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davidc2013
Contributor
Contributor

"Unable to Obtain Hardware information for the selected machine"

Summary:

I am trying to migrate two VMware virtual machines from Linux VMware server 2.01 to a VMware infrastructure install running VMWare ESXi 5.1.0.   When I try and use the Standalone converter to convert the VMware virtual machine to 5.1 I get the error "Unable to Obtain Hardware information for the selected machine".   I have followed the various suggestions on how to deal with this issue and am still Unable to import the machines.

More info:

I have a Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit) server and a  Microsoft Windows Server 2008 (32-bit) server VMWARE virtual Machine image I am trying to migrate.

To do this I shut the machines down and copied the entire machine folder from the Linux server to a Windows 2008 R2 enterprise machine.

I have then run the VMWARE standalone converter (by right clicking on it and running as administrator)

I have gone into "convert machine" and selected "VMware Workstation or other VMware virtual machine"

I have gone and selected the vmx file from the machine I wish to import

Upon selecting "View Source Details" and or "next"  I get that error: "Unable to Obtain Hardware information for the selected machine"

I COULD run the Stand Alone importer on the machines however I would rather use the offline images.  The import process changes all the hardware and the change in hardware means reapplying the windows license keys.  Which means "what else is going on in the important software we use if windows is now thinking the hardware has changed THAT much?"

37 Replies
JagadeeshDev
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Try with VMware Converter 3.0.2u1 . Also check if all the necessary ports are opened

http://www.myitblog.in/
davidc2013
Contributor
Contributor

Where would I be able to download that version of the converter from?   The earliest version on the VMWARE Converter website is 4.0

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pierreLx
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi,

To solve your problem you need to change your user permission. The user that you use to connect to your source vcenter need access to the vmx file of the VM you want to migrate, so you should check the datastore and virtual machine permission.

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davidc2013
Contributor
Contributor

This would be helpful, excpet I have copied the files to the local computer and changed their permissions to the local user running the standalone converter.   I then ran the converter as both the normal logged in user and with admin permissions.  

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davidc2013
Contributor
Contributor

I have solved this problem:

To do so I had to solve it in a rather round about way:

1)   I installed the Earliest Version of the standalone cvonverter that I could find on the VMWARE website (I think it was 4.0)  

2)   I converted the Vmware Virtual Computer to a NEW version 6.5 VMWARE virtual computer (which is the latest version that 4.0 will allow you to convert to)

3)   I then uninstalled the 4.0 converter (you cant have two installed on the same computer)

4)   I installed the latest 5.1 Standalone Converter

5)   I imported my NEW version 6.5 VMWare virtual computer into my VMware infrastructure ESXi 5.1.0 system.

This worked on the 3 systems I tried it on.   2 Windows 2003 Standard 32bit servers and a Centos 5.5 Linux server.

Im happy that I have got all my systems migrated.  I'm NOT happy that VMWARE is so cackhanded that you have to use an ANCIENT version to bootstrap into a new version.   Surly a new version would still have the old code installed that could read old hardware images?

Anyway..

SOLVED

gulopez
Contributor
Contributor

Similar problem easy solution

I had used vmware converter on a machine and it worked, I installed on a new machine and kept getting

"Unable to Obtain Hardware information for the selected machine"

error, I realized I had created a new self signed certificate on ESXI after the first successful use, restarted ESXI and problem solved hopes this helps someone.

lukasb89
Contributor
Contributor

thanks gulopez I also had the same problem. I also needed to restart the esxi-Server and run vmware Converter 5.5 with Administrator-permissions.

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fundus0
Contributor
Contributor

Hi guys,

I had the same issue when I tried to convert a couple of VMs from a VMware Server 2.0.2 (backuped on USB-HDD) to an ESXi 5.5 with my Windows 7 PC. Beside all hints, my solution wasn't the Admin rights, or older versions or even certificates. It was quite simple but it tooks a bit to get it.

In my situation a defrag of the vmdks with the build in tools of VMware Workstation helped to let the converter work. It seems the error occured because the converter couldn't read the vmdks correctly.

Cheers,

Chris

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ramesh300
Contributor
Contributor

just run as administrator....u will get solution....:) simple

mjh_72
Contributor
Contributor

I'm trying to convert my physical machine and get the same error message. And yes, I am running it as administrator. Any solutions to this problem? What kind of user permissions are needed for converting a physical machine?

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POCEH
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

For remote machines if UAC is enabled - run as adinistrator is not enough, you need to use 'administrator' or disable UAC on machine to be converted.

Otherwise upload log bundle to check the exact error.

HTH

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J_Slater
Contributor
Contributor

No, that is incorrect, ramesh. I have this same issue and simply running as admin does not solve the problem.

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ADBrennick
Contributor
Contributor

I was able to resolve this issue by disabling the UAC on my Windows Server 2008 R2 server.

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bupt_Henry
Contributor
Contributor

I have the same problem as mjh_72 said.I'm trying to convert my physical machine(Windows server 2008 R2 SP1) in local computer and get the same error message.I am running it as administrator too. I'm confused that what ports should be opend and how can I generate the log files? Many thanks

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bupt_Henry
Contributor
Contributor

And I have disabled the UAC already.

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POCEH
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Could you upload the log bundle?

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bupt_Henry
Contributor
Contributor

Hi,I'm not sure if it is the log files you need.I generated it as the jpg shows .

Thanks a lot for helping

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POCEH
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Unfortunatly the most important log (converter-worker.log) is missing, try to find it at %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\logs

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bupt_Henry
Contributor
Contributor

Here it is.that's the full bundle.Smiley Happy

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