ericb76
asked on
Virtual Server data files modified date not changing
About two weeks ago, one of my SQL servers had to be rebooted. When it came back up, both drives had lost their .vmdk files(the flat files were still there, but the configuration file was missing). I was able to get them recreated, but one drive(the one with all the data on it, naturally) had to be moved to a separate datastore, as it was too big to recreate on the one I was using. So I recreated the vmdk files, copied the file from the second datastore back to where the flat files were and edited the configuration file to point it to the correct flat file. But the machine still would not boot with that drive attached, so I ended up copying the flat file to the other datastore and running it from there. Everything seemed well and good after that.
Two days ago, the server was rebooted again. When it came back up, everything on the data drive had reverted to the date that I made the change(6/19). Eventually we figured out that for some reason the server had still been writing to the original file, and when we added it back to the server all the data from the past two weeks was there(I'm still not sure why it booted up with the drive attached this time, but that's a whole other issue). I went back in today to look at the files on the datastore, and the flat file is still saying it was last modified yesterday(when we got it back up and running).
So the question is, are we going to lose everything up until yesterday the next time this server gets rebooted, or is it normal for the modified date on the flat file not to change? And does anyone have any idea why it was writing to the old file(I did change the settings on the VM to point the drive to the location on the new datastore).
Thanks!
Two days ago, the server was rebooted again. When it came back up, everything on the data drive had reverted to the date that I made the change(6/19). Eventually we figured out that for some reason the server had still been writing to the original file, and when we added it back to the server all the data from the past two weeks was there(I'm still not sure why it booted up with the drive attached this time, but that's a whole other issue). I went back in today to look at the files on the datastore, and the flat file is still saying it was last modified yesterday(when we got it back up and running).
So the question is, are we going to lose everything up until yesterday the next time this server gets rebooted, or is it normal for the modified date on the flat file not to change? And does anyone have any idea why it was writing to the old file(I did change the settings on the VM to point the drive to the location on the new datastore).
Thanks!
Bastiaan
Strange story, never heard it before. Maybe you could clone(with esx or vconverter) the machine to a new server. It will create a new virtual with all the right settings and the data it now uses.
You could have configured your VM to use non-persistent disks. So while the server is running, it works but when it is shutdown all settings are lost - ie you revert back to the state it was when you configured your VM to be non-persistent.
Check your VMware Guest's Disk settings to ensure that they are independent/persistent and not "non-persistent"
Check your VMware Guest's Disk settings to ensure that they are independent/persistent and not "non-persistent"
ASKER
Currently the disks are not set to Independent. I suppose I'll have to shut down the guest to change that setting, right?
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ASKER
Unless I'm missing something, it looks like the disks do need to be independent before they can be made persistent or non don't they?
Yes sir. Try that. I just don't have access to my ESX servers to give you absolute confirmation. If you have other VM's check their settings. On Holiday at the moment, and spending time on Experts-exchange (the little woman is not to happy) .. lets just say the brain is slightly frazzled with all this heat!