vCenter

Hi,

I have received a request to increase a local win2k3 Vm's c:\ drive(virtual disk) from 26gb to 40gb.

I've read some posts and it seem what is most likely the easiest way os to use the Vmware Converter utility.

I understand the new esx 3.5 has the converter built in however my current vm that needs resizing resides in an ESX 3.02 Cluster considing of 2 Esx's.

It's the same cluster that I'd like it imported back into, obviously under a different name I'd assume?

Anyone do this before with success?

I've got the lastest converter download and licensed up.

My steps to perform this task would be:

1. Turn off the Virtual machine to be resized

2. Load the latest converter on a physical machine ( my workstation vista ) full install

3. License it

4. Source Type : ESX Server or Virtual Center Virutal Machine

5. Choose our VC for our environment (v2)

6. Choose the Virtual Machine to be resized

7. Choose Resize Disk and Type in my 40 GB

8. Choose a Destination

9. Type credentials for VC

10. Choose a new name for Virtual Machine (can't be the same can it?)

11. Choose the other ESX Server

12. Choose Datastore

13. Choose Network

14. Start?

if you use the converter, you can keep all parameters as the priginal machine (i.e. hostname).

Otherwise you can simply add more space to your VirtualDisk ... look here

Riccardo Riva

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Does Method 2 work, this is where I got the idea to use the converter.

I think I know where I made my error, just because I name the new VM a different NAME does not mean the actual windows name within the VM changes.

This is where I think I made my mistak RRIVA.

I shall go ahead and try Method 2.

I would do this - safes some steps and probably some time

1. Turn off the Virtual machine to be resized

2. add a 40 Gb disk

3. boot that VM into ghost

4. run ghost disk to disk function - change size of partitions

5. shutdown VM

6. remove original 26 Gb disk

7. assign new 40 Gb disk instead

8. boot resized VM

Wow you know what, I actually read your post twice on the second time it hit me ! This makes perfect sense !

I've ghosted a lot of machines way back in my day using the A:\ drive and putting two hard drives into a physical box, but that was a long time ago!

Your method makes sense in theory for sure! Why not!?

I've never made a bootable CD-Rom with those ghost files, but I suppose it's possible to create one.

Maybe GHOST's installation CD might work or within the program itself I could create a bootable CD.

Very neat!!

Thanks

I'm going to try the Method Riva mentioned first.

with a ghost recent version you can create a bootable cdrom with all drivers you need and follow continuum way !

is simple, fast and clean.

I've used a lot of time too.

Riccardo Riva

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if you have another VM, you could use vmkfstools to expand the disk and bring up the vmdk that holds your w2k3 C drive on the other VM as a 2nd disk and run diskpart to expand the disk.

Riva, I choose method #2 to perform the increase. It was straight forward and seemed to work.

The new VM came up with unplanned shutdown.

Then asked for new hardware found - reboot - I did that.

Re-installed the VMWARE tools just to be sure.

Everything seems ok.

It worked, I'm happy. The other requests I may try one day, however I'm fairly new at vmware and this converter seemed the easiest.

Take care and thanks guys