Windows Server: Hyper-V Live Migration may fail as a result of recovery checkpoints.

Summary: This article contains information about errors that may occur during a Hyper-V Live Migration when backup software is used to perform virtual machine backups. The errors are "Virtual machine failed to generate VHD tree: 'Catastrophic failure'('0x8000FFFF')." ad "Virtual machine failed to generate VHD tree: 'The system cannot find the file specified.'('0x80070002')." ...

This article applies to This article does not apply to This article is not tied to any specific product. Not all product versions are identified in this article.
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Symptoms

Article Summary: Hyper-V Live Migration between Hyper-V hosts can fail when recovery checkpoints are used for VMs (virtual machines).

 

Issue:
 

Virtual machine failed to generate VHD tree: 'Catastrophic failure'('0x8000FFFF'). 

Virtual machine failed to generate VHD tree: 'The system cannot find the file specified.'('0x80070002').

 

Live Migration fails and times out. The Hyper-V-VMMS log located under "Applications and Services Logs\Microsoft\Windows" in Event Viewer reports the Live Migration timed out or failed at the source. Attempting to remove recovery checkpoints using PowerShell can generate one of the following errors.

Note: Hyper-V backup solutions generally use Hyper-V recovery checkpoints to perform backups. Avamar uses recovery checkpoints when performing backups.
Note: Do not delete the following in an attempt to resolve the symptoms described in this article. "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Hyper-V\Groups\groupregistry.vmcx". Deleting this file may result in the inability to resolve this issue. Contact Dell Technical Support at the numbers below.

Cause

This article contains information about errors that may occur during a Hyper-V Live Migration when backup software is used to perform virtual machine backups. The errors are "Virtual machine failed to generate VHD tree: 'Catastrophic failure'('0x8000FFFF')." ad "Virtual machine failed to generate VHD tree: 'The system cannot find the file specified.'('0x80070002')."

Resolution

Solution:


Dell customers with ProSupport or ProSupport Plus services should contact Dell Technical Support at 800-456-3355 for assistance. Otherwise, contact Dell Avamar Technical Support at 800-782-4362 for assistance.
 

Additional Information:

 

If the VM that Live Migrated previously is no longer running on the original source node, then Windows fails to remove the checkpoint or vmgroup. This orphaned checkpoint or vmgroup may cause subsequent Hyper-V backups to fail. It may also prevent that VM from Live Migrating to another cluster nodes due to the orphaned vmgroup.

 

Before performing manual cleanup procedures, check the following Microsoft URL below. The KB article provides solutions that may address Live Migration failures due to environmental factors:

 

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/virtualization/troubleshoot-live-migration-issuesThis hyperlink is taking you to a website outside of Dell Technologies.


Identifying Hyper-V Checkpoint types

The following two examples of PowerShell commands help determine the type of Checkpoint (also seen as Snapshots).

Virtual Machine Checkpoint as shown in Hyper-V Manager
Figure 1: Virtual Machine Checkpoint as shown in Hyper-V Manager


Standard Checkpoint: In this example, change the "TESTVM3" name with the name of the virtual machine in the customer environment.

 PowerShell command used to identify Checkpoint type
Figure 2: PowerShell command used to identify Checkpoint type.


Virtual Machine Checkpoint as shown in Hyper-V Manager
Figure 3: Virtual Machine Checkpoint as shown in Hyper-V Manager


Recovery Checkpoint: In this example substitute "MSCLOUD06" with the ComputerName the virtual machine resides on in the customer environment. Substitute "TESTVM1" with the name of the virtual machine in the customer environment.

PowerShell command used to identify Checkpoint type
Figure 4: PowerShell command used to identify Checkpoint type.

 
 
 
 

Affected Products

Microsoft Windows Server 2016, Microsoft Windows Server 2019

Products

PowerEdge FC640, PowerEdge M640, PowerEdge M640 (for PE VRTX), PowerEdge MX740C, PowerEdge MX750c, PowerEdge MX760c, PowerEdge MX840C, PowerEdge R240, PowerEdge R250, PowerEdge R260, PowerEdge R340, PowerEdge R350, PowerEdge R360, PowerEdge R440 , PowerEdge R450, PowerEdge R540, PowerEdge R550, PowerEdge R640, PowerEdge R6415, PowerEdge R650, PowerEdge R650xs, PowerEdge R6515, PowerEdge R6525, PowerEdge R660, PowerEdge R660xs, PowerEdge R6615, PowerEdge R6625, PowerEdge R740, PowerEdge R740XD, PowerEdge R740XD2, PowerEdge R7415, PowerEdge R7425, PowerEdge R750, PowerEdge R750XA, PowerEdge R750xs, PowerEdge R7515, PowerEdge R7525, PowerEdge R760, PowerEdge R760XA, PowerEdge R760xd2, PowerEdge R760xs, PowerEdge R7615, PowerEdge R7625, PowerEdge R840, PowerEdge R860, PowerEdge R940, PowerEdge R940xa, PowerEdge R960, PowerEdge T140, PowerEdge T160, PowerEdge T340, PowerEdge T350, PowerEdge T360, PowerEdge T440, PowerEdge T550, PowerEdge T560, PowerEdge T640 ...
Article Properties
Article Number: 000134299
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 05 Feb 2025
Version:  7
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