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jdona158
Contributor
Contributor

"Unknown Error - 97 percent - Failed" Issue

Has anyone received a definitive answer on this issue? There are several posts regarding this, all with different workarounds, but no standard solution. I have tried to import a physical machine to a virtual one several times now, all of which have failed. I always get the "Unknown error returned by VMWare Converter Agent" message, and the process always fails at 97 percent.

Do VMWare personnel monitor these boards? Are they aware of this issue? Can it be posted at a bug?

Thanks.

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24 Replies
admin
Immortal
Immortal

Yes, VMware personnel actively monitor this forum. You can distinguish them by the VMware 3-boxes icon next to their usernames.

As for your issue, there are 2 things going on. There is no simple answer to the failure at 97% because the error can be triggered by more than one problem.

The unknown error returned by Converter agent issue can also be triggered by various issues-- network connectivity, conflicts with other services including an antivirus, dynamic disks, mirrord disks, etc.

Please provide more specifics so that the problem can be better pinpointed. For example, please provide the following:

\- where are you running Converter

\- what OS Converter is running

\- what OS you are importing

\- the Converter log

\- what services are running on the source machine

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RYAN_COCHRAN
Contributor
Contributor

I am having the same issues. I have tried this several times with the same error. i am trying to remote hot clone a windows XP machine. I am running vm converter on the same server as VC. Not sure if that is my problem. I am running ESX 3.0.1. Just wondering if there is a consensus on what to check for. Should i run Converter from another area ?

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gdewrell
Contributor
Contributor

Not the original poster but I will be more than happy to answer these questions. BTW we are evaluating ESX for purchase and ran into this stumbling block so any help you could give that would get this evaluation back on a positive track would be great.

Running converter on the physical machine to be converted.

Physical box is Windows 2000 sp4

McAfee Virus scan disabled

Two mirrored drives.

SQL tried both running and not running.

Verified network connectivity is good.

Server has one dynamic disk and one basic disk.

Tried both, and then only the basic.

What else can I answer.

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

It looks like the agent didn't install properly on your W2K machine you want to import.

1. Did you connect using an account with local administrator privileges?

2. Did the W2K machine reboot properly after the agent was installed?

3. Do you see any failed services listed in your Event log?

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ryan_gallagher
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Could you post the proper converter logs (you seem to have posted an unrelated java stack trace). The logs can be found in Windows\Temp\vmware-temp or %TEMP%\vmware-temp. Specifically, it'd be interesting to see the vmware-converter#.log files; please see the converter index file for which is the latest logfile.

There should be error messages present in this log file right after you run and receive the error.

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gdewrell
Contributor
Contributor

Actualy I did post the correct logs which due to the size cause the error on this site that you saw posted.

Anyway, the problem I was having with Converter is resolved.

Thanks!

Gary

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Nuno_is_God
Contributor
Contributor

And the resolution is....?

I'm experiencing the same thing.

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minerat
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

ditto, same problem on a w2k machine - what was your solution?

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gdewrell
Contributor
Contributor

Uninstall converter from the server to be imaged. Reboot. Reinstall converter. Reboot. Ran perfect. I have had to only do this on 2000 servers. My 2003 servers worked perfect without any reboots.

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

Converter or the agent will require a reboot on W2K machines. Did the initial installation not reboot automatically?

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gdewrell
Contributor
Contributor

Yes it did and I had rebooted a few times during trouble shooting. I had to uninstall, reboot, install, reboot (it did this one on its own).

Then all was well. I suspect I somehow had a corrupted install the first time.

Gary

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Nuno_is_God
Contributor
Contributor

I'm doing some NT boxes...god help me. I will try what you suggested tonight.

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

Sometimes the agent doesn't get installed properly if the account doesn't have permissions to install and run services. Did you use a local admin account or domain account? Did you use the same account between the reboots/reinstalls?

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gdewrell
Contributor
Contributor

That is a good point. The first time I used domain cached credentials (server was not on the domain so it could not access the DC). The second time I used a local account.

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

Use a local admin account if possible. Some AD policies prohibit installing/running new services. This is confusing because it can apply to domain admin users!

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mmverk
Contributor
Contributor

For what it's worth, here's my contribution.

We had the same issue in one of our locations. We have some vague network problems at the same location, they started to occur roughly after we inmplemented a VmWare server at that location but that could be a coincedence. We have a Cisco 4000 switch there, not a switch you expect to give a poor performance.

Anyway, friday I was fed up with it and decided to give it a try with a simple Cisco 2950 switch. I connected the VmWare server and the server I wanted to move to the 2950. And suprise, suprise, VmWare convertor migrated the server immediately without any issues.

Bottomline, the tool seems to be very sensitive to network issues. Some issues may be resolved by using a simple switch.

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jlandrith
Contributor
Contributor

I have the issue using the VMWARE Convertor WinPE disk, this should get around any install issues or live databases. I keep getting 97% and then an unknown failure. W2k Advanced server, booting with WINPE Convertor disk. I did not customize it and just pointed it to my ESX Server partition.

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brucecmc
Contributor
Contributor

I executed IPF's fix of removing the additional COMPORTS from the registry on my Citrix Metaframe server, and the conversion kicked off without a problem.

Now, if it only works once I bring it online...

Bruce

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dfahey
Contributor
Contributor

I am having the same issue, except we are using the Converter boot cd.

We are converting a Win2k Advanced Server to VM Server 1.0. Received this error twice "Unknown Error Returned by Vmware converter agent, VMWare converter agent connection was lost during operation." This occurred at 97 percent complete both times.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you

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