VMware KB: Creating snapshots in a different location than default virtual machine directory

VMware KB: Creating snapshots in a different location than default virtual machine directory

In ESX/ESXi 3.x and 4.x, all files comprising snapshots are created in the virtual machine's working directory. By default, the working directory is the same directory as the virtual machine's (.vmx) configuration file. Thus, if the virtual disk (.vmdk) file is located on different datastore than the virtual machine itself, virtual disk redolog (-delta.vmdk) files are created alongside the virtual machine's (.vmx) configuration file instead of beside the virtual disk (.vmdk) file.

You may want to change the location (new directory on the same or alternative datastore) where virtual disk redolog (-delta.vmdk) files are created, in order to:

• Create snapshots but do not have enough space on the VMFS volume.
• Power on a virtual machine when there is not enough space to create a swap file on the VMFS volume.

This article describes a method to change the default virtual machine working directory location used for snapshots on ESX/ESXi 3.x and 4.x.

Note: For information about this procedure in ESXi 5.0, see Changing the location of snapshot delta files for virtual machines in ESXi 5.0 (2007563)

To change the default virtual machine working directory location for snapshots (to a new directory on the same or alternative datastore):

1. Power off the virtual machine.
2. Open the virtual machine's .vmx configuration file in a text editor. For more information, see Tips for editing a .vmx file (1714).
3. Add a line to the .vmx configuration file for the virtual machine, specifying a full path to the directory on a datastore for theworkingDir option:
   
   workingDir = "new_path_location"
   
   Example:
   
   workingDir = "/vmfs/volumes/46f1225f-552b0069-e03b-00145e808070/vm-snapshots"
   
   This ensures that subsequently created snapshots will cause new virtual disk redolog (-delta.vmdk) files to be created in the defined directory.
   
4. Note: This step is optional. Adding the new file location ensures the swap file is created in the working directory.
   
   When virtual machine is powered on for the first time, a new swap file is created in the working directory of the virtual machine.  By default, the virtual machine writes the swap file in the same directory as the.vmx configuration file. If you would like to change this location, add the new location to the below line in the.vmx file:
   
   sched.swap.dir = "path_to_vm_directory"
   
5. Save the changes and close the virtual machine's .vmx configuration file.
6. Reload the virtual machine configuration by unregistering and re-registering it in the inventory. For more information, seeRegistering or adding a virtual machine to the inventory (1006160).
7. Power on the virtual machine.

Note: If you are performing a storage vMotion or storage migration of a virtual machine that has its working folder set to a location other than the virtual machine directory, this change is not maintained and you must reconfigure it as necessary.

VMware KB: Changing the location of snapshot delta files for virtual machines in ESXi 5.0

VMware KB: Changing the location of snapshot delta files for virtual machines in ESXi 5.0

In ESXi 5.0, the storage vMotion process has been improved to allow:

• Virtual machines can now be migrated to a new datastore while running on snapshots.
• Linked clone virtual machines are now supported with storage vMotion.

For further/related information see the following VMware blog post, vSphere 5.0 Storage Features Part 2 - Storage vMotion

The above link was correct as of March 13, 2012. If you find a link is broken, provide feedback and a VMware employee will correct the link.
To facilitate these improvements to storage vMotion and the new Storage DRS feature a change to the snapshot process was introduced to ESXi 5.0.

With previous versions of ESX/ESXi the delta disks were stored in the directory specified by the workingDir parameter.

This was typically the same directory as the configuration files for the virtual machine, but this could be changed by updating theworkingDir parameter.

With ESXi 5.0 storage vMotion will ignore the workingDir parameter and all the the snapshot delta disks are now stored in the same directory as the base disk.

For further/related information see the following VMware blog post, Storage vMotion, Storage DRS & Virtual Machine Snapshots Interoperability.

In ESXi 5.0 the workingDir parameter still exists but it is only used to specify the location of the snapshot .vmsn file.

To go back to the pre-ESXi 5.0 way of storing snapshots in the directory specified by the workingDir parameter there is a new parameter snapshot.redoNotWithParent which must be added to the virtual machine .vmx file.

Note: For the ESX/ESXi 3.x/4.x version of this article, see Creating snapshots in a different location than default virtual machine directory (1002929).

To specify that the snapshot delta files should be kept in the same directory as the location specified in the workingDirparameter then we need to add a new parameter snapshot.redoNotWithParent to the virtual machine configuration file.

To modify the snapshot storage location:

1. Ensure that the virtual machine is powered off.
2. Right-click the virtual machine and click Edit Settings.
3. Click the Options tab.
4. In the Advanced Options, click General.
5. Click Configuration Parameters.
6. Click Add Row.
7. In the Name field, type snapshot.redoNotWithParent.
8. In the Value field, type true.
9. The virtual machine can be powered on again.

For more information, see the VMware blog post Storage vMotion, Storage DRS & Virtual Machine Snapshots Interoperability.

Note: The preceding link was correct as of March 13, 2012. If you find the link is broken, provide feedback and a VMware employee will update the link.

Note: The following additional behaviour are experienced with snapshots and Storage vMotion on ESXi 5.0:

• If you have a virtual machine running on snapshots and you move a VMDK from one datastore to another its associated snapshot files will move with the VMDK to the new datastore (even if they were created in the working directory initially).
• Newly created snapshots will be created in the working directory again though (as per the advanced setting).
• The working directory is located at /usr/lib/vmware/hostd/docroot/downloads.
• Snapshot files do not move if you move the configuration files to another datastore. The existing snapshot files continue to stay on the original datastore.

windows 7 出現MTP usb設備驅動安裝問題解決方法

因為一直以來都以為是驅動方面出問題!所以一直沒有找到解決方法!

這個設備是用來同步媒體的，windows media player 11是可以安裝的，可是12不行，而可惡的微軟綁定了wmp，不能卸載，所以windows 7中才會出現這個問題。不管你是什麽手機，解決方法如下！

今天無意中發現驅動裏的一個信息"由於其配置信息(註冊表中的)不完整或已損壞，Windows 無法啟動這個硬件設備。 (代碼 19)"
改變方向看是不是註冊表問題!結果真的成功了!

方法：打開註冊表編輯器（開始--》運行--》regedit），依次展開HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{EEC5AD98-8080-425F-922A-DABF3DE3F69A}刪除“upperfilter”項或“lowerfilter”項，然後進入設備管理器中把通用串行總線控制器下面的所有帶嘆號的設備都刪除，重新掃描硬件安裝即可恢復。

How to get better resolution on your standard 10 inch netbook

Most of the 10 inch netbooks available right now on the market ship with a standard resolution of 1024 x 600 px. Only in the last months we’ve started to see more HD 10 inch display, with the higher 1366 x 768 px res.

I for one like the lower res on my Toshiba and wouldn’t trade it for the HD one in a million years. I’ve tested the HD and experienced some extreme headaches caused by reading the tiny text for a longer time. So big res 10 inch screens are a no no for me.

Still, I noticed that quite a few of you guys enjoy it, so here’s a quick tweak i found on forums that will help you get better res for your standard 10 inch display.

First, i’ll have to tell you that you are going to get 1024 x 768 and 1152 x 864 px res available for the 10 inch display . These are not HD resolutions as you might have reckon and will translate in text skews and compressed displayed content. In most cases, the result won’t be that great, but hey, if you want the increased resolution, you should give these tweaks a try. And one more thing. This only works on Windows 7 equipped netbooks.

Here’s what you have to do:

1) Run regedit
1a) If you are not on higest tree level, go to him (by click on “Computer” from key tree)
2) Search and modify all values “Display1_DownScalingSupported” from “0″ to “1″
3) Restart the system
4) Enjoy the two new resolutions: 1024×768 px and 1152×864 px

Now, when selecting a resolution in Windows you’ll get the extra methods above. However, be aware that these tweaks might not work on all netbooks (it was tested by users on the 1000H, 1005He or the 1005HA Asus devices) and might cause software instability when changing between options.