Hi,
The error message:
[#282] HTTP 400 ERROR: incorrect request format
Creating virtual machine failed
Activating instant restore job failed
indicates that the system sent an invalid or unsupported request to the virtualization platform API while attempting to create the VM during Instant Recovery.
Several possible reasons could cause this issue:
1. Incompatible versions
If the virtualization platform was upgraded but the backup/restore software version is older, the API request format may no longer match the platform requirements.
Solution:
Check the compatibility matrix and upgrade the backup software to a version that supports the current virtualization platform.
2. Invalid VM configuration parameters
The Instant Recovery process automatically creates a temporary virtual machine. If some parameters are invalid or no longer exist, the API request may fail.
Common cases include:
- The datastore specified in the restore target does not exist.
- The network/port group is missing or renamed.
- The resource pool, host, or cluster has changed.
Solution:
Reconfigure the restore target and select valid datastore, network, and host resources.
3. Insufficient permissions
The account used to connect to the virtualization platform may not have enough privileges to create or register virtual machines.
Required permissions usually include:
- Create Virtual Machine
- Register VM
- Allocate datastore space
- Assign network
Solution:
Verify and grant the necessary permissions to the account.
4. Cache or temporary datastore issues
Instant Recovery usually requires a cache repository or temporary datastore. If the path is unavailable or lacks space/permissions, VM creation may fail.
Solution:
Check the cache repository configuration and ensure it is accessible.
5. API request modification (proxy/gateway)
If the environment uses a proxy, gateway, or security device, the HTTP request body might be altered, resulting in an invalid format.
Solution:
Check whether any proxy, WAF, or gateway is modifying the API requests.
Suggested troubleshooting steps
- Check the detailed logs (such as
instant_restore.log or job logs) to see the full API request error.
- Verify the datastore, network, host, and resource pool configurations.
- Confirm the permissions of the virtualization platform account.
- Ensure the software version is compatible with the virtualization platform version.
