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Justin_Luth
Contributor
Contributor

Error converting win2003 from vmware server to ESXi

I have been unable to convert my "vmware server" VMs onto a new ESXi server using vmware converter if the VM is running windows 2003 server. It fails at 2%. I have attached the vmware converter log file. I can't figure out what is going on.

Background:

I have a "vmware server" that I would like to migrate to ESXi. I have setup a second server with ESXi as a migration target for the VMs that are running under that "vmware server". VMWare converter is installed on the vmware server host. My "vmware server" is hosting both windows XP and Windows 2003 VMs. I have shutdown the VMs before attempting to convert them.

Troubleshooting steps taken:

1.) The converter tool itself seems to work fine. It will convert to ESX format if I change the destination to a different ESX 3.5 server (that's a full ESX 3.5.0 build 64607 that another department owns with a foundation license.)

2.) The target ESXi server also seems to work. I can convert the XP virtual machines to the ESXi server without errors. It is only the Windows 2003 VMs that are failing.

Versions:

VMWare converter 3.0.3 - Build 89816

ESX 3i 3.5 .0 build 110271

VMWare server 1.0.7

The primary error appears to be "Image processing task has failed with MethodFault::Exception: sysimage.fault.NfcConnectionFault". I'm baffled since all the pieces seem to work individually, but not all together. I have tried several windows 2003 VMs with the same result.

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7 Replies
jredwine2857
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Justin,

Somthing is def up with these NFC errors. Just breifly searching I have found now 5 end-users with this same error message when converting Windows VM's from VMWare server to ESX3i. I'd love to know the answer, but I have yet to see anything concrete. (Some say check your NIC properties for duplex settings, etc.) I'll post back with any answers.

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CMCC
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi Justin,

Have you check your Network configuration? if Duplex between the machine and the ESXi server is the same, if the physical machine doesn't have firewall, if you can check DNS, if there is no Antivirus service running.

Regards

Celia.-
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Justin_Luth
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm still getting the same error after checking those three suggestions.

1.) "vmware server" and ESXi are plugged into the same switch. The switch reports 1000/full for both ports. Both servers indicate connecting at 1000/full also.

2.) I disabled antivirus. Confirmed that virtual machines folder was excluded

3.) disabled the firewall on the vmware server with the same results.

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CMCC
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Are you trying to resize the disk?

Celia.-
Justin_Luth
Contributor
Contributor

No, I wasn't originally. I was trying as close to a next -> next -> finish as I could.

I tried resizing after you asked the question, and IT WORKS NOW. Even if I "resize" to the same size, it completes the conversion now.

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IamTHEvilONE
Immortal
Immortal

Justin,

As a curiosity, what is the server hardware that ESXi is running on? This is just for personal information.

Also, was the Service Console IP Address on the same subnet as the source computer and do you have multiple NICs allocated to the Service Console?


EvilOne

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Justin_Luth
Contributor
Contributor

Dell PowerEdge 2950-III. The ESXi management network IP address is on the same subnet as the "vmware server" host. Only one NIC is connected to the ESXi server, and it is using internal hard drives for storage.

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