Hi wila
I've attempted to troubleshooting with taking information you provided in consideration as well as allowing enough time for the ESXi host to self update if it's already set to be "auto backup" by itself. These steps have been repeated over a week now.
Update:
1. Using SSH, used the command vim-cmd /vmsvc/unregister<VMID> = vim-cmd /vmsvc/unregister 1, 2, 3, etc.
2. Soft rebooted the ESXi host through the web client
3. After rebooting the ESXi host, all VM's Orphaned / Unregistered object return with a corresponding #
4. Also, a previously restored VM was lost and was not listed as a new detected Orphaned / Unregistered VM
5. Luckily I was able to restored the VM by registering and finding the location path of it's .VMDK files
6. Using SSH, used the command /sbin/auto-backup.sh and allowed enough time for the ESXi to
Changes made to the configuration are automatically synced to things like the state file, but only 1 time per hour.
7. After using SSH again to unregister VM's and soft rebooting the ESXi host, it reverts back to the corrupted state ( 3. Orphaned / Unregistered )
CMD log: /sbin/auto-backup.sh
[root@bvzesxi:~] /sbin/auto-backup.sh
--- /etc/vmware/hostd/vmAutoStart.xml
+++ /tmp/auto-backup.2100205//etc/vmware/hostd/vmAutoStart.xml
@@ -1,20 +1,7 @@
<ConfigRoot>
<AutoStartOrder>
- <_length>1</_length>
+ <_length>0</_length>
<_type>vim.host.AutoStartManager.AutoPowerInfo[]</_type>
- <e id="0">
- <_type>vim.host.AutoStartManager.AutoPowerInfo</_type>
- <key>
- <_type>vim.VirtualMachine</_type>
- <moid>22</moid>
- </key>
- <startAction>powerOn</startAction>
- <startDelay>-1</startDelay>
- <startOrder>1</startOrder>
- <stopAction>systemDefault</stopAction>
- <stopDelay>-1</stopDelay>
- <waitForHeartbeat>systemDefault</waitForHeartbeat>
- </e>
</AutoStartOrder>
<SystemDefaults>
<_type>vim.host.AutoStartManager.SystemDefaults</_type>
Saving current state in /bootbank
Clock updated.
Time: 12:00:14 Date: 02/03/2019 UTC
Questions:
1. What can prevent the ESXi hosts from automatically syncing it's configurations to the /bootbank/state.tgz file?
2. If running the force backup command " /sbin/auto-backup.sh " does not resolve this, what can I try to save a "new state of the ESXi host's configurations"
3. By chance, is there a ESXi built-in tool/command to diagnose what issues it could be having?
4. Would Reseting the System Configuration be the next step for my issue?
VM KB: Reset the System Configuration = LINK https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/6.7/com.vmware.esxi.install.doc/GUID-AD450DA3-881B-4916-9231-9B6998AAC3AA.html
Thank you.