I was recently using VMware converter to perform a file level clone of a physical server. However several hours in it failed. After reviewing the converter logs I found the following error:

"FileLevelCloning::task{12}: Image processing task has failed with PlatformError fault: (123) The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect."

Read after the log to find out what the cause was and how to fix...

The full converter log is here which details the failure in process:

[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:23.875 'App' 1348 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,437] Waiting for updates from FileLevelCloning::task{12}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:23.875 'App' 1348 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,668] (Re)Start waiting for property updates from FileLevelCloning::task{12}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:23.875 'App' 1372 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskImpl,504] FileLevelCloning::task{12}: Starting execution of an image processing task
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:23.875 'App' 1372 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskImpl,154] FileLevelCloning::task{12}: SetState to running
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:23.875 'App' 1372 info] [fileLevelCloningTaskImpl,202] Starting file level cloning ...
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:23.875 'App' 1372 verbose] [fileLevelCloningTaskImpl,203] Cloning "e:\" into "\\.\vstor2-converter-42214219007E00000000000007000000\"
[2010-04-17 19:37:23.875 'App' 544 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,749] Got an update from CloneTask::task{5}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:23.875 'App' 248 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,437] Waiting for updates from CloneTask::task{5}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:23.875 'App' 248 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,668] (Re)Start waiting for property updates from CloneTask::task{5}
[2010-04-17 19:37:23.875 'App' 544 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,749] Got an update from FileLevelCloning::task{12}
[2010-04-17 19:37:23.875 'App' 544 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskStep,305] CloneTask::task{5} step "Cloning into volume virtVol={computer={7b5a2691772d153b37f34b64191bcda497ce1e08},2}" 0% completed
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:23.875 'App' 1348 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,437] Waiting for updates from FileLevelCloning::task{12}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:23.875 'App' 1348 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,668] (Re)Start waiting for property updates from FileLevelCloning::task{12}
[2010-04-17 19:37:23.890 'App' 1964 info] [stub,42] [Pcopy] Using API function to set file short names.
[2010-04-17 19:37:31.796 'App' 1964 info] [stub,42] [Pcopy] Source file 'e:\\found.000\dir0004.chkold\>4' could not be copied (123)
[2010-04-17 19:37:31.796 'App' 1964 info] [stub,42] [Pcopy]  (couldn't be opened)
[2010-04-17 19:37:31.796 'App' 1964 info] [stub,42] [Pcopy] Warning: failed to clone directory tree 'e:\\found.000\dir0004.chkold'
[2010-04-17 19:37:31.796 'App' 1964 info] [stub,42] [Pcopy] error Error calling CloneTree: The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect (123)
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:33.593 'App' 1372 error] [fileLevelCloningTaskImpl,267] Pcopy_CloneTree failed with err=123
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:33.593 'App' 1372 error] [imageProcessingTaskImpl,556] FileLevelCloning::task{12}: Image processing task has failed with PlatformError fault: (123) The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
[#2] [j1]
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:33.593 'App' 1372 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskImpl,154] FileLevelCloning::task{12}: SetState to error
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:33.593 'App' 1372 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,886] Remote task FileLevelCloning::task{12} completed
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:33.593 'App' 1348 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,437] Waiting for updates from FileLevelCloning::task{12}
[2010-04-17 19:37:33.593 'App' 1372 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,749] Got an update from CloneTask::task{5}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:33.593 'App' 248 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,437] Waiting for updates from CloneTask::task{5}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:33.593 'App' 248 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,668] (Re)Start waiting for property updates from CloneTask::task{5}
[2010-04-17 19:37:33.593 'App' 1372 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,749] Got an update from FileLevelCloning::task{12}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:33.593 'App' 1348 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,515] Cleaning up remote task FileLevelCloning::task{12}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:33.609 'App' 1348 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,1201] Disposing task wrapper for task FileLevelCloning::task{12}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:33.609 'App' 724 verbose] [disposable,122] object explicitly disposed: FileLevelCloning::task{12}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:33.609 'App' 724 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskImpl,123] FileLevelCloning::task{12} being destroyed
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:33.609 'App' 1348 error] [imageProcessingTaskStep,423] CloneTask::task{5} step "Cloning into volume virtVol={computer={7b5a2691772d153b37f34b64191bcda497ce1e08},2}" failed
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:33.609 'App' 1348 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,1117] Reporting image processing task failure for task FileLevelCloning::task{12}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:33.609 'App' 1348 error] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,1124] ImageProcessingTask FAILED. Fault name: sysimage.fault.PlatformError
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:33.609 'App' 1348 info] [imageProcessingTaskStep,194] CloneTask::task{5} step "Cloning into volume virtVol={computer={7b5a2691772d153b37f34b64191bcda497ce1e08},2}" destroyed
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:33.609 'App' 1348 info] [imageProcessingTaskStep,194] CloneTask::task{5} step "clone volumes" destroyed
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:33.609 'App' 724 verbose] [disposable,122] object explicitly disposed: computer={7b5a2691772d153b37f34b64191bcda497ce1e08}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:33.609 'App' 724 verbose] [diskSet,114] Cleaning up computer's child objects
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:33.609 'App' 724 verbose] [diskSet,130] Unregistring volume id=virtVol={computer={7b5a2691772d153b37f34b64191bcda497ce1e08},0}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:33.890 'App' 724 verbose] [diskSet,130] Unregistring volume id=virtVol={computer={7b5a2691772d153b37f34b64191bcda497ce1e08},1}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:34.234 'App' 724 verbose] [diskSet,130] Unregistring volume id=virtVol={computer={7b5a2691772d153b37f34b64191bcda497ce1e08},2}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:34.484 'App' 724 verbose] [diskSet,130] Unregistring volume id=virtVol={computer={7b5a2691772d153b37f34b64191bcda497ce1e08},3}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:34.484 'App' 724 verbose] [diskSet,140] Unregistring disk id=disk={1dcc8ce85007706a5d20038dec93ddad92f52d98}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:34.484 'App' 724 verbose] [diskSet,140] Unregistring disk id=disk={a0ac7e6fd78ba14994eac262fe0b5a0533137bd6}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:34.484 'App' 724 verbose] [diskSet,140] Unregistring disk id=disk={5c3d27f5b2802c58ccb6c824b9050761aff9af35}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:34.484 'App' 724 verbose] [diskSet,140] Unregistring disk id=disk={68833fbc1e937dc3eb7b90879813743ec0d48bcf}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:34.703 'App' 1348 error] [cloneTask,332] Cloning failed!
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:34.703 'App' 1348 error] [imageProcessingTaskImpl,556] CloneTask::task{5}: Image processing task has failed with PlatformError fault: (123) The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
[#2] [j1]
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:34.703 'App' 1348 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskImpl,154] CloneTask::task{5}: SetState to error
[2010-04-17 19:37:34.703 'App' 724 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,749] Got an update from CloneTask::task{5}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:34.703 'App' 248 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,515] Cleaning up remote task CloneTask::task{5}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:34.703 'App' 1348 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,886] Remote task CloneTask::task{5} completed
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:34.703 'App' 248 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,1201] Disposing task wrapper for task CloneTask::task{5}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:34.703 'App' 724 verbose] [disposable,122] object explicitly disposed: CloneTask::task{5}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:34.703 'App' 724 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskImpl,123] CloneTask::task{5} being destroyed
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:34.703 'App' 248 error] [imageProcessingTaskStep,423] VmiImportTask::task{4} step "clone to VM" failed
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:34.703 'App' 248 verbose] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,1117] Reporting image processing task failure for task CloneTask::task{5}
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:34.703 'App' 248 error] [imageProcessingTaskWrapper,1124] ImageProcessingTask FAILED. Fault name: sysimage.fault.PlatformError
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:34.703 'App' 248 info] [imageProcessingTaskStep,194] VmiImportTask::task{4} step "clone to VM" destroyed
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:34.703 'App' 248 error] [vmiImportTask,456] Cloning failed: sysimage.fault.PlatformError
[#2] [j1] [2010-04-17 19:37:34.703 'App' 248 info] [vmiImportTask,1054] Removing destination VM

1. As you can see it fails to clone the following files:

e:\found.000\dir0004.chkold\

>4

>6

>8

"[2010-04-17 19:37:31.796 'App' 1964 info] [stub,42] [Pcopy] Source file 'e:\\found.000\dir0004.chkold\>4' could not be copied (123)" 

The clone will not suceed until this is resolved.

2. When trying to delete the files booted into the Windows OS presents the following error:

"The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect."

Windows cannot delete the files due to the special characters in the filename ">" which Windows does not allow.

Ironically it was windows check disk (chkdsk) that created these files.

Naturally I turned to Linux to fix the problem Windows got itself into that was stopping my P2V from working.

3. Download the KNOPPIX Live CD ISO and burn to CD (I used version 5.11)

4. Boot from the KNOPPIX Live CD

5. Once booted and logged in, open a terminal.

6. Now mount the NTFS drive in read/write (rw):

mount

(this will display current mounted drives - all are mounted read only)

umount /mnt/sdc1

(this will unmount the required disk/partition - changed if yours is different)

vim /etc/fstab

add rw,

(edit fstab and on the line for your disk/partition change add rw)

mount /mnt/sdc1

(mount the disk/partition again - this time it is read/write)

rm -rf /mnt/sdc1/found.000/

(delete the files - notice linux doesnt care windows made these stupid filenames!)

7. Shutdown the server.

8. Boot from the VMware Converter CD and Continue your P2V.