Can I use VM Converter to move my physical XPPC to VM Workstation 6.0?

[MattG]

The documentation says that it is compatible with Workstation 5 and 4? Is 6.0 not compatible yet?

Here is the deal: I have a new 64-Bit Vista install with 6GB memory. I installed VMWare Workstation 6.0 on it. Because I am certain to have issue running app and utilities in Vista 64-bit, I want to migrate my physical XP 32-bit workstation into a VM on my VMWorkstation 6.0 app running on Vista 64-bit. Is this doable?

-MattG

[mikefoley]

Check out page 99 of the Users Manual. (Help...Users Manual)

You can import right from WS6.

mike

[mikefoley]

That's the Users Manual for WS6 BTW.

[RDPetruska]

Worst case - use the standalone Converter, convert to a Workstation 5 compatible VM. Then in Workstation 6, upgrade the VM to be a Workstation 6 compatible one.

[admin]

The convert functionality built into Workstation 6 will support native Workstation 6 VMs. The freestanding Converter product currently only supports Workstation 4.x and 5.x formats. Workstation 6 can read these legacy formats but once you upgrade them to Workstation 6 format only Workstation 6 (and not Server 1.x nor ESX Server 3.x) can read them.

[MattG]

Dumb question #2: When I try to install VM Converter on the PC that I want to migrate, it suggests that if I want to migrate the PC that I am installing it to and do not want to leave a footprint, that I should use the VM Converter Bootable CD. I do not see a bootable CD on the site. Does this mean that I need to install the software to another PC and that the bootable CD maker or ISO will be available in that install?

Thanks,

-MattG

[asatoran]

The boot CD is only available with the Enterprise version, which is not available as a free download.

http://www.vmware.com/products/converter/get.html

I wouldn't worry too much about "leaving a footprint." Converter can be uninstalled afterward if desired. If you really don't want to install Converter, then you should image the XP machine with Ghost or some other imaging program. Ghost image files can be converted by Converter directly.