Problem description
When attempting to perform a Full VM or disk restore to an alternate ESX host, the restore fails with the following error message:
"The virtual machine version is not compatible with the version of the host."
This error occurs during the VM creation phase, preventing the successful restoration of the VM.
Cause
The restore operation fails if the target ESX host does not support the hardware version of the VM being restored. This happens when a VM is backed up from a newer ESXi version but restored to an older ESX version that does not support the required virtual hardware version.
Example:
A VM created on ESXi 7.0 (which uses hardware version 17) cannot be restored to an ESXi 6.5 host, which only supports hardware versions up to 13.
Similarly, a hardware version 14 VM cannot be restored to ESXi 6.0 or 6.5.
Since older ESX hosts lack support for newer virtual hardware versions, the restore operation fails during VM creation.
Traceback
[2021-06-03 11:05:25,889] [INFO] VM: New VM Name = Test_VM name = 'Test_VM',
version = 'vmx-11',
[2021-06-03 11:05:25,963] [ERROR] SyncError: The virtual machine version is not compatible with the version of the host 'TestESX'.
[2021-06-03 11:05:25,964] [ERROR] Error <class 'pyVmomi.VmomiSupport.vim.fault.VirtualHardwareVersionNotSupported'>:(vim.fault.VirtualHardwareVersionNotSupported)
The "VirtualHardwareVersionNotSupported" error confirms that the ESX host does not support the VM’s hardware version.
Resolution
To resolve this issue, use one of the following methods:
1. Restore to a Compatible ESX Host
Verify the hardware version of the VM you are restoring.
Restore the VM to an ESX server that supports the same or a higher hardware version.
Refer to VMware’s Virtual Machine Hardware Versions documentation for compatibility details.
2. Upgrade the Target ESX Host
If restoring to an older ESX version, consider upgrading the ESX host to a version that supports the VM’s hardware version.
This ensures compatibility and prevents restore failures due to hardware version mismatches.
3. Downgrade the VM Hardware Version (If restoring to an older ESX host)
If upgrading the ESX host is not an option, consider downgrading the VM’s hardware version before restoring.
This can be done using VMware vCenter Converter or by manually creating a new VM with a lower hardware version and attaching the restored disk(s).
Additional Information
For detailed information on ESXi host and hardware version compatibility, refer to VMware’s official documentation: Virtual Machine Hardware Versions