Cold Clone CD with explorer-shell and VMware workstation

[continuum]

I believe I can port the ColdCloneCD to BartPE.

With explorer-shell and VMware-workstation on the same CD the Enterprise CD would become really useful.

If VMware is interested ... - I got a few questions.

- coldclone.exe launches factory.exe, eula.exe and then converter.exe - with which parameters does it call converter.exe ?

- is it possible to just add the coldclone options to the regular converter GUI ? If yes - how do I call converter.exe ?

Ulli

[continuum]

Just imagine you would have Cold Clone Converter on a LiveCD that can also do this ...


!http://sanbarrow.com/moa21/moa21_003small.jpg!


http://sanbarrow.com/moa21/moa21_003.jpg

[scerazy]

That would be great. Also with VistaPE

All that we need is the parameter that is passed to converter to startup

Seb

[scerazy]

Try from command prompt

vmware-ufad ufa.xml

and then again from another command prompt

converter -boot

Tested it from VistaPE within WS6 & it worked like charm (copying to network share)

Message was edited by:

scerazy

[continuum]

Hi Seb

looks promising.

Can you please tell me wether you use the original path

X:\vmware-converter and if you get any message on

vmware-ufad.exe ufa.xml

I get : using system libcrypto, version 90709F

and then a blinking cursor on the next line ...

Do you eastablish vstor2driver in registry ?

[scerazy]

The ufad service just sits there (running as an application)

One could install it as service (check its command line options), but I do not see the point (if it runs OK this way)

And you know that it runs, as without it converter can not select source

I saw briefly the vstor2 error, but had to go home, so will try to look later how to make it run (and from where, as I could not see it in the vmware-converter folder)

I run it from d:\programs\vmware-converter under VistaPE

Seb

[continuum]

Hey - it really works from VistaPE so easily - hmmm - can't start it with 2k3-PE ???

[scerazy]

OK, few hours later & it is all sorted!!!

All that was needed:

VistaPE build with FBWF cache size of 256 (step 3 of Build)

check http://www.boot-land.net/forums/VistaPE-f51.html

and Vmware-Converter copied to Programs (without script, just by hand to Target, re-run ISO creation script to get the ISO that contains all the needed files)

Ones fully booted run d:\programs\Vmware-Converter\INSTMSI.EXE

That step allows running VMware Converter.msi

Install to defaults (on X: - no matter, it is RAM, will be gone after reboot)

All the agent setrvices do get installed & started

Run converter -boot & convert what you want to where you want it

Good luck & feel free to ask any questions

Seb

Message was edited by:

scerazy

[continuum]

That sounds more familiar

In a plugin for the free edition I used to put that driver into system32 and establish it in registry. Guess we have to do the same here.

Anyway - the tricky part is done I think ...

[continuum]

My last post was already outdated ...

Still got some issues with target-selection.

I guess I have to remove the vstor2 that comes with WS 6 to make the vstor2-p2v30 work cleanly.

Maybe that is related to network also ...

Anyway - thanks. I never thought about the most logical switch

[scerazy]

OK, here is fully working solution.

Create VistaPE using Winbuilder (include what you want in it)

Do not create ISO, as we will need to adjust the .wim file

I could not be bothered to create script for Winbuilder for Converter, so will describe the manual steps taken:

\- mount wim for read/write access (imagex or even easier the Gui-Imagex wrapper.exe)

\- open registry on your PC (I used W2K3, should works also on XP) & load hive

"mountpoint"\Windows\System32\config\system as SYSTEM_00

\- import reg file (text below) to the registry

\- copy VSTOR2-P2V30.SYS to mountpoint"\Windows\System32\drivers

\- (optional) copy serviwin.exe (from http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/serviwin.html) to "mountpoint"\Windows\

\- unmount the image

-copy VMWARE-CONVERTER to ie Winbuilder\Target\VistaPE-beta\Programs\ (so it is accessible in VistaPE session - that can also be on USB key etc, as VistaPE does allow it - one of the reasons to use it!)

\- create ISO in Winbuilder

\- boot from the ISO (or CD if written to)

\- from command prompt run "net start vstor2-p2v30" or use serviwin to start this driver/service

\- from command prompt run "VMWARE-UFAD ufa.xml" and then "converter -boot"

Runs perfect, no questions asked

CUT HERE

\----

---

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

\[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM_00\ControlSet001\Enum\Root\LEGACY_VSTOR2-P2V30]

"NextInstance"=dword:00000001

\[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM_00\ControlSet001\Enum\Root\LEGACY_VSTOR2-P2V30\0000]

"Service"="vstor2-p2v30"

"Legacy"=dword:00000001

"ConfigFlags"=dword:00000000

"Class"="LegacyDriver"

"ClassGUID"="\{8ECC055D-047F-11D1-A537-0000F8753ED1}"

"DeviceDesc"="VMware vstor2 driver"

\[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM_00\ControlSet001\Enum\Root\LEGACY_VSTOR2-P2V30\0000\Control]

"\*NewlyCreated*"=dword:00000000

\[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM_00\ControlSet001\Services\vstor2-p2v30]

"ErrorControl"=dword:00000001

"Start"=dword:00000002

"Type"=dword:00000001

"DisplayName"="VMware vstor2 driver"

"ImagePath"="SYSTEM32
DRIVERS
vstor2-p2v30.sys"

\[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM_00\ControlSet001\Services\vstor2-p2v30\Enum]

"0"="Root
LEGACY_VSTOR2-P2V30
0000"

"Count"=dword:00000001

"NextInstance"=dword:00000001

\----

---

CUT HERE

[continuum]

Seb - can you please look up what should be the next step ?

I don't get past this when calling vmware-ufad ufa.xml

\[2007-07-11 02:35:51.296 'VmdbAdapter' 1900 info] Using new VMDB VMOMI serialization format

\[2007-07-11 02:35:51.296 'Ufa' 1900 info] Plugin started

\[2007-07-11 02:35:51.296 'App' 1900 info] \[plugin,119] UfaClientPlugin Start

\[2007-07-11 02:35:51.312 'App' 1900 info] \[plugin,132] UfaSlavePlugin Start

\[2007-07-11 02:35:51.312 'App' 1900 info] \[plugin,182] SysMigrationPlugin Start

\[2007-07-11 02:35:51.312 'App' 1900 info] \[plugin,119] SysReconfigPlugin Start

\[2007-07-11 02:35:51.312 'App' 1900 info] \[plugin,126] VMImporterPlugin Start[/code]

[scerazy]

That is still on W2K3 PE?

The message comes from the log file, right? (as the command prompt started vmware-ufad does not give any output)

Do you have correct setting for %temp%

Does the network is correct (this you can check with netconfig.exe)

If you look in the xml you will see two ports, nothing else on your system using these ports?

I can not thik why the ufad-p2v service does not start, sorry

Seb

[continuum]

I changed ufa.xml so that the service talks to screen.

Yes - that is based on 2k3-sp1 - I have 270Mb free space in systemroot and 60 Gb free space in temp so that is no issue. It doesn't even work if I run the installer - strange.

I guess it is still something wrong with the Workstation - plugin.

Seb - can you please tell me what step you get next if you change the ufa.xml to print to screen

Ulli

[scerazy]

I get the same initial screen when run vmware-ufad

Then when converter is started & machine starts being converted then the extra info shows (basically all the process that is happening)

What do you get when trying to convert the machine?

Seb

[continuum]

I can select the partitions and then the next screen with target-selection comes with everything greyed out.

So that is the end of the show at least for now .... ?

Can you please show me your ufa.xml ?

[scerazy]

Below, you do have the converter version of vstor2-p2v30 running (not the workstation one)

Seb

<!<soapPort>8086</soapPort>>

<!<vmdbAdapterListener>both</vmdbAdapterListener>>

<!<vmdbAdapterListener>tcp</vmdbAdapterListener>>

<!<vmdbPort>9006</vmdbPort>>

[continuum]

Thumbs up - now I can connect to ESX or create local VM.

Oh dear - wonder why it was so easy with VistaPE.

For BartPE based on 2k3-sp1 I need a much more complicated plugin - but it should be possible.

[continuum]

!http://sanbarrow.com/gifs/yahoo.gif!

first successful import to ESX

[scerazy]

What did you have to change to get it working with BartPE?