Unable to determine Guest Operating System

[m_gracia]

Hi.

I am trying to import an IBM xSeries366 into a ESX 3.0.1, the operating system is Windows 2003 and it has a Serveraid 8i SAS controler with two arrays configured.

I start the server with the Converter boot cd but it crash selecting the source and shows the message "Unable to determine Guest Operating System".

I'm not sure if the SO is installed in the second array but, if this is the cause of the problem, how can I change the default settings of the Converter to look for the SO in the second array instead of the first?

Thank you.

[Datto]

Assuming your disks show up as Basic Disks in Disk Management (and not Dynamic Disks) you can try this:

Install the converter software into the actual physical machine to be converted and make sure to perform a reboot prior to starting up the Converter software, then run the Converter software from the physical machine you're intending to virtualize and see if it can properly figure out where your O/S is located.

If that doesn't work, you may need to have help temporarily modifying your boot.ini file to get the Converter software to know where your O/S is located. In that case, you'll need to upload the contents of your c:\boot.ini file and tell us the arrangement of your drives as seen by the O/S.

Write back and let us know what happened.

Datto

Message was edited by:

Datto

[m_gracia]

The disks are Basic disks, but there is a SAP installed in the server and I don't want to install or modify anything of the OS, so I want to import it with the boot cd.

Thank you for your answer.

[m_gracia]

Finally I've tried with another driver for the serveRaid and Converter now see the OS.

But I've another trouble now: the VM created doesn't power on.

It has the VMtools installed and I've tried with both BusLogic and LSILogic SCSI controllers, only one and two processors attached to the VM, 16 GB RAM (the amount that has the physical server) and 4 GB, processor cache enabled and disabled, but with all of these combinations the VM hangs at the boot secuence with a BSOD "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL".

The physical server has an IBM Summit chipset and I supose that could be the reason, but if the VM has the VMTools instaled it should recognize the new hardware.

What could I try?

Thank you.

[esiebert7625]

You probably have some drivers that are trying to load that are not compatible with the new hardware and are causing the error. You can try removing any IBM specific drivers/applications on the source server before you do the cloning. For Windows 2003 you should use the LSI controller. Also try editing the VM's settings and removing the extra hardware it typically adds, USB/serial/parallel ports.

Here's the Microsoft technote on the error...

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/reskit/w2000Msgs/6077.mspx?mfr=true

[m_gracia]

Thanks for help esiebert.

I've resolved it looking for driver troubles in the forum and I've found this topic:

http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?messageID=348155

The OSA IPMI seems to be the cause. I've booted the VM with BartPe, and removed the IPMI.sys from the drivers folder and now it works.

Thank you!!

[esiebert7625]

No problem, glad you resolved it.

If you find these posts helpful please award points by clicking the Helpful/Correct buttons...thanks

[theanykey]

. (can a moderator remove this accidental reply)