Veeam Restore - VM is not available

[mzles]

Case ID 02060927

I am trying to perform a restore to the original location on the VM network and I am getting the error message "VM is not available". The backups work just fine, but I just can't restore.

The message log shows:

Code: Select all

File level restore started 
Using <computer_name> as mount server
 Interactive mode 
Mounting restore point 
Starting restore
VM is not available 
Restore completed 
Restore failed Error: VM is not available 

Thank you

[veremin]

Hasn't the original VM got a new MorefID by any chance (might have happened during migration to new vCenter server and similar operations)?

[raysc98]

I am testing restore of (Windows) guest file and I keep getting the "Restore failed Error: VM is not available". It is a standalone ESX 5.5 server and the VM that I am restoring a file to is up and running. Can someone enlighten me as to what this error means?

Thanks

[veremin]

Any chance original VM got a new MorefID assigned, as a result of migration procedure or similar? Thanks.

[raysc98]

I did not do any migration. I added the ESX server as a standalone (no vCenter) and performed backups. Backups are running successfully with no issue. I was able to test an Instant VM recovery as well (overwriting the whole VM).

How else can the VM's MorefID change other than migrating to a new vCenter?

[veremin]

Instant VM Recovery must have been the reason. As far as I remember, Instant VM Recovery creates a brand new VM with its own MorefID, so that explains why "original" VM can no longer be found. Thanks.

[raysc98]

It was already failing even before I tried Instant VM Recovery.

[raysc98]

Problem fixed after ensuring VMware tools is installed and running on the VM. Thanks to mzles who provided the fix and everybody else who replied!

[veremin]

Hmm, so it was absence of VMware Tools that caused VM unavailability issue? And once those were installed, the problem went away? Thanks.