4.0.1 "server" on Redhat ES 2.1, doesnt seem to start

[stillee]

Hi,

My plan was to install "VMware-converter-4.0.1-161434.tar.gz" on my Redhat ES 2.1 32-bit and start vmware converter (/etc/init.d/vmware-converter start)

Then connect to it from a windows client and export the machine to a ESX embedded, then export it further to Vmware Server.

but... when i run "/etc/init.d/vmware-converter start", nothing seem to happen. There is a pid file created in /var/run, but when i grep for that pid (ps aux|grep <pid>) , nothing comes up.

I also cannot connect to the machine, but the plink.exe thing works:

C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone>plink -noprompt -stdin -nokeycheck -P 22 root@derby uname -a

<passwd>

Linux derby.bulocal.net 2.4.9-e.38smp #1 SMP Wed Feb 11 00:09:01 EST 2004 i686 unknown

I choose to use the ports 8888 for HTTP and 8443 for SSL.

What should i do?

best regards /Anders

[vmweathers]

hi. The Linux Converter server is not supported on RHEL 2.1 AS. It is only supported as a Linux P2V source OS:

http://www.vmware.com/support/converter/doc/releasenotes_conv401.html#platf

Why not just run the Linux P2V from the Windows machine that you installed the Converter client on? There is no need to install any Converter bits on the source Linux machine.

(If your question has been resolved please mark the answers as "Helpful" or "Correct".)

[stillee]

Thanks, can you elaborate on how to use Linux P2V?

Will there be problems when the machine runs in the virtual environment with boot records and boot loader (lilo)?

I found some possible alternative ways: http://conshell.net/wiki/index.php/Linux_P2V

the dd way described there and http://www.mondorescue.org/docs/p2v.pdf look interesting... do you think those options are better than "Linux P2V" for my Redhat ES 2.1 machine?

/Anders

[vmweathers]

You're using LILO as the boot loader? Yeah, that's not supported by Converter's Linux P2V feature. There are plenty of write-ups on the web for performing a Linux P2V manually, just search for them using your favorite search engine. You can also choose to use Converter 3.0.3 Enterprise's Cold Clone CD to clone the source machine. Then you'll have to perform the reconfiguration by hand:

NOTE: that kb is wrong in that it suggests Converter can automatically reconfigure a Linux virtual machine independently from cloning it -- Converter cannot do this. So you'll need to follow step 2.

(If your question has been resolved please mark the answers as "Helpful" or "Correct".)

[stillee]

Thanks,

I'll start by trying out MondoRescue it looks quite neat.