Month: May 2017

Start by determining the device backing up the locker partition

commands: 
ls -ltrh / | grep store
 vmkfstools -P /vmfs/volumes/5cdce747-375af1f6-b185-0050569674de

Output: 
[root@is-dhcp41-13:~] ls -ltrh / | grep store
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root           6 May 13 23:03 locker -> /store
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root          49 May 16 04:29 store -> /vmfs/volumes/5cdce747-375af1f6-b185-0050569674de


[root@is-dhcp41-13:~] vmkfstools -P /vmfs/volumes/5cdce747-375af1f6-b185-0050569674de
vfat-0.04 (Raw Major Version: 0) file system spanning 1 partitions.
File system label (if any):
Mode: private
Capacity 299712512 (36586 file blocks * 8192), 299712512 (36586 blocks) avail, max supported file size 0
Disk Block Size: 512/0/0
UUID: 5cdce747-375af1f6-b185-0050569674de
Partitions spanned (on "disks"):
        mpx.vmhba0:C0:T0:L0:8
Is Native Snapshot Capable: NO
[root@is-dhcp41-13:~]

Make a note of the device under the line Partitions spanned (on “disks”):

Note: The :8 on the above result signifives that this is partition 8 of the disk
Note: On a default install, the locker/tools iso are always stored to partition 8 of the installed disk/drive.

Format the partition with fat filesystem using the below command: Ensure you DO NOT MISS the partition number

vmkfstools -C vfat /dev/disks/mpx.vmhba0:C0:T0:L0:8

eg:
[root@is-dhcp41-13:~] vmkfstools -C vfat /dev/disks/mpx.vmhba0:C0:T0:L0:8
create fs deviceName:'/dev/disks/mpx.vmhba0:C0:T0:L0:8', fsShortName:'vfat', fsName:'(null)'
deviceFullPath:/dev/disks/mpx.vmhba0:C0:T0:L0:8 deviceFile:mpx.vmhba0:C0:T0:L0:8
Checking if remote hosts are using this device as a valid file system. This may take a few seconds...
Creating vfat file system on "mpx.vmhba0:C0:T0:L0:8" with blockSize 1048576 and volume label "none".
Successfully created new volume: 5cdcf45e-68f98eec-adb0-0050569674de

Note: If the format fails with the resource in use errors, the host will need a reboot.

re-create the symlink for store:

ln -snf /vmfs/volumes/5cdcf45e-68f98eec-adb0-0050569674de /store

ln -snf /vmfs/volumes/5cdcf45e-68f98eec-adb0-0050569674de /locker

Copy contents of the store partition from a working host, same Esxi build