CurvyReality
asked on
VHD timestamp not updating
We are running MS Virtual Server 2005 R2 (not Hyper-V) with a couple of VMs that have been running for 6 months.
The timestamp on the vhd files haven't changed. Undo disks are turned off.
We are concerned that means all the changes are in memory somewhere and we may lose data if there is a power or hardware failure.
These 2 VMs have vhd set to have 30GB and they are nearly full.
We also have another 2 VMs which have been running a couple of months but disk usage isn't close to the 30GB yet.
These 2 VMs vhd file timestamp do update.
So the question is it because the vhd file isn't being expanded and only the internal data is changed that the timestamp is not being updated?
I can't believe 6 months worth of changes could be cached in memory! So if it isn't written to the vhd or a undo disk file, where is the data going?
The timestamp on the vhd files haven't changed. Undo disks are turned off.
We are concerned that means all the changes are in memory somewhere and we may lose data if there is a power or hardware failure.
These 2 VMs have vhd set to have 30GB and they are nearly full.
We also have another 2 VMs which have been running a couple of months but disk usage isn't close to the 30GB yet.
These 2 VMs vhd file timestamp do update.
So the question is it because the vhd file isn't being expanded and only the internal data is changed that the timestamp is not being updated?
I can't believe 6 months worth of changes could be cached in memory! So if it isn't written to the vhd or a undo disk file, where is the data going?
Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
You do not have any AVHD present?
ASKER
No AVHD present. I believe AVHD is a Hyper-V thing? We are only using VS2005 on Win2003Server.
An AVHD file is the snapshot file.
ASKER
I'm pretty sure VS2005 R2 doesn't have AVHD files. To clarify we are not running Hyper-V
What type of hard disk have you created?
I've just checked an old VS2005 R2 installation, and the VHD timestamp appears to be the original creation date it does not change - if fixed disk, only if you make modifications to the VHD does the timestamp change.
The data is being written inside the VHD file.
Hence, my question as to what time of VHD have you created fixed disk or Dynamic Expanded.
The data is being written inside the VHD file.
Hence, my question as to what time of VHD have you created fixed disk or Dynamic Expanded.
ASKER
It's a dynamic expanded. The timestamps that don't change the disk has already expanded to near max size. The ones that do change only change when the disk gets expanded.
But if the file is being modified inside, even if The file size of the VHD file dosnt change, surely the file is modified? And therefore timestamp should change?
But if the file is being modified inside, even if The file size of the VHD file dosnt change, surely the file is modified? And therefore timestamp should change?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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