive to back up the VM files to, manually.