Guest won't start after Snapshot

[Darkwing Duck]

I run in the same problem like this: ticket #13523.

The Guest uses 5 disk images, on different disks of the host.

Everything runs fine - until I do an snapshot.
After this, VM complains:
"One or more virtual hard disks.... are not currently accessible..."
And no start of the guest is possible.
Version is 5.1.16.r113841 (QT5.6.2)

Host is Windows 8.1
Guest is Oracle Linux 6.8

[socratis]

I will need the following from you. Gather the following thre files and put them in a ZIP file, and attach that ZIP file to your response:

1. <VM>.vbox: Right-click on the VM in the VirtualBox Manager. Select "Show in Explorer". That selected "<VM>.vbox" file? I need it.
2. VirtualBox.xml: That file is located (usually) in "C:\Users\<user>\.VirtualBox\VirtualBox.xml". That "VirtualBox.xml" file? I need it.
3. dir.txt: A "dir /s" text output for all the locations that your snapshots and the VMs are. So, if your VM is at "C:\Users\<user>\VirtualBox VMs\<VM>" and you've manually moved/relocated the snapshots to "F:\Snapshots", then open a command prompt to each of those directories, issue the following command and put the output in a simple text document:

   • dir /s

[Darkwing Duck]

Hi socratis

Attached you find the requested files.

Just to explain what steps I've done:
I created the guest with several disks. Immediatly after this I did an snapshot.
Now, I tried to start the machine and run into an error (see file errormessage).
Note I did not move any files.



Regards
Christian

[socratis]

From "VirtualBox.xml", the default location for your VMs:

<MachineEntry uuid="{616f9ea5...}" src="C:\Users\Christian\VirtualBox VMs\VM Linux Error\VM Linux Error.vbox"/>

From "VM Linux Error.vbox", the actual location of your HDs and their snapshots:

<HardDisk uuid="{a467b9a3...}" location="E:/Oracle VM Box/VM Linux Error/VM Linux Error.vhd" format="VHD" type="Normal">
  <HardDisk uuid="{350c1b1a...}" location="Snapshots/{350c1b1a...}.vhd" format="VHD"/>
<HardDisk uuid="{a5be5b8c...}" location="F:/VM Box/VM Linux Error/NewVirtualDisk1.vhd" format="VHD" type="Normal">
  <HardDisk uuid="{8b1e0975...}" location="Snapshots/{8b1e0975...}.vhd" format="VHD"/>

Now, in the "dir.txt" you only included the output of the "C:\Users\Christian\VirtualBox VMs\VM Linux Error". That's a good start, but I'd like to see the dir /s from the "E:/Oracle VM Box/VM Linux Error/" and the "F:/VM Box/VM Linux Error/" directories.

Note that the two snapshots mentioned in "VM Linux Error.vbox" do exist in the "Snapshots" subdirectory, but something is not referenced correctly.

Bottom line: you've spread your VM over three hard drives. I assume external. Where there is no guarantee that the next time you plug that USB, it's going to get the same letter. Therefore creating a mess of references.

Can you describe what on earth were you trying to do, why and how?

[Darkwing Duck]

Hi socratis,

yes the drives are spread over 3 drives. But none of them is an USB.

The cause of this is quite simple:
The Guest Systems are Oracle Databases and an Oracle Enterprise Manager.
And these eat lots up Disk performance. Therefore I can not put them on one disk.

And I did not find any note, that this not supported by VM Box.
Other virtualization products handle this fine.

Therefore I personal consider this as a bug.

Christian

[socratis]

I didn't say it's not supported. I didn't say it won't work. But if they were external you could face problems due to how Windows assigns USB external drives their letters. But you were quick to characterize it as a bug. Not so fast...

You also forgot to give me what I asked for:

Now, in the "dir.txt" you only included the output of the "C:\Users\Christian\VirtualBox VMs\VM Linux Error". That's a good start, but I'd like to see the dir /s from the "E:/Oracle VM Box/VM Linux Error/" and the "F:/VM Box/VM Linux Error/" directories.

[Darkwing Duck]

Hi socratis,

sorry for the delay.
Attached you find the requested Information.
Note that I had to setup the Guest System again.

And sorry for the "bug".
I just had setup up an system which took me about 10 hours.
Therefore I was less then amused when I faces the message.

Regards
Christian