Hyper-v orphaned replica Cannot load a virtual machine configuration: Unspecified error (0x80004005). (Virtual machine ID B3992825-272F-40A2-9B82-6965AEF78863) in data.vmcx

Question

Recently after a hard reboot Hyper-V Manager started without showing some of the target replica's.

a. I tried to reinitiate them from the source server, however this gave the dreaded 0x80004005.
b. I followed some of the online articles stating to remove the replica from the target server on C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Hyper-V sub folders and other drives. c. Rebooted the target machine, in the log it now states Cannot load a virtual machine configuration: Unspecified error (0x80004005). (Virtual machine ID B3992825-272F-40A2-9B82-6965AEF78863)
d. double checked if no files were lingering
e. Retried to replicate from source server, same issue
f. Opened on the target server C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Hyper-V\data.vmcx with notepad see that in the file there are references to B3992825-272F-40A2-9B82-6965AEF78863
g. used powershell Remove-VMReplication *
h. Reopened on the target server C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Hyper-V\data.vmcx with notepad see that in the file there are references to B3992825-272F-40A2-9B82-6965AEF78863

Please help

Answer 1

Hi,

May I know if the VM can still run normally on the source server?

To fix this, would you try copying the configuration file (.vmcx) on the source server to the replica host and see if it can be fixed?

If not, probably the file is corrupted due to the hard reboot.

To do a quick fix in this case, I suggest that you recreate the VM with the .vhdx file on the host, then recreate the replication relationship. This way you only need to reset the configuration file of the VM, and the production environment inside the VM would remain untouched.

Thanks for your time!
Best Regards,
Anne

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Answer 2

Hi Anne,

Thanks for the answer. Copying the .vmcx file to the target server changes the error message on start to:

The description for Event ID 16300 from source Microsoft-Windows-Hyper-V-VMMS cannot be found. Either the component that raises this event is not installed on your local computer or the installation is corrupted. You can install or repair the component on the local computer.

If the event originated on another computer, the display information had to be saved with the event.

The following information was included with the event:

B3992825-272F-40A2-9B82-6965AEF78863
%%2147942403
0x80070003

The locale specific resource for the desired message is not present

I think the 0x80070003 means that the files cannot be found. Any suggestions apart from copying the source files to the replica server?

Answer 3

Hi,

Thanks for your feedback.

If the first method doesn't work, would you please try the second method in the first reply?

We may try to recreate the VM with the VHDX file of the VM, so the configuration file of the VM will be recreated, then we recreate the replication between the servers.

Thanks for your time!
Best Regards,
Anne

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Answer 4

Thanks for helping.

The guest on the source server is working, so how would I recreate the replica version on the replica server?

Answer 5

Hi,

To use the VHDX file to recreate a VM, we may try the following steps:

1. Copy the VHDX file of the VM.
2. Then create a new VM in Hyper V manager, rename with a different VM name, in the following step, select the copied VHDX of the VM:
3. Then start the recreate VM, check if it could work well as the original one, if yes, create the VM replication to the replica server. After all things set well, we may delete the old VM and use the new create VM.

Thanks for your time!
Best Regards,
Anne

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