I have a recurring problem with VMware Server.
The host server is Windows 2008 R2 x64 and the VMs are stored in a datastore hosting on a separate server running Windows 2008 Standard.
If the host server is rebooted without the VMs having been shutdown, upon the host server rebooting I am unable to start any of the VMs. I get a message that an error has occurred, and that the file handle for the .vmdk is invalid.
I can browse to the share to which the datastore is mapped, and the permissions are correct, as the VMs work fine before the host server is rebooted.
I have tried deleting the .lck files/folders - didn't work.
I have tried removing/readding the VMs in the inventory - didn't work.
The only thing I've found that works is to create a new folder on the remote server, copy the folders to it, create a new datastore on the host server, add the VMs to the inventory from the new datastore, and then they will start with no problem (after indicating at the behest of VMware Server's query that they were copied).
Any idea why this happens, and if there is a better solution that creating a new datastore each time this happens?
Thank you in advance.