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gregom
Contributor
Contributor

Trying to convert W2K3 server x86 Acronis True Image file to ESX VM

My host server is running ESXi 3.5. I have a Acronis True Image 9 image of my Win2k3 Server install from the same host machine (so obviously the W2k3 server isn't running anymore) that i'm trying to import with Converter 3.0.3. The OS i'm using to remote to the ESXi server is Windows 7 x64 beta, which could pose a problem... but so far everything else has gone smooth for the setup.

When I try to convert the Acronis image, after inputing the password for it comes back with error "Unable to determine guest operating system". I've looked into this online and tried a number of things, none of which have helped.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Also a side question, not that important since I cant even get the 2k3 server online as a VM... but my host server has a Highpoint R2332 SATA-RAID card with a RAID-5 array, configured as a GUID partition table with a simple dynamic volume to allow future expansion... Assuming I can get the 2k3 server up and running, will it be able to detect this card and volume through the ESXi host OS?

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continuum
Immortal
Immortal

When Converter 3.0.3 was made nobody could test run it on Windows 7 - 64 - so using it for Converter is asking for problems.

Why don't you use a 2k3-VM instead ?

> Assuming I can get the 2k3 server up and running, will it be able to detect this card and volume through the ESXi host OS?

Why would you want to do that ? - didn't you assigned that volumes to the new installed ESXi ?

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gregom
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks for responding!

I might try connecting to the host and running the converter software from a WinXP x86 machine instead. As for using a 2003 VM instead.... what do you mean? Isn't converting a physical to a VM the same thing? It will be a VM once its converted... The main reason I didn't just go and install 2003 fresh is I didn't want to set everything up for my server again, but I may have to do that anyway.

And why wouldn't I want the 2003 VM to be able to access the host storage hardware? What do you mean by assigning the volume to ESXi? I've never heard of that and have not seen anything about a feature similar to that so if it does indeed exist, I have no idea how to do that. Can you shed some more light on this please?

EDIT[/b] - Well I tried a WinXP x86 machine to use the VI Client and Converter on to try and import my 2003 server image into a VM and got the same error. I'm not sure what could be wrong here at this point.

So now i'm going to start installing a fresh install of Server 2003 and see how that goes. Although if the VM isn't able to interface with and access the hosts storage controller to access my RAID array then this VM idea isn't going to work for me and i'll have to go back to just Server 2003 only. Even so its pretty cool to check this stuff out and learn new things.

2nd edit[/b] - So I suppose I should of looked around regarding the compatibility of my RAID controller and ESXi... doesn't appear it is compatible. So I may be going to a new controller at some point but as of right now I think i'll abandon the project. A bit of good news though I was able to get 2003 installed and running, moot point though considering I can't use my primary storage array.

Thanks for the help guys... i'll certainly be keeping myself in the loop of this technology.

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