SolutionBase: Troubleshooting Virtual Server 2005 R2

by Diana Huggins | May 02, 2007 1:58:00 PM

Tags: Diana Huggins, Microsoft Virtual Server 2005, Microsoft Virtual Server, virtual machine, disk, CPU

Takeaway: Virtual Server 2005 can be a powerful tool, but it doesn't always work properly. Here are some of the common problems you'll face with VS2005 R2 and how to deal with them.

This article is also available as a TechRepublic download.

Virtual Server 2005 R2 (VS2005 R2) gives network administrators an easy way of consolidating multiple servers and OSs onto a single computer. Instead of using a dedicated server for every application and service you require, you can run the applications and services on virtual server instances. This allows you to continue to isolate applications and services, while making better use of existing hardware.

However, as with every piece of software that you install on a computer, there are potential problems that can arise; some easier than others to troubleshoot and resolve. Problems can occur in a number of different areas, including: networking, installing the Virtual Machine Additions component, starting virtual machines, and so on. In this article, I will outline some of the common problems that can occur with VS2005 R2, and how you can fix them.

Virtual machines and guest OSs

One of the first problems you might see when running VS2005 R2 is with the right Alt key. By default, this is the Host key; and, on some keyboards, the keystrokes used to access menus (Host Key + [Alt] + keyboard shortcut) do not work. The workaround for this problem is to designate another key as the Host Key.

To change the Host key through the Administration Web site:

1. Open the Administration Web site.
2. Under Virtual Machines, point to Configure and select the appropriate virtual machine.
3. From the Status page, point to the virtual machine name and press Turn On.
4. Press Remote Control once the virtual machine is turned on.
5. Press Remote Control and then press Set Host Key.
6. Select the option you want to use and press OK.

If your virtual machine will not start, this may be due to over-allocated CPU resources. In other words, some virtual machines have been assigned more CPU resources than others. Since only those virtual machines you have permissions for appear on the CPU Resource Allocation page, it is easy for someone to mistakenly over-allocate CPU resources to the virtual machines listed. This can prevent other virtual machines from turning on. The solution is to have a Virtual Server administrator open the CPU Resource Allocation page to verify the CPU allocation for all the virtual machines.

Hard disk problems

If your virtual machine will not start and you are using linked disks, verify that the physical linked disk is not being used. A virtual machine that uses a linked disk will not start if the linked physical disk is already in use.

When you attempt to start a guest OS from a virtual disk, you might receive the following error message:

Stop 0x0000007B

In such cases, you have more than likely installed the virtual disk on the incorrect type of controller. You can correct the problem by reattaching the virtual disk to a different type of controller. For example, if the virtual disk is currently attached to a virtual IDE controller, attach it to a virtual SCSI controller instead.

Renaming VMs

You may also encounter problems with a virtual machine after renaming it. For example, if you rename a virtual machine through Windows Explorer, the name change will not appear on the Administration Web site. The solution to this is to use the Administration Web site, instead of Windows Explorer, to rename your virtual machines.

Administration Web site

One of the most common problems people encounter after install VS2005 R2 is that they are unable to open the Administration Web site. More than likely, Internet Explorer is preventing the site from being displayed. The solution is very simple: add the URL of the site to the list of trusted sites in Internet Explorer. You can do this from the Security tab within the Internet Options dialog box, as shown in Figure A.

Figure A

Type in the URL for the Administration Web site and press Add.

If you attempt to connect to a Virtual Server using Remote Desktop Connection, you may see the error "The page cannot be displayed." To resolve the problem, you need to connect Remote Desktop Connection as a console session. This can be done using the following command:

Mstsc /v:server_address /console

Another method for resolving this problem is to configure Internet Explorer to prompt for a username and password, as described below.

1. Within Internet Explorer, select Internet Options from the Tools menu.
2. Press the Security tab.
3. Select Trusted Sites and press the Custom Level button.
4. Under User Authentication, select Prompt for user name and password, as shown in Figure B.
5. Press OK.

Figure B

Configure Internet Explorer to prompt for a user name and password.

A handy tip to keep in mind if you encounter any other error messages: Virtual Server uses the Windows event log to record errors. You can use Event Viewer to review the event log when troubleshooting any Virtual Server related errors.

Virtual Machine Additions

The Virtual Machine Additions includes features designed to improve the integration and performance of a virtual machine. A guest OS cannot be used efficiently until Virtual Machine Additions is installed. Since it is not installed by default when you install VS2005 R2, you must do so afterwards.

The installation process is very straightforward and there are very few problems that you will run into. If you are unable to install this component, check that you have the proper permissions. In order to run the Virtual Machine Additions Setup program, you require full administrative control on the guest OS.

Connectivity issues

People often run into connectivity problems with the guest OS when running any type of virtualization software. To successfully network a guest OS in VS2005 R2, the network adapter for the guest OS must be assigned the correct IP address.

The IP address of the virtual machine network adapter must be on the same physical subnet as the physical computer's network adapter. Also, verify that you have created a virtual network and assigned it to the Microsoft Loopback Adapter. The Microsoft Loopback Adapter provides the network connection between the guest OS and the host OS.

Finally, you may also see networking problems between guest OSs on the same network. Any virtual machines on the same network that have the same Media Access Control (MAC) address will not recognize each other. The solution is to configure the network adapter for each guest OS with a unique MAC address.

You can configure the MAC address using the steps described below.

1. Open the Administration Web site.
2. Under Virtual Machines, point to Configure and select the appropriate virtual machine.
3. Select Network Adapters.
4. In the Connect To section for the appropriate network adapter, select the virtual network that you want to connect the network adapter to.
5. In the Ethernet (MAC) address section, select Static and type in a unique MAC address.

Final thoughts

As you can see, there are a handful of common problems that can occur when you are running VS2005 R2, most of which are relatively easy to resolve. The majority of these problems can be avoided by paying close attention to installation requirements and directions. If you are unable to resolve the problem using the recommendations described throughout this article, you have probably encountered a more uncommon problem; one that will require a little research to find a solution.