Unable to query the live Linux source machine converter error

[tmunn]

Hi -

I'm trying to virtualize a CentOS 5.6 server and getting nowhere fast and wondered if someone could point me in the right direction. This is a home network setup and the machine being virtualized is actually a laptop that is also providing DNS for the test network I've setup. Everything is working well except Converter which dies right after I provide the base credentials to the host (either root or me (I have sudo-rights)) in the conversion wizard. I've turned of iptables so no software firewall should be in play and ssh access is fine. I've tried using both DNS name and ip address and no luck. Machine to be virtualized has an A record but Converter workstation does not.

From the converter log, which I am attaching, it looks like something involving the SSL handshake is failing but I leave it to more astute eyes to tell me what is normal and what isn't.

Using Converter 4.3.0 Build 292238

Any assistance is gratefully appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Tim Munn

[patanassov]

Hi Tim

Converter deploys a sysinfo tool on the Linux source which retrieves various info about the source machine. The error has occurred during either its deployment or running. Worker logs would be more helpful. They are located at %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\logs (or %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\logs for pre-Vista Windows), look for vmware-converter-worker-xx.log.

You may also try to deploy and run sysinfo manually. It should generate an xml with the desired info when just run w/o parameters. It comes in 32bit and 64bit versions, called vmware-sysinfo-lin32.tar.gz and vmware-sysinfo-lin64.tar.gz and is located in %ProgramFiles%\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\

Regards,

Plamen

[tmunn]

Plamen -

Thanks. Here are both. From the logs it looks like plink.exe is missing. Should I just give reinstalling a try? No idea what might have caused it to be missing.

Error executing ssh client for SysinfoQuery: Command not found or is not executable: C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\plink.exe

[patanassov]

Strange indeed. Yes, please reinstall Converter.

[tmunn]

Alright I installed 5.0 last night and it appears to have fixed that problem. No idea what got screwed up with the earlier install.

My next problem/question that you may be able to help with is VMware Workstation only seems to want to virtualize a Windows physical machine. What’s the easiest/best way to virtualize a Linux physical box and get it into Workstation for Windows without involving ESXi/ESX??

Thanks for your help.

[patanassov]

Converting Linux physical machines is not supported for WS target. The reason is there are technical problems for doing so, so there is no workaround either. There is the theoretical possibility to do the conversion entirely manually, but given the complexity of the task, I suppose it would be easier to reinstall from scratch and copy your data.

Regards,

Plamen

[tetrapackage]

Uninstalling and then reinstalling the converter will definitely makes it work.