Moving VM from VMWare workstation 7.1 to ESX 4

[jnevans]

I have a VM created in VMWare workstation 7.1 (Virtual Machine Version 7) and have copied it to datastore on a host running ESX 4 Update 1

I'm not sure why I still need to re-import the VM with vmkfstools -i source/destination before it will boot up under ESX 4U1...

Can someone shed some light on this?

[Linjo]

What not use VMware Converter instead?

Best regards,

Linjo

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[jnevans]

Officially VMware Converter supports up to Workstation 6.5.

[VMmatty]

You'll be pointing VMware Converter directly at the guest installed on Workstation 7.1 and not to Workstation itself. In that regard it makes no difference what version of Workstation you're using (or Server, ESX, Hyper-V, etc). It will be a V2V conversion so will require a little clean up after but in general should go smoothly.

[jnevans]

Can you explain a bit more when you say "pointing directly at the guest installed on Workstation." What are the steps you are referring to?

When I started the conversion task inside the stand-alone Converter with source type of "VMware Workstation or other VMware virtual machine", It asked to browse to the .vmx file. At the sidebar, it says 'supported up to Workstation 6.5'

Are you referring to the conversion using source type of 'Powered-on machine'?

[Edldp · Accepted solution]

Hello,

Did you try using the Export functionnality of Workstation 7 ?

Using this functionnality you can create a ESX compliant VM or a virtual appliance that you would then be able to reload on your ESX.

In VMware Workstation, click File -> Import or Export

For the Source, You must Select Type of source: "Other"

then you search for the vmx file of your VM.

Once In destination Type, you select VMware Infrastructure VM or Virtual appliance.

If you select VMware Infrastructure, It will ask you your VCenter or ESX server address + credentials and it will load it automatically.

If you select Virtual appliance, you will then be able to create an OVA or OVF file that you can use in VClient to create a new VM based on this appliance.

[jnevans]

Thanks for that WS7 tip! Seems to be the most simple way to do it.