• Cannot power on a virtual machine
• Powering on a virtual machine fails
• You see the error:
  
  Could not create '/vmfs/volumes/Datastore_Name/VM_name/VM_Name.nvram': Reason
  
  where Reason can be any one of these:
   
• • Failed to lock the file
  • Could not find the file
• Error: [msg.nvram.wback1] Could not create '/vmfs/volumes/5984c900-3ddf7ea3-b3e5-ecf4bbccbeb4/vm/vm.nvram': Failed to lock the file
• Sample log snippet:
  2017-09-18T20:29:23.607Z| Worker#1| I120: ToolsVersion: Status is supported old because this is status of monolithic version, and vsock_win2k3 and 78 more components are missing from the guest.
  2017-09-18T20:29:23.608Z| Worker#1| I120: ToolsVersionGetStatusWorkerThread: Tools status 2 derived from environment
  2017-09-18T20:29:31.599Z| vmx| W110: NVRAMMGR: No valid NVRAM file found, will create default NVRAM.
  2017-09-18T20:29:35.616Z| vmx| I120: Msg_Post: Error
  2017-09-18T20:29:35.616Z| vmx| I120: [msg.nvram.wback1] Could not create '/vmfs/volumes/5984c900-3ddf7ea3-b3e5-ecf4bbccbeb4/vm/vm.nvram': Failed to lock the file
  2017-09-18T20:29:35.616Z| vmx| I120: ----------------------------------------
  2017-09-18T20:29:35.641Z| vmx| W110: NVRAMMGR: Failed to create default NVRAM file (vm.nvram)
  2017-09-18T20:29:35.641Z| vmx| I120: Module Nvman power on failed.
  2017-09-18T20:29:35.641Z| vmx| I120: VMX_PowerOn: ModuleTable_PowerOn = 0
  2017-09-18T20:29:35.645Z| vmx| I120: VMXVmdb_SetToolsVersionStatus: status value set to 'oldTools', 'supportedOld', install possible
  2017-09-18T20:29:35.645Z| vmx| I120: VMXVmdb_SetToolsVersionStatus: status value set to 'oldTools', 'supportedOld', install possible
  2017-09-18T20:29:35.645Z| vmx| I120: SVMotion_PowerOff: Not running Storage vMotion. Nothing to do
  2017-09-18T20:29:35.645Z| svga| I120: SVGA thread is exiting
  2017-09-18T20:29:35.646Z| vmx| I120: Destroying virtual dev for scsi0:0 vscsi=8235
  2017-09-18T20:29:35.646Z| vmx| I120: VMMon_VSCSIStopVports: No such target on adapter
  2017-09-18T20:29:35.646Z| vmx| I120: Destroying virtual dev for scsi0:1 vscsi=8236
  2017-09-18T20:29:35.646Z| vmx| I120: VMMon_VSCSIStopVports: No such target on adapter
  2017-09-18T20:29:35.646Z| vmx| I120: Destroying virtual dev for scsi0:2 vscsi=8237
  2017-09-18T20:29:35.646Z| vmx| I120: VMMon_VSCSIStopVports: No such target on adapte

Error 1: Failed to lock the file

Error 2: Could not find the file

To work around this issue:

1. Edit the virtual machine's configuration file. For more information see, Tips for editing a .vmx file (1714).
2. Remove this line referring to NVRAM file:
   
   nvram = "file_name"
   sample line from vmx. : nvram = "vm.nvram"
3. Power on the virtual machine.

Note: This article is updated regularly with other reasons that may cause this issue. Check this article for updates. If you see a different reason for the failure, open a support request with VMware Support. For more information, see Filing a Support Request in Customer Connect (2006985).