This article offers simple guidance on the virtual machine disk consolidation needed error, covering causes like hidden snapshots and data store limits, and providing clear ways to resolve issues and improve virtual machine reliability.
A “virtual machine disks consolidation is needed” error appears when the platform finds leftover snapshot files that were not successfully merged back into the main virtual disk. This situation often develops after a snapshot deletion or merge fails because a file is locked, the storage becomes unstable, or another process interrupts the operation. It may also occur when backup software creates snapshots in the background and cannot remove them correctly afterward, leaving extra “delta” files behind.
When these unused files build up, the system reports the consolidation message to prevent performance issues, avoid backup failures, and remind users that the VM’s disk structure is no longer fully synchronized. In some cases, low datastore space, especially with thin-provisioned disks, can stop the merge from completing, which further increases the chance of this error appearing. As a result, the message simply reflects that the VM contains outdated snapshot data that must be merged to maintain smooth, stable, and reliable virtual machine storage operations.
The “virtual machine disks consolidation is needed” message appears when leftover snapshot files are not properly merged into the main virtual disk. This can cause performance issues, backup failures, or storage problems. The solution depends on the cause, such as pending snapshots, locked files, or insufficient datastore space. The following methods provide clear steps to resolve the issue.
Step 1. Open the VM in your management tool
Right-click the VM → Snapshots → Consolidate. Confirm the action to start merging leftover snapshot data into the main disk.
Step 2. Monitor the progress
Check the Recent Tasks or progress pane. Once consolidation is complete, the warning should disappear.
Step 1. Open Snapshot Manager
Review all snapshots listed for the VM. Delete any snapshots that are no longer needed.
Step 2. Refresh hidden snapshots
If no snapshots appear but the warning remains, create a new snapshot and then delete all snapshots. This can remove hidden delta files and allow consolidation to complete.
Step 1. Check for running backup jobs
Ensure no backup tasks are currently using the VM’s disks. Detach any proxy VMs that may have the disk mounted.
Step 2. Restart management agents if necessary
On the ESXi host, restart management agents via SSH or DCUI to release locks. After this, try consolidation again.
Step 1. Open PowerCLI
Run the following command for a single VM: (Get-VM -Name "VM_Name").ExtensionData.ConsolidateVMDisks()
Step 2. Consolidate all affected VMs
Use: Get-VM | Where-Object {$_.ExtensionData.Runtime.ConsolidationNeeded} | ForEach-Object {$_.ExtensionData.ConsolidateVMDisks_Task()}
If the error persists, the VM may have broken snapshot chains or corrupted disk descriptors. VMware support can provide advanced tools and guidance to repair the virtual disk and restore normal operation.
When the “virtual machine disks consolidation is needed” error appears because the virtual disk or datastore does not have enough free space, AOMEI Partition Assistant can help in a practical way. It does not repair the snapshot problem directly, but it removes the storage limits that prevent consolidation.
You can first clone the current disk to a larger physical drive, and replace it. Then create a bigger virtual disk to move all data onto it. After the disk size is increased, the virtual machine has enough room to run, and VMware can complete the consolidation that failed earlier due to low storage. This makes AOMEI Partition Assistant a helpful workaround when the main cause of the error is limited disk capacity. To clone a virtual disk data to physical hard drive, please follow these steps:
The Best Windows Disk Partition Manager and PC Optimizer
If you have a configured OS inside a virtual disk (VHD/VHDX) and want to move it to a physical hard drive (SSD or HDD), follow these steps:
Step 1. Open AOMEI Partition Assistant. Go to the "Virtual Disk" menu and select the Attach VHD option to attach your VHD/VHDX file. Once attached, the virtual disk will appear in the main interface as a new disk (e.g., Disk 2).
Step 2. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant, click "Clone" in the main interface, and select "Clone Disk".
Step 3. Choose the hard disk that you need to clone as the source disk and click "Next".
Step 4. Select another drive as the destination disk, and then click "Next".
Step 5. Then, you can check the source and destination disk in the next window or change to "Sector to Sector clone", and click the "Confirm" button to continue if there is no problem.
Here, you can also click the "Settings" button to adjust the partition size on the destination disk or tick "4k alignment" to improve the reading and writing speed of the SSD.
Step 6. After returning to the main interface, check the pending operation and click "Apply" and "Proceed" to commit the operation.
The virtual machine disks consolidation is needed error occurs when leftover snapshot data is not properly merged into the main virtual disk. This can cause performance, storage, or backup problems. Using the right method to fix the issue restores normal VM operation. When low disk space is the main cause, AOMEI Partition Assistant can help by expanding the virtual disk or moving data to a larger drive, giving enough room for consolidation to complete smoothly and keeping the virtual machine stable and efficient. For Windows Server user, please turn to AOMEI Partition Assistant Server edition.
The Best Windows Disk Partition Manager and PC Optimizer