Error - "Unable to determine guest operating system"

[DynaRider]

Hi,

I'm trying to use VMware Converter version 3.03 (latest I think) to convert a Windows Server 2008 VM to a new VM. I'm using Converter because I want to increase the size of a drive on the fly, and Converter works well for that. The Windows 2008 Server has been sysprep'ed and powered off. Converter is giving me the error "Unable to determine guest operating system". Can anyone tell me specific or general reasons for the error? Is W2K8 supported in VMware Converter 3.03?

Thanks in advance.

[continuum]

Is W2K8 supported in VMware Converter 3.03? - no - only OS wth a boot.ini are supported

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description of vmx-parameters:

VMware-liveCD:

[Mark_Bradley]

Hi,

You may be able to do the conversion using the ColdClone CD/ISO. As ColdClone boots into WinPE and then does the conversion it will get round the OS, this is why ColdClone can be used to convert Linux machines, as listed on the FAQ page for converter - , but note the experimental only tag.

You may need to add the drivers for the array of the physical server so it can read the disks. This can be done either using PETool or using this procedure -

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[continuum]

Mark - Converter can not convert Linux and Windows 2008 - whoever says something different doesn't know what he is talking about.

At best it can image those OS - thats all.

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description of vmx-parameters:

VMware-liveCD:

[Mark_Bradley]

Agreed, I should have used image rather than convert.

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Check out my blog at http://www.ridethevirt.blogspot.com

[AWo]

Beside continuum's answer you can always look into the log file of VMware Converter. It shows more details about the reason why it has failed. I received this message ("Unable to determine guest operating system") because "msdos.sys" was missing in an image, for example. And this message was displayed even th eoparting system was identified correctly by VMware Converter in a previous step (regarding the log).

[azn2kew]

Here is a success P2V conversion for Windows 2008 instruction read for details.

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!!

Regards,

Stefan Nguyen

iGeek Systems Inc.

VMware, Citrix, Microsoft Consultant

[malaysiavm]

This is not really a full solution yet I will say. The next release should work better

Malaysia VMware Communities -