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I created a new Virtual Machine. On the Virtual Hard Disk screen I am selecting Use existing hard disk. I copied the VM files from another machine. It has multiple .vmdk files and when I select one .vmdk file to use as existing hard disk, VMware shows error message "The file specified is not a virtual disk"

How can I open existing virtual machine with multiple .vmdk files?

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migrated from stackoverflow.com Aug 29 '12 at 18:21

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If you are trying to recreate the original VM, did you try exporting the original VM as an OVF, then importing the OVF to recreate the original VM? The OVF will help bundle nearly everything for you.

If you are trying to just add an individual drive of the original VM the following are some helpful questions in diagnosing the issue.

  1. What Platform are you running on?

  2. On edit setting does it point to the correct vmdk file name? This can help in showing which files you will need to use at the same time to add the entire vmdk since they could be broken up if using thin provisioning.

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I am trying to achieve what you mentioned in the second point. Trying to add a drive of the original VM. Platform is Windows 2008 R2. Original VM also has same windows version. The problem I see here is while trying to select vmdk file. I am seeing many vmdk files. Something like "Windows Server 2008 R2 x64-s001.vmdk", "Windows Server 2008 R2 x64-s002" and soon on. Orignial VM might have been created with "Split virtula disk into multiple files". Now when I select any one of the vmdk file, VMware is not accepting. Do I've to merge this vmdk files or something inorder to use on another machine? – Naveen Aug 29 '12 at 18:50

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