If I log on to the newly cloned guest and I try and rename the vg used by that instance I see this: [root at vm-centos-6 ~]# vgrename vg_vm_centos_6 vg_vm_renamed Couldn't find device with uuid umrIn6-Np0c-NC4Z-MuUo-5TBj-IKRE-XBU0De. Cannot change VG vg_vm_centos_6 while PVs are missing. Consider vgreduce --removemissing. [root at vm-centos-6 ~]# vgreduce vg_vm_centos_6 --removemissing Couldn't find device with uuid umrIn6-Np0c-NC4Z-MuUo-5TBj-IKRE-XBU0De. WARNING: Partial LV lv_pgsql needs to be repaired or removed. WARNING: Partial LV lv_backups needs to be repaired or removed. WARNING: There are still partial LVs in VG vg_vm_centos_6. To remove them unconditionally use: vgreduce --removemissing --force. Proceeding to remove empty missing PVs. The xmldump for this guest instance contains this: <devices> <emulator>/usr/libexec/qemu-kvm</emulator> <disk type='block' device='disk'> <driver name='qemu' type='raw' cache='none'/> <source dev='/dev/vg_vhost01/lv_vm_test-vg-rename'/> <target dev='vda' bus='virtio'/> <alias name='virtio-disk0'/> <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x05' function='0x0'/> </disk> <disk type='block' device='cdrom'> <driver name='qemu' type='raw'/> <target dev='hdc' bus='ide'/> <readonly/> <alias name='ide0-1-0'/> <address type='drive' controller='0' bus='1' unit='0'/> </disk> <controller type='ide' index='0'> <alias name='ide0'/> <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x01' function='0x1'/> The /dev entries for this vm guest are these: [root at vm-centos-6 ~]# ll /dev/vg_vm_centos_6/* lrwxrwxrwx. 1 root root 7 Jan 16 15:36 /dev/vg_vm_centos_6/lv_root -> ../dm-0 lrwxrwxrwx. 1 root root 7 Jan 16 15:36 /dev/vg_vm_centos_6/lv_swap -> ../dm-1 Searching for the missing uuid I find these files: # find /etc -print | xargs grep 'umrIn6-Np0c-NC4Z-MuUo-5TBj-IKRE-XBU0De' /etc/lvm/archive/vg_vm_centos_6_00005-1429183950.vg: id = "umrIn6-Np0c-NC4Z-MuUo-5TBj-IKRE-XBU0De" /etc/lvm/archive/vg_vm_centos_6_00002-807578735.vg: id = "umrIn6-Np0c-NC4Z-MuUo-5TBj-IKRE-XBU0De" /etc/lvm/archive/vg_vm_centos_6_00004-1687335328.vg: id = "umrIn6-Np0c-NC4Z-MuUo-5TBj-IKRE-XBU0De" /etc/lvm/archive/vg_vm_centos_6_00003-650133889.vg: id = "umrIn6-Np0c-NC4Z-MuUo-5TBj-IKRE-XBU0De" /etc/lvm/archive/vg_vm_centos_6_00006-1907108135.vg: id = "umrIn6-Np0c-NC4Z-MuUo-5TBj-IKRE-XBU0De" /etc/lvm/backup/vg_vm_centos_6: id = "umrIn6-Np0c-NC4Z-MuUo-5TBj-IKRE-XBU0De" Looking in the files of /etc/lvm/archive created by the vgrename command shows a complete mess of lvs from different vm guests non of which have anything in common with the test vm guest, other than they all share the same volume group name. Evidently, cloning vm instances for the purpose of setting up a new vm guest to run with other vms cloned from the same prototype is not a good idea, -- *** E-Mail is NOT a SECURE channel *** James B. Byrne mailto:ByrneJB at Harte-Lyne.ca Harte & Lyne Limited http://www.harte-lyne.ca 9 Brockley Drive vox: +1 905 561 1241 Hamilton, Ontario fax: +1 905 561 0757 Canada L8E 3C3 -- *** E-Mail is NOT a SECURE channel *** James B. Byrne mailto:ByrneJB at Harte-Lyne.ca Harte & Lyne Limited http://www.harte-lyne.ca 9 Brockley Drive vox: +1 905 561 1241 Hamilton, Ontario fax: +1 905 561 0757 Canada L8E 3C3