Could not open/create change tracking file vmdk_file_name?We can help you.

As part of our Server Management Services, we assist our customers with similar queries.

Today, let us see how we can fix this error.

Could not open/create change tracking file vmdk_file_name

Typical error will look as shown below:

could not open/create change tracking file vmdk_file_name

How to resolve it?

To resolve this issue, move the filename-ctk.vmdk file into a subdirectory or rename it.

Today, let us see the steps followed by our Support Techs in order to do it.

• In the vCenter or ESXi host user interface, right-click the VM and select Edit Settings…
• Then, make note of the SCSI controller type used by the hard disk.
• Next, remove the vmdk_file_name hard disk specified in the error message from the virtual machine.

Warning: Select only Remove from virtual machine, Selecting Remove from virtual machine and delete files from disk will permanently delete the virtual disk.

• Follow Using the ESXi command line to find the virtual machine file path and virtual disk information to connect to the ESXi host command line interface and navigate to the directory for the affected VM.
• Move the filename-ctk.vmdk file into a subdirectory or rename it. Where the text in italics is replaced by the actual file name of the ctk file in the error.

mkdir deleteme
mv filename-ctk.vmdk deleteme

• In the vSphere Client, re-add the hard disk back to the virtual machine using the SCSI controller type from step one.
• On the ESXi host command line interface, edit the descriptor file (.vmdk) and remove or comment out any references that specify use of a ctk file.
• Finally, power on the virtual machine.

[Need more help with the procedure? Feel free to contact us]

Conclusion

In short, the issue occurs when the filename-ctk.vmdk file is not clear. Today, we discussed about the steps followed by our Support Techs to resolve above error.