Copy VM from ESXi 5.5 with SATA drive to ESXI 7 with SSD drive

[m4biz]

Hi.

I'd like to copy a vm now working on an old ESXi 5.5 host with SATA drive on a new ESXi 7.0 host with SSD drive.

To do this I've manually copied all files from the source (old) machine's datastore to the destination's (new) machine datastore.

But when I try to start the new VM I see this and it don't start:

Any idea?

Thanks in advance

[IRIX201110141]

Step one:  remove the configuration for the ISO. If the problem persists please provide a

grep vmdk *.vmx

and the vmware.log

Regards,
Joerg

[m4biz]

Hi Joerg.

Thanks for your reply.

What you mean with "remove the configuration for the ISO" ?

In addition I've noted this:

[IRIX201110141]

The Server 2003 ISO which is in the vCDROM.

Please provide a   grep vmdk *.vmx and a  ls -alh from the VM directory.

Copy a VM with  scp it not a big deal but you have to prepare the VM

1. Remove all Snapshots
2. Remove a ISO
3. Verify that all vDisks are within the same Directory and not spread over different Datastores

Because normaly all files are absolute referenced based from the *.vmx as long all parts of the VM are in the same folder. For all other things(IIRC including the *.swap) are referenced in a absolute path. You will easily break things.

Regards,
Joerg

[m4biz]

Hi Joerg.

Here what you asked:

1) 

2)

[IRIX201110141]

You have copied a VM with a running Snapshot which was more than one year old on a PDC.

A snapshot contains all old references like vNetwork, vCDROM and other things. Iam unable to tell which element cause the problem.

Can you run

vmkfstools -e PDC-Win2008R2_1-000001.vmdk
vmkfstools -e PDC-Win2008R2-000001.vmdk

If you have the original ESXi with the VM around i suggest to remove the Snap and than copy the VM again. Otherwise i would create a new VM with the same Specs but without vDisk. Than use vmkftools to merge the snapshot chain into a new consolidated vDisk which can be added to the new VM later.

Regards,
Joerg

[m4biz]

By running:

• vmkfstools -e PDC-Win2008R2_1-000001.vmdk
  vmkfstools -e PDC-Win2008R2-000001.vmdk

I obtain this:

[IRIX201110141]

Hmmm....

please provide the content of the small vmdk descriptors.

cat PDC-Win2008R2_1-000001.vmdk
cat PDC-Win2008R2_1.vmdk

and the other one too.

There is no need for posting screenshots. Just use c&p from the putty shell into the forum.

Regards,
Joerg

[a_p_ · Accepted solution]

ESXi 7.0 doesn't support the snapshots' "delta" file format anymore, but only the new "sesparse" format.
What needs to be done is to consolidate/delete the snapshot on the ESXi 5.5 host, and copy the VM without snapshots.

André

[IRIX201110141]

Ah... that explain the return msg from the vmkfstools -e command.

Regards,
Joerg

[m4biz]

[root@localhost:/vmfs/volumes/5ddeb6aa-86acc976-3c65-548028692260/PDC-Win2008R2] cat PDC-Win2008R2_1-000001.vmdk
# Disk DescriptorFile
version=1
encoding="UTF-8"
CID=022d07c0
parentCID=39e2b5a1
isNativeSnapshot="no"
createType="vmfsSparse"
parentFileNameHint="PDC-Win2008R2_1.vmdk"
# Extent description
RW 52428800 VMFSSPARSE "PDC-Win2008R2_1-000001-delta.vmdk"

# The Disk Data Base
#DDB

ddb.toolsVersion = "8384"
ddb.longContentID = "5e44587656af5ff4a8e7ef7e022d07c0"

cat PDC-Win2008R2_1.vmdk
# Disk DescriptorFile
version=1
encoding="UTF-8"
CID=39e2b5a1
parentCID=ffffffff
isNativeSnapshot="no"
createType="vmfs"

# Extent description
RW 52428800 VMFS "PDC-Win2008R2_1-flat.vmdk"

# The Disk Data Base
#DDB

ddb.virtualHWVersion = "8"
ddb.longContentID = "7d224d8fa39ef36cfeb6a10c39e2b5a1"
ddb.uuid = "60 00 C2 98 a6 45 6d f7-46 6e 73 ea 60 a7 f5 37"
ddb.geometry.cylinders = "3263"
ddb.geometry.heads = "255"
ddb.geometry.sectors = "63"
ddb.adapterType = "lsilogic"
[root@localhost:/vmfs/volumes/5ddeb6aa-86acc976-3c65-548028692260/PDC-Win2008R2]

[m4biz]

[root@localhost:/vmfs/volumes/5ddeb6aa-86acc976-3c65-548028692260/PDC-Win2008R2] vmkfstools -e
Missing required argument
[root@localhost:/vmfs/volumes/5ddeb6aa-86acc976-3c65-548028692260/PDC-Win2008R2]

[m4biz]

Hi Leadership.

Thanks for your reply.

Consolidating and deleting all snapshots, all works fine.

Thanks.