Can VM Converter restore a VCB full backup?

[MarkBK]

I tried to use the VM Converter to restore a VM to ESX 3.01. I restored my set of files created by VCB fullvm from tape, but when I try to use them as the source in the converter I get an error message that the guest OS could not be determined. This happens right after I select the .vmx file as my source.

Can I use VCB generated files as my source?

[admin · Accepted solution]

Not without some manual massaging. This will be most likely fixed in a future release of Converter so that Converter can read the VCB Full VM Export files directly.

For now, you'll need to do a workaround.

Step 1: Review Catalog File

Inventory list of disknames to avoid duplicate -sNNN.vmdk files accordingly

Once you have edited the .vmx file, .vmdk file, and renamed the -sNNN.vmdk files, Converter will be able to read the VM files properly.

[MarkBK]

Thanks.

This is exactly what I needed. I hope they automate this soon.

Mark

[admin]

The alternative is to run vcbRestore from the ESX Server service console. But that assumes vcbRestore would have access to your VM Export files created by VCB.

The fix to Converter will most likely still create a new VM based on the VCB VM Export, rather than read the VCB catalog file and allow you to restore the VM to its original place from the backup.

[bbtrev]

I have completed the above steps and am getting the error:

"VMware Converter is already using a specified source virtual or physical machine for another import operation. Please wait for that import to finish before opening this source again."

I have the restored files all copied locally and am running VMware Converter on my local machine as well. The original machine was attached to our SAN with a data disk on one LUN and the system disk on another.

Can anyone offer some advice?

[admin]

The error seems to indicate that a task was previously started and did not finish. Close out Converter and relaunch it.

[TDarrow]

I have followed the instructions and I am still getting the message about the OS.

[SamTzu]

LOL

It's NOT the boot.ini file!!!

Remove your USB disk and voila.

This is so insane...

Sam

[admin]

Version 3.0.1 of Converter fully supports VCB full backups. This post had a workaround for version 3.0.0.

[sacker]

Hello all !

It's not working for me...¨¨i don't have any -Snnn vmdk index file...

and still getting the error

Using 3.01, fresh downloaded :=)

Have you a more precise procedure ? I backed my VM with VCB proxy, and backup exec, with the -M 1 option in order to get only one vmdk at then end.

Thank you

[admin]

When you use VCB, you want to take a full VM export. That will create a folder. Make sure the folder is on an NTFS share. Then when you run Converter, select virtual machine and locate the .vmx file contained within the backup folder.

[sacker]

that's exactly what i'm doing.

[sacker]

by the mean, i restarted a new backup FullVM, without -M 1 option...

I got the same error in Converter...

this is my catalog:

version= esx-3.0

state= poweredOn

display_name= "gv-bb"

uuid= "503326f1-bcfb-3917-8c1d-ccbd634916d8"

disk.scsi0:0.filename= "scsi0-0-0-New Virtual Machine.vmdk"

disk.scsi0:0.diskname= "\[MSA1500_LUN2] New Virtual Machine/New Virtual Machine.vmdk"

config.vmx= "\[MSA1500_LUN2] New Virtual Machine/New Virtual Machine.vmx"

host= gv-esx3.vaccine-dc.org

timestamp= "Wed Jun 06 22:45:58 2007"

config.suspenddir= "\[MSA1500_LUN2] New Virtual Machine/"

config.snapshotdir= "\[MSA1500_LUN2] New Virtual Machine/"

config.file0= "New Virtual Machine.vmsd"

config.file1= "New Virtual Machine.vmxf"

config.file2= "New Virtual Machine.nvram"

config.logdir= "\[MSA1500_LUN2] New Virtual Machine/"

config.log0= "vmware-7.log"

config.log1= "vmware-8.log"

config.log2= "vmware-3.log"

config.log3= "vmware-4.log"

config.log4= "vmware-5.log"

config.log5= "vmware-6.log"

config.log6= "vmware.log"

folderpath= "/Datacenters/GV/vm"

resourcepool= "/Datacenters/GV/host/GV Cluster/Resources/Production"[/i]

THis is my VMX File

#!/usr/bin/vmware

config.version = "8"

virtualHW.version = "4"

floppy0.present = "true"

nvram = "New Virtual Machine.nvram"

powerType.powerOff = "default"

powerType.powerOn = "default"

powerType.suspend = "default"

powerType.reset = "default"

displayName = "gv-bb"

extendedConfigFile = "New Virtual Machine.vmxf"

scsi0.present = "true"

scsi0.sharedBus = "none"

scsi0.virtualDev = "lsilogic"

memsize = "2048"

scsi0:0.present = "true"

scsi0:0.fileName = "New Virtual Machine.vmdk"

scsi0:0.deviceType = "scsi-hardDisk"

ide0:0.present = "true"

ide0:0.fileName = "/vmfs/volumes/452bf71a-8c854518-37a4-0018fe7f1a3e/Sources/MS Windows 2003 R2 Enterprise/Disk 2.iso"

ide0:0.deviceType = "cdrom-image"

floppy0.startConnected = "false"

floppy0.fileName = "/dev/fd0"

floppy0.clientDevice = "true"

ethernet0.present = "true"

ethernet0.allowGuestConnectionControl = "false"

ethernet0.networkName = "Production Network"

ethernet0.addressType = "vpx"

ethernet0.generatedAddress = "00:50:56:b3:44:8d"

guestOS = "winnetenterprise"

uuid.bios = "50 33 26 f1 bc fb 39 17-8c 1d cc bd 63 49 16 d8"

log.fileName = "vmware.log"

sched.cpu.min = "0"

sched.cpu.units = "mhz"

sched.cpu.shares = "5332"

sched.mem.minsize = "0"

sched.mem.shares = "2048"

toolScripts.afterPowerOn = "true"

toolScripts.afterResume = "true"

toolScripts.beforeSuspend = "true"

toolScripts.beforePowerOff = "true"

scsi0:0.redo = ""

tools.syncTime = "FALSE"

vmware.tools.requiredversion = "7201"

sched.cpu.max = "6144"

sched.mem.max = "2048"

uuid.location = "56 4d c4 02 50 62 d8 6b-da e0 d7 f7 4d 18 c9 d6"

sched.swap.derivedName = "/vmfs/volumes/452c0ebf-b5d7f3b8-3a9b-0018fe7d9192/New Virtual Machine/New Virtual Machine-8e00e888.vswp"

numvcpus = "2"

workingDir = "."

migrate.hostlog = "./New Virtual Machine-8e00e888.hlog"

ide0:0.startConnected = "TRUE"[/i]

And this is my vmdk (index)

# Disk DescriptorFile

version=1

CID=decfe9da

parentCID=ffffffff

createType="twoGbMaxExtentSparse"

\# Extent description

RW 4192256 SPARSE "New Virtual Machine-s001.vmdk"

RW 4192256 SPARSE "New Virtual Machine-s002.vmdk"

RW 4192256 SPARSE "New Virtual Machine-s003.vmdk"

RW 4192256 SPARSE "New Virtual Machine-s004.vmdk"

RW 4192256 SPARSE "New Virtual Machine-s005.vmdk"

RW 4192256 SPARSE "New Virtual Machine-s006.vmdk"

RW 4192256 SPARSE "New Virtual Machine-s007.vmdk"

RW 4192256 SPARSE "New Virtual Machine-s008.vmdk"

RW 4192256 SPARSE "New Virtual Machine-s009.vmdk"

RW 4192256 SPARSE "New Virtual Machine-s010.vmdk"

RW 20480 SPARSE "New Virtual Machine-s011.vmdk"

\# The Disk Data Base

#DDB

ddb.toolsVersion = "7201"

ddb.virtualHWVersion = "4"

ddb.geometry.cylinders = "2610"

ddb.geometry.heads = "255"

ddb.geometry.sectors = "63"

ddb.adapterType = "lsilogic"

the file names are "New Virtual Machine-sNNN.vmdk". The all exist

any suggestion ?

I'm currently prototyping some backup/restore methods for VMWare ESX Servers in a SAN environnement.

I wanna build a business case in which i have everything i need to decide wether one method is better than another for daily backups AND disaster recovery procedures..( My DRP plan should not suffer too much time for restoring FUllVMS snapshots....)

[ajeetnagdev]

Dear Fellow

Backup VM using vcbmounter with -M 1 switch, with that you will get one file.vmdk file and therefore do not have to worry about renaming file or any thing else. Download latest version (3.0.2.u1 build 62456) of VM Converter.

C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Consolidated Backup Framework>vcbmounter -h hostServerNane -u root -p password -a name:TEST_VM2_Cust -r d:\mount -t fullvm -m nbd -M 1

This has worked for cheers

Ajeet Nagdev