Learn how to fix the “Taking ownership of this virtual machine failed” VMware error. Our VMware Support team is here to help you with your questions and concerns.

“Taking ownership of this virtual machine failed” Vmware Error

The following error message usually pops up when moving or copying a virtual machine, after a power failure on the host, or if the virtual machine becomes corrupted.

Taking ownership of this virtual machine failed.

To prevent power-related issues, ensure that the hypervisor’s host machine is equipped with an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) and a RAID system with battery backup.

Here are some of the causes behind the “Take Ownership” error:

• VMware locks certain VM files (`.vmdk`, `.vmx`, etc.) while in use to prevent conflicts.
• If the VM or host shuts down unexpectedly, file locks may not be released correctly.
• Two users or processes attempting to access the same VM simultaneously.
• Sometimes, lock files persist even after a VM has been shut down properly, leading to ownership errors.

How to Fix the “Take Ownership” Error

To resolve this error, we need to remove lock files from the VM storage directory manually.

1. Pause or power off any running virtual machines inside the VMware Workstation.
2. Now, it is time to end the VMware processes:
   1. Open Task Manager by pressing `CTRL + ALT + DEL`.
   2. Then, go to the Details tab (Windows 8/10) or the Processes tab (Windows 7 and earlier).
   3. Look for `vmware-tray.exe` in the list of running tasks.
   4. Select `vmware-tray.exe`, then press `DEL` to end the process.
3. Then, go to the folder containing the problematic virtual machine.
4. Look for any `.lck` or `.lock` files and folders.
5. Hold `CTRL` and left-click to select these files/folders.
6. Right-click one of the selected items and choose Cut.
7. Now, create a new folder named Temp inside the VM directory.
8. Then, right-click inside Temp and select Paste to move the lock files there.
9. Next, click Start, then type `VMware Workstation`.
10. Select VMware Workstation Pro from the list.
11. If the application does not open in full screen, locate the VMware Workstation icon in the system tray and double-click it.
12. Locate the problematic virtual machine and attempt to start it.

At this point, our virtual machine should start successfully.

Best Practices to Prevent “Take Ownership” Errors

• Avoid forcefully powering off virtual machines or shutting down the host abruptly.
• Use monitoring scripts or manually check for file locks if frequent issues arise.
• Prevent multiple users from modifying the same VM simultaneously to avoid ownership conflicts.

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Conclusion

In brief, our Support Experts demonstrated how to fix the “Taking ownership of this virtual machine failed” VMware error,