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Shaminda_Illang
Contributor
Contributor

How to import the VMware server 1.0.6 to ESXi

Hi,

I just installed ESXi and trying to import VMware server 1.0.6 virtual machines to new ESXi. Can anyone guide me on the process of how to import VMware server 1.0.6 virtual machines to new ESXi server...

Thanks

Shaminda

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9 Replies
weinstein5
Immortal
Immortal

Easiest way to do this is by using the vmware converter tool -

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DoctorNet
Contributor
Contributor

... but this needs an enterprise license.

Short answer: You are f***ed - so were I, when I understood the depth of this: ESXi being free is fine, there is just no upgrade path from VMware server ...

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Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal

The are 2 editions of Converter and the standard one is free. The free version of converter will do vmware server to ESXi conversions. Here's what you get with each edition - http://www.vmware.com/products/converter/get.html. If you need cold cloning - then take a look at this tool (also free ) - http://sanbarrow.com/moa.html.

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Totohydra
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

The free converter tool is practically effortless...got my butt out of a sling fast!

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DoctorNet
Contributor
Contributor

Guys,

while the free converter wouldn't allow me to chose a VMware Server VM as a source on 4 or so different WinXP machines, I retried with an old Win2K Notebook after being told, that this should work and - voilà, it's right now converting!

So, to make it clear: Our standard WinXP image looks like the culprit. Sorry for that.

A Hint to the developers (might or might not be related): All machines, where this failed have an 1.0.x VMware server installed, the machine where it worked has not.

Best regards, Eugen

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Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal

Glad to here you have it worked out.

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Simon_H
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I've recently started testing ESXi (& am very impressed with it so far :smileygrin: ) so am already thinking about importing some Windows 2003 and RHEL guests from VMware Server 1.0.6. However it would be nice not to have to install Converter though on an intermediate PC/VM as I simply want a straight import (the source servers are Xeon 32-bit PAE with SCSI controllers and the destination is a 64-bit Intel E5405 quad).

With standalone ESXi is it possible to do this from the command line on the target ESXi host, or rather the Remote CLI virtual appliance?

I'm looking at http://communities.vmware.com/thread/86933 (ESX / VI3) and http://communities.vmware.com/message/1016706 (ESXi) it seems you might be able to use vmkfstools to convert the vmdk file format to be compatible with ESXi. On p74 of the 3.5U2 RCLI Installation and Reference guide PDF it says you can use vmkfstools -i to import GSX disks - presumably will that work for a VMware Server guest too?

Just thought I'd check if this is possible in ESXi 3.5U2 before I got too carried away. If so, I'll try and put some step-by-step notes together for it (unless I've missed them on another discussion of course...)

Simon

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nick_couchman
Immortal
Immortal

This will probably work, but you might want to create a small test VM and give it a shot, first.

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Simon_H
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Thanks Nick.

I tried that by using the ESXi "unsupported" console directly, scp'ing the VMDK files over, running vmkfstools on them and then creating the VMs from VI Client but using the existing file for the root disk (and adding other disks before starting the VM). This worked a charm :smileygrin: .

However, I had thought I'd be able to do this from the RCLI admin VM so am just trying to work out how to do that (e.g. if I can scp the files over to the datastore VMFS).

I've got a few of these VMs to do so once I've got a good method I'll post it for people to comment on.

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