The vRanger backup failed at the end of the job after it is done backing up the disks with the error message of:
"Error: The database transaction was rolled back."
There are a number of causes for this error, however the catalyst for this error is that there is something configured on the VM, or in the .vmx file that Ranger is unable to record and thus the backup fails.
One cause for this error is that there is one line of code that if it is designated in a .vmx file Ranger is unable to back up. This line of code is the following:
bios.bootOrder="ethernet0"
If this line of code is configured in the .vmx file's configuration then the VM will not successfully backup. In order to allow vRanger to backup this VM this line of code must be removed from the VM's .vmx file. To view the contents of the .vmx file the VM does not have to be taken offline, however the modification/import of proposed changes will require the VM to be taken offline, so do plan accordingly.
To view/modify the .vmx file you must do the following:
1. Open up vSphere and connect to either the VC or the host itself.
2. Select the VM in question that won't backup.
3. Click on the summary tab for the VM.
4. Right click on the datastore that the VM resides upon (if there are multiple datastores, we want the one that holds the .vmx file) and choose 'Browse Datastore.'
5. Navigate to the folder that corresponds to your VM, click on that folder then in the right pane of that window right click on the .vmx file and download it to your computer.
6. You can open this file in the .txt editor of your choice which will allow you to see/edit/modify the setttings inside.
7. See if the "bios.bootOrder="ethernet0" line of code is listed.
8. If that line of code is listed remove that line of code and save the .vmx file and plan a time to swap this modified .vmx file with your production .vmx file. It is highly recommended that prior to replacing one .vmx file with another, you download of copy of the existing .vmx file in order to have a 'backup' of it.
