VMware converter not seeing disk info of powered on machines

[mattstewartcsd]

Hi, I have been using VMware converter for a few weeks without problems. However, I am not getting an error on the odd conversion where I get the message 'no disk info' and it won't let me resize the destinations disks (it won't actually P2V at all). It can see all the other info from the source such as how much RAM, processors etc, it's just the disks. If I power off the source it works ok.

[weinstein5]

What operating system is the machine running?

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[a_p_]

Take a look at http://communities.vmware.com/message/1608264#1608264

Maybe the solution there may solve the issue too.

Right-click on the Converter desktop icon and select Run as Administrator.

André

[mattstewartcsd]

The OS is Win 2K8 SP2.

We are running the converter from within vSphere (my right clicking the cluster and selcting 'import machine'). It is running under an admin account.

Thanks

[Mithrilhall]

Have you tried downloading the latest Standalone Converter and installing it on the Windows 2008 Server you're trying to P2V?

[jparks]

I'm having the same problem and yes I downloaded the latest version and actually loaded it on the server. When I first loaded converter and opened it, the disk sizes were showing. When I went back a couple hours later to actually do the conversion, no disk info.

Does it make a difference if it's Enterprise or Standard, I converted a Standard with no problems?

[jparks]

Take a look at http://communities.vmware.com/message/1608264#1608264

Maybe the solution there may solve the issue too.

Right-click on the Converter desktop icon and select Run as Administrator.

André

Strange as it may seem, this totally worked for my Windows 2008R2 Ent. local P2V. It must have something to do with the permission of the local admin verse the domain admin. Opening converter as domain admin, no disk info. Right click and Run as Administrator and disk sizes show, P2V is a go.

Thanks, André

[twoodvm · Accepted solution]

The difference is in the local security policy.

Under 2008 Admin Approval Mode was disabled by default, but under 2008 R2 Admin Approval mode is enabled by default for all admins except the built in.

This is defined in the following location

Local Security Policy:Local Policies: User Rights Assignment

The two policies of interest are:

User Account Control: Admin Approval Mode for the Built-in Administrator account: Disabled

User Account Control: Run all administrators in Admin Approval Mode: Enabled

With the above settings Converter should work remotely using the local Built-in Administrator account, or it will work locally if you us the "Run As Administrator" option.

If you change the second setting to "Disabled" and reboot, then converter should work remotely or locally using any Administrator account.

[Cyberfed27]

Thank you twoodvm this was EXACTLY my issue. Both UAC policies were enabled on my 2k8 server that I was trying to import into vCenter.

I could not see any volumes when trying to do a P2V import.

Disabled Admin approval mode for built in admin acct and I was able to see all the disks (using local admin account creds) during the import process.

Once again Win 2k8 throws a curveball at me.

[krismcewan]

My server has all this set and still wont see the disks

the disk is partitioned into 3

EFI fat32 partition

c: ntfs and a d: ntfs

its also the main DC i need to P2V so no Local admin login,  My login is domain/enterprise admin.

[Huckleberry]

When I was having the same issue I deployed the converter client on the source and then rebooted the source. I was then able to see the disk info for conversion.

[twoodvm]

Yeah deploying locally works because the restrictions on the administrator account are lower when run locally than when run remotely.

[adrianmarsh]

I think I'm seeing the same issue here on my first P2V attempt. However I've no Security Settings like the 2 mentioned above.

I'm on a 2008 R2 Standard server.

So if I try to install Converter locally, I've 3 binaries to choose from:

VMware-Converter

VMware-Converter-Agent

VMware-Converter-Client

Which is the right one to install on the source machine ?

I tried VMware-Converter, and it started to complain it couldn't "setup" port 443 on my VSphere server, where I stopped the install..

VMWare-Converter-Client complains that the client has to be already installed (?!?! )

And the Agent seems to me to be the same tool that VSphere pushes out, but that has no GUI on the source machine..

I failed at the first hurdle...

[adrianmarsh]

Ah.... ok.. found two things:

1. Those Local Security Policy settings are actually under   Local Policies:Security Options  (not User Rights Assignment), THEN they're called User Rights Assignment:xyz
   
2. Using the Source machines local Administrator account, from the VSphere system, instead of my Domain Admin account, lets me see the disks.
   

[Cyberfed27]

I'm not sure how you are installing the converter software, but it should be a stand alone package you  downloaded from VMware.

Its called VMware Converter Standalone

You can download it free from VMware just do a search for it.

[Cyberfed27]

The UAC (User Access Control) otherwise known as the annoying pop up dialog boxes you get in Server 2008 R2 asking for "Admin approval" to do anything on the servere located in:

Security Settings ----> Local Policies ----> Security Options -----> Scroll down to  User account control

Those can impact the converter tool.

As you discovered already, it works a lot better most of the time to use the local windows admin account instead of a domain admin account to do the conversion.