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Sunday, December 25, 2011

VMware Converter - SQL_CANTOPEN Error

While working with the VMware vCenter Converter Standalone Client (in my case version 5.0) I kept getting the following error while trying to convert machines:

A general system error occurred: SQL_CANTOPEN: unable to open database file

After some research I find this error message has been around for awhile and also happens with previous versions of the Converter.  Some say network errors can cause it.

In my case it was the CrashPlan backup client that was causing it.  Forcing CrashPlan to sleep during my conversions corrected my issues.  I also read that for some disabling antivirus software corrected it for them.

So basically anything that could be locking files on the computer your running the VMware Converter software on is where you should look and not the machine being converted.  It was driving me crazy and I thought it was the target VSphere Server that was the issue.


10 comments:

  1. Thanks David! Looks like your recommendation to stop crashplan on my server during the conversion is working. REALLY APPRECIATE YOU RIGHT NOW!!

    -Scott Hardy
    www.hhtek.com

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  2. I'm also very appreciative of your knowledge and that you took the time to post your results. I was sure that the error was going to come from the source system. Stupid McAfee doesn't even have a normal interface to disable its components.

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  3. Thanks for posting this. Over two years later it can still be a problem. Pausing Carbonite backup fixed it!

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  4. I had the same error using Converter 5.1 on a CentOS 5.4 server, which also had CP running. Even after stopping the CP service, it still failed. Ended up using Converter 4.3, which seems to have solved this. I've had to use 4.3 for other jobs that fail on 5.1.

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  5. This helped me too. In my case it was the McAfee Anti-virus. Turned it off and conversion worked foirst time. Many thanks for your help.

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  6. Another thankful reader. Pausing CrashPlan worked for me.

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  7. In my case, pausing Carbonite resolved the problem.

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  8. Another thankful reader, David! Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this. It hadn't occurred to me to disable CrashPlan and Symantic Antivirus. Once I did, everything started migrating correctly. :)

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  9. Thanks David!
    Pausing Crashplan helped me as well!

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