Couldn't shrink vmdk with converter

[The_Saint1]

I've red a lot of posts on how shrink a vmdk, but I don't know how to proceed. I have a 450GB vmdk containing only 40GB, ESXi 5.0 U2 and 2 datastore (500GB + 250GB). So this is what i've done:

1. i've zeroed all the free space on the OS filesystem
2. i've used 'vmkfstools --punchzero <src.vmdk>' to remove zeroed free space, now its size is 40GB (obtained with 'du -sh <path/*.vmdk>')
3. i've moved it from datastore2 to datastore1 using 'vmkfstools -i <src.vmdk> <dst.vmdk> -d thin'
4. i've repartitioned the filesystem from 450GB to 64GB

Now, what I want to do is to resize the thin provisioning of the vmdk, in order just to fit 64GB, and i've tried to do with Converter. The problem is that at the end of the conversion wizard, i can't select nothing else than option "copy all disks and maintain layout"

Of course this is not what I was expecting... but i don't know how to solve this problem.

Anyone can help me please?

Thank you,

-Mic

[sparrowangelste]

from what I recall the desintation still has to be large enough to handle the full size of the vm even if its being converted to thin on the fly.

[The_Saint1]

Thank you sparrowangelstechnology, but what if I've no other datastores? Probably I can find a solution for the space, but you think that if I find more space, the converter will give me the desired option? Is not it a non-sense: "if you doesn't have enough space I don't give you the possibility to resize the vmdk"? Usually, who is looking for making vmdk smaller, has space problem... :smileyconfused:

-Mic

[sparrowangelste]

try this

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/networking/how-to-shrink-a-vmdk-using-vmware-converter/5362

you are in basic I think you ened to be in advanced.

I dont have my testbox in front of me but that looks like it will work for you.

you need to do it via volume rather than maintain disk layout

[The_Saint1]

Uhm, i've red the link, but i can't find any "advanced" menu: in the snapshot (shrink-fig4.jpg) of the article, I can see a "basic" field, but as you can see in my first post, i do not have that menu, or I don't know wher to look for it. Do you?

Thank you again!

-Mic

[cwriordan]

exact same symptoms & problem here. converter standalone version 5.0.1.875114 against vCenter version 5.0.0.623373.

and i am attempting to convert to a datastore containing much more free space than the size of the VM, so that's not the cause.