Comments on: VMware Converter

By: Ganesh

Ganesh — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 13:44:38 +0000

After successful conversion I am getting following error.

Booting ‘Red hat Enterprise Linux Server(2.6.18-128.e15xen)

root(hd0,0)
Filesystem typr is ext2fs,partition type 00×83
kernal /VMlinuz-2.6.18-128.e15xen ro root=/dev/sda3 console=xvc0 rhgb quiet
Error 13: Invalid or unsuuorted executable format

Press any key to contonuoe

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 02:45:41 +0000

One other tip I left out was NT4 servers that boot from floppy due to corrupt MBR.

After virtualising an NT4 server at a remote site I was stumped as to why it wouldn’t come up.

Eventually I went to the site and discovered the server was booting from floppy!

After injecting the files on the floppy directly into the OS, running fdisk /fixmbr and various other troublshooting steps I was nearly ready to bang head against the table. Nothing worked so I virtualised the floppyi into a .flp image and connected that to the vm. Server came up! I know it’s not a fix but it got the server to a usable state.

Cheers.

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 02:38:38 +0000

Oops I mean’t to say “Chkdsk is most important” !!!

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 02:37:31 +0000

A trouble free way of performing p2v’s on troublesome hardware that continuously fails a hot or cold conversion (predominantly NT4 on 10+ year old hardware. Yes it exists!!!);

1. Perform file system maintenance on the target machine (cleanup files, defrag, chkdsk, clear as much space as possible). Defrag is most important.

2. Ghost system disk and subsequent disks if they exist.

3. Create empty vm with enough disk to restore image.

4. Boot vm from Bart PE or any pre execution boot environment write signature to disk (if it prompts) and restore ghost of system disk into vm.

5. Restore images of other disks (if exist).

6. Bring up vm and clap hands.

Things to note;

Ghosting failes on system disks. This can usually be fixed by performing maintenance outlined in step 1.

Sometimes we had ghosting fail on non system disks and had to bring up vm in pre execution environment with only C: drive and then robocopy files across.

Drive letters incorrect after virtualisation and/or cannot change CD drive letter. In regedit browse to HKLM\System\DISK and delete everything listed below (Default). This will reset everything to default on reboot and allow you to change drive letters to your hearts content.

Virtualising NT4 on hundreds of 10+ yeear old systems is an excellent learning environment. Patience required.

If anyone needs assistance or tips feel free to email me at tim-adam-walker@netspace.net.au (yes they are dashes not underscores).

Happy virtualising!

By: jakoma

jakoma — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:41:26 +0000

Don’t forget…

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM_00\ControlSet001\Services\symmpi]
“ErrorControl”=dword:00000001
“Group”=”SCSI miniport”
“Start”=dword:00000000
“Type”=dword:00000001
“ImagePath”=hex(2):73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,44,00,\
52,00,49,00,56,00,45,00,52,00,53,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,6d,00,6d,00,70,00,69,\
00,2e,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,00,00
“Tag”=dword:00000021

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM_00\ControlSet001\Services\symmpi\Parameters]
“BusType”=dword:00000006

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM_00\ControlSet001\Services\symmpi\Parameters\PnpInterface]
“5″=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM_00\ControlSet001\Services\symmpi\Enum]
“0″=”PCI\\VEN_1000&DEV_0030&SUBSYS_00000000&REV_01\\3&61aaa01&0&80″
“Count”=dword:00000001
“NextInstance”=dword:00000001

By: slowe

slowe — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:19:25 +0000

Oliver,

I honestly don’t know if Converter will work against ESX Server 2.5.2. You could use vmkfstools to export the VMDKs to a non-VMFS volume, which would in turn automatically make them CoW disks (the kind used by VMware Server and VMware Workstation by default). That might be enough to make it work.

By: Oliver

Oliver — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:04:52 +0000

I’m using ESX-2.5.2 installed on a linux OS machine. What’s the best approach on converting/migrating its guests into a linux-based VMWare-1.0.4 Workstation disk format? Can I use VMWare Converter?

By: GD

GD — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:53:45 +0000

STOP 7B issue resolved:

Got it finally:

The migrated VM blue screens with 7B because VMware convereter doesnâ€™t add the entry for VM disk to the criticaldevicedatabase in the registry.

Without this the symmpi driver for lsi logic scsi does not load in the beginning. You can manually add the following entry by merging the following

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\system\ControlSet001\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_1000&dev_0030]
“ClassGUID”=”{4D36E97B-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}”
“Service”=”symmpi”

Happy new year!

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 05:57:45 +0000

I believe I’ve solved the issue. It appears that VM Converter does not have the ability, within my network of gaining access to the network share drive based on the user profile on the laptop. I can only use source and target directories that are local to the VM Converter instance. I’m hoping this is just a bizarre issue with my environment and not a VM Converter “feature”.

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 03:21:05 +0000

Scott, when I run the import it fails when it hits 2%. On one VM import I didn’t get any feedback other than “failed”, on the other I had a comment back saying it “couldn’t gain access to file /%s”.

I’m backing up the 2x VM’s right now and trying again.