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boein
Contributor
Contributor

Importing VM from ESX 2.5 without VC workaround?

Hi,

I'm trying to import an old VM from our ESX 2.5 to the new beta server ESX3.0 RC. I was wondering if this procedure is possible:

-Stopping the VM on the old ESX 2.5

-Copying the VMX and VMDK files to a local PC where the importer tool is installed

-Running the importer tool on the local PC, importing the old ESX2.5 VM to a new ESX3.0 format.

Is this possible? Do I have to modify some things in the vmx-file (location of the vmdk files?)

Anybody ideas?

Thanks

Boein

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Iton
Contributor
Contributor

I had the same question (as I have backups of my VM's with ESX Ranger on a windows machine). I tried about everything.

Answer form VMware:

Unfortunately, Virtual Machine Importer cannot read ESX 2.x VMs directly.[/i]

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boein
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Yes this forum is pretty dead, or people don't want to share solutions. I don't know. Anyway this procedure seems to work. Forget about the vmware importer-tool it doesn't work. You have to play with vmkfstools. Stop your VM on the ESX 2.5x next on your ESX 2.5x go to the console on the server (not the mui!) and do an export of your VM with vmkfstools -e. Next copy the files to your ESX 3.0. Start a console on the ESX3.0, use again the vmkfstools -i (for more help type MAN vmkfstools). When the import is done, create a new VM with the MUI, next you'll be able to mount the imported disks and start the VM.

I hope this helps

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Iton
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For you this is a way to go but for me there is another problem which cant be solved. ESX Ranger makes a copy of the monolithic file and compresses it. Decomspressing works with bsdtar but than I still have a monolithic file which I cant use in GSX or Workstation.

I dont think this forum is dead but there are a lot of 'friends' who only help eachother.

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Iton

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Iton
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You should be able to import 2.5 VM to 3.0 with VM Importer 2 and VC 2.0. ESX 2.5 and 3.0 have access to the same VMFS-2 volume (ESX 3 in readonly mode). Importer 2 should import VM into ESX3 (VMFS-3) volume.

Another way is to disconnect your ESX 2.5 and upgrade the VMFS-2 volume to VMFS-3 (maintenance mode - upgrade - relocate files)

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boein
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I know, but I dont have VC and I don't want to touch my ESX 2.5x environment. There are running approx 30 VMs on my old ESX environment. For that reason it's not that obvious to install VC or upgrade the VMFS-volume.

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