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VMware backup proxy is in a Disconnected state in Console as Proxy VM displays Operating system not found

VMware backup proxy is in a Disconnected state in Console as Proxy VM displays Operating system not found

Problem description

In the Druva Enterprise Workloads (Phoenix) Management Console, the VMware backup proxy appears in a Disconnected state. When opening the virtual machine remote console via VMware vSphere Client / ESXi Web UI, the proxy fails to boot and displays the following error on a black screen:

Operating System not found

This issue typically occurs following an unexpected ESXi host shutdown, abrupt storage dismount, or sudden power outage in the datacenter.

Cause

A sudden power interruption or improper hypervisor shutdown can corrupt the master boot record (MBR/GRUB bootloader) or the filesystem of the proxy's underlying Ubuntu Linux operating system. Because the virtual machine cannot locate a valid bootable partition on its virtual disk (VMDK), the hypervisor halts the boot process with "Operating System not found," preventing Druva Phoenix agent services from initializing and connecting to the Druva Cloud.

Traceback

The vSphere VM remote console displays:

Operating System not found

Resolution

Since the guest operating system and core system partition are corrupted, repairing GRUB or recovering the filesystem inside a stateless appliance is not recommended. Deploying a replacement proxy provides the fastest and cleanest path to restoring backups:

  1. Delete the Corrupted Proxy VM:

    • Open the VMware vSphere Client.

    • Right-click the affected Backup Proxy VM and select Power > Power Off (if running).

    • Delete or unregister the damaged VM from the inventory.

  2. Deploy a Replacement Backup Proxy:

    • Log in to the Druva Enterprise Workloads Management Console.

    • Navigate to Protect > VMware > Register New Setup (or select your configured setup) and download the latest Backup Proxy OVA installer.

    • Deploy the OVA template into your VMware environment.

  3. Register and Activate:

    • Configure networking (DHCP or Static IP) for the newly deployed proxy.

    • Activate the proxy using your organization's activation token.

Verification

  1. Check the vSphere Console for the newly deployed proxy VM to verify Ubuntu boots cleanly to the Druva login prompt.

  2. Log in to the Druva Management Console and navigate to Protect > VMware > Backup Proxies.

  3. Verify that the backup proxy status reflects Connected (green status indicator) and subsequent scheduled backup jobs run without connection timeouts.

See also

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