cant Convert an (very) old VM

[SebastiaNet]

Good morning.

I have received a poisoned present : a machine running SuSE SLES 8 with "VMware Server 1.0.0 build-28343".

The only VM in the server is a Red Hat v5.

I did copy all the files (see list at bottom) to my PC, and tried to run "Converter 3.0.3 build 89816"

First it says "Unable to open file IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003.vmdk", the one indicated in the "VMX" file "Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5_vmwarVersion2.vmx"

but looking into the Converter logs it says (see more details at bottom)

.... "Opening G:\Txina_Juny_2010\MDM_copia\IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003.vmdk failed

with error23"

What is ERROR 23 ?

ANY IDEAS ?

Sebastian.

================================================= list of VM files :

-rwxrr 1 root root 173670400 Oct 17 2008 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000002-s001.vmdk

-rwxrr 1 root root 18219008 Oct 17 2008 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000002-s002.vmdk

-rwxrr 1 root root 58982400 Oct 17 2008 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000002-s003.vmdk

-rwxrr 1 root root 49283072 Oct 17 2008 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000002-s004.vmdk

-rwxrr 1 root root 8781824 Oct 17 2008 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000002-s005.vmdk

-rwxrr 1 root root 22675456 Oct 17 2008 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000002-s006.vmdk

-rwxrr 1 root root 243793920 Oct 17 2008 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000002-s007.vmdk

-rwxrr 1 root root 588906496 Oct 17 2008 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000002-s008.vmdk

-rwxrr 1 root root 327680 Oct 17 2008 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000002-s009.vmdk

-rwxrr 1 root root 327680 Oct 17 2008 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000002-s010.vmdk

-rwxrr 1 root root 65536 Oct 17 2008 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000002-s011.vmdk

-rwxrr 1 root root 801 Oct 17 2008 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000002.vmdk

-rw------- 1 root root 169279488 Jun 15 07:33 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003-s001.vmdk

-rw------- 1 root root 67305472 Jun 15 07:32 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003-s002.vmdk

-rw------- 1 root root 79626240 Jun 15 07:33 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003-s003.vmdk

-rw------- 1 root root 124780544 Jun 15 07:33 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003-s004.vmdk

-rw------- 1 root root 1966080 Jun 14 14:10 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003-s005.vmdk

-rw------- 1 root root 71172096 Jun 15 07:32 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003-s006.vmdk

-rw------- 1 root root 228130816 Jun 15 07:33 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003-s007.vmdk

-rw------- 1 root root 964362240 Jun 15 07:32 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003-s008.vmdk

-rw------- 1 root root 340000768 Jun 14 11:27 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003-s009.vmdk

-rw------- 1 root root 327680 Jun 14 11:27 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003-s010.vmdk

-rw------- 1 root root 65536 Jun 14 11:27 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003-s011.vmdk

-rw------- 1 root root 818 Jun 14 11:37 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003.vmdk

-rrr-- 1 root root 11 Jun 14 11:27 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003.vmdk.WRITELOCK

-rwxrr 1 root root 2147221504 Dec 15 10:55 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-f001.vmdk

-rwxrr 1 root root 2147221504 Dec 15 10:55 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-f002.vmdk

-rwxrr 1 root root 2147221504 Dec 15 10:55 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-f003.vmdk

-rwxrr 1 root root 2147221504 Dec 15 10:55 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-f004.vmdk

-rwxrr 1 root root 2147221504 Dec 15 10:55 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-f005.vmdk

-rwxrr 1 root root 2147221504 Dec 15 10:55 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-f006.vmdk

-rwxrr 1 root root 2147221504 Dec 15 10:55 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-f007.vmdk

-rwxrr 1 root root 2147221504 Dec 15 10:56 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-f008.vmdk

-rwxrr 1 root root 2147221504 Dec 15 10:57 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-f009.vmdk

-rwxrr 1 root root 2147221504 Aug 30 2008 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-f010.vmdk

-rwxrr 1 root root 2621440 Aug 30 2008 IOD2008_DEMO6_1-f011.vmdk

-rwxrr 1 root root 816 Dec 15 10:57 IOD2008_DEMO6_1.vmdk

-rrr-- 1 root root 11 Jun 14 11:27 IOD2008_DEMO6_1.vmdk.READLOCK

-rwxrr 1 root root 8684 Jun 14 11:27 Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.nvram

-rwxrr 1 root root 1206 Oct 17 2008 Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.vmsd

-rwxrr 1 root root 1463 Nov 7 2008 Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.vmx

-rwxrr 1 root root 281 Aug 30 2008 Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.vmxf

-rw------- 1 root root 18645 Dec 15 10:55 Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5_vmwarVersion2-Snapshot3.vmsn

-rwxrr 1 root root 927 Dec 15 10:57 Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5_vmwarVersion2.vmsd

-rwxrr 1 root root 1706 Jun 14 11:27 Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5_vmwarVersion2.vmx

-rw-rr 1 root root 40822 Jun 12 07:37 vmware-0.log

-rw-rr 1 root root 59099 Jun 9 09:52 vmware-1.log

-rw-rr 1 root root 52354 May 31 09:09 vmware-2.log

-rw-rr 1 root root 36232 Jun 15 03:24 vmware.log

================================================= Converter LOG :

Impersonating user y0081104 in session A08B7BCA-23CE-4FC8-95F8-3613E29775C0

Entering UFAD at QuerySourceInfo

source:

(sysimage.HostedSourceVMSpec) {

dynamicType = <unset>,

vmxFilePath = "G:\Txina_Juny_2010\MDM_copia\Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5_vmwarVersion2.vmx",

}

Creating local adapter...

Registering disposable session object id=VmiQuerySourceInfoTask::task Associating disposable session object id=VmiQuerySourceInfoTask::task with session id=A08B7BCA-23CE-4FC8-95F8-3613E29775C0

VmiQuerySourceInfoTask::task: Starting execution of an image processing task VmiQuerySourceInfoTask::task: SetState to running

VmiQuerySourceInfoTask initialized

Creating local adapter...

Parsing local vmx file G:\Txina_Juny_2010\MDM_copia\Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5_vmwarVersion2.vmx

Adding controller for IDE bus 1 with key 201.

LocalVirtualDiskSpec: Name=G:\Txina_Juny_2010\MDM_copia\IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003.vmdk

Creating local connection to the co-located slave

DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Opened : "IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003-s001.vmdk" (0xe)

DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Opened : "IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003-s002.vmdk" (0xe)

DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Opened : "IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003-s003.vmdk" (0xe)

DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Opened : "IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003-s004.vmdk" (0xe)

DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Opened : "IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003-s005.vmdk" (0xe)

DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Opened : "IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003-s006.vmdk" (0xe)

DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Opened : "IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003-s007.vmdk" (0xe)

DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Opened : "IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003-s008.vmdk" (0xe)

DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Opened : "IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003-s009.vmdk" (0xe)

DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Opened : "IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003-s010.vmdk" (0xe)

DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Opened : "IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003-s011.vmdk" (0xe)

DISKLIB-LINK : Opened 'G:\Txina_Juny_2010\MDM_copia\IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003.vmdk' (0xe): twoGbMaxExtentSparse, 41943040 sectors / 20 GB.

DISKLIB-LINK : "G:\Txina_Juny_2010\MDM_copia\/VMWare-images/MDM-BISC/IOD2008_DEMO6_1.vmdk" : failed to open (The system cannot find the path specified).

DISKLIB-CHAIN :"G:\Txina_Juny_2010\MDM_copia\IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003.vmdk": Failed to open parent "G:\Txina_Juny_2010\MDM_copia\/VMWare-images/MDM-BISC/IOD2008_DEMO6_1.vmdk": The system cannot find the path specified.

DISKLIB-CHAIN : "G:\Txina_Juny_2010\MDM_copia\/VMWare-images/MDM-BISC/IOD2008_DEMO6_1.vmdk" : failed to open (The parent of this virtual disk could not be opened).

DISKLIB-LIB : Failed to open 'G:\Txina_Juny_2010\MDM_copia\IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003.vmdk' with flags 0xe (The parent of this virtual disk could not be opened).

Opening G:\Txina_Juny_2010\MDM_copia\IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003.vmdk failed with error23

Rethrowing MethodFault sysimage.fault.FileOpenError:

Failed to open G:\Txina_Juny_2010\MDM_copia\IOD2008_DEMO6_1-000003.vmdk

VmiQuerySourceInfoTask::task: Image processing task has failed with MethodFault::Exception: sysimage.fault.FileOpenError VmiQuerySourceInfoTask::task: SetState to error

object explicitly disposed: VmiQuerySourceInfoTask::task VmiQuerySourceInfoTask::task being destroyed

CloseSession called for session id=A08B7BCA-23CE-4FC8-95F8-3613E29775C0

Removed vmdb connection /db/connection/#3/

================================================= <end>

[SebastiaNet]

I am posting this Forum because

... I am trying to convert the VM into ESX v4

... I did not find a "Converter problems" forum

Anyway, please feel free to move this question to a better place, if available.

Sebastian.

[FredericPerrin]

In the log file, the first visible error is :

DISKLIB-LINK : "G:\Txina_Juny_2010\MDM_copia\/VMWare-images/MDM-BISC/IOD2008_DEMO6_1.vmdk" : failed to open (The system cannot find the path specified).

Does this file indeed exist ?

I also see that the VM has snapshots. I seem to remember that some operations cannot be done if a VM has got snapshots. Now that you have copied the VM elsewhere (good first reflex!), destroy those snapshots and try again.

You may also try using OVFtool : it is available for Linux (so you can run it directly on the SuSE machine).

[AlexNG_]

Hi Sebastian,

I've faced a lot of criptic errors with converter tht sometines where easy to solve, but others don't. You can try a couple of technics to re-virtualize this linux machine:

Option 1: Give a try to Acronis. Just create a full image with acronis. Create a new VM on the destination vmware host, boot this virtual machine with the acronis CD and restore the contents of the machine. After that, you should boot with a linux liveCD and install the proper SCSI drivers.

Option 2: take a look at http://www.howtoforge.com/how-to-virtualize-a-physical-linux-machine this option is a bit strange but I've virtualized a couple of linux with success.

In both options, you remove the snapshots if present.

Alex.

[SebastiaNet]

1) IOD2008_DEMO6_1.vmdk does exist ... look at my filelist ...

2) snapshots - I want to remove them - what file type do they have ?

3) OVFtool - no, I dont want to run it on my "source" machine - it is still working, and it WONT be stopped until I have it running under ESX 4.0 .... jejeje

[FredericPerrin]

IOD2008_DEMO6_1.vmdk does exist ... look at my filelist ...

That's not what the log says... Is it looking in the correct directory? Are there possible permission issues?

snapshots - I want to remove them - what file type do they have ?

You shouldn't be running snapshot in production. I don't know VMware Server by heart, but somewhere in the administration interface you should have an option to delete old snapshots (in ESX, that right clicking on the VM and selecting Snapshot Manager...; it should be similar in Server).

Consolidation by hand on the ESX server seems possible, but rather tedious and error-prone : <http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1007849>. I wouldn't recommend to do that.

As AlexNG said, another solution would be to use an external tool that knows how to cope with snapshots. And you can also use OVFtool on your local station rather than the initial Server, you know ; I mentioned running it on the SuSE server so that you wouldn't have to copy the VM files around.

[SebastiaNet]

Thanks you both, Frederic & Alex.

I think I dont need to "consolidate" the snapshots ...

Somebody created them ... years ago, and now they are messing around.

All I want is to delete them ....

But as I copied the full 24 GB from Linux to remote (windows) machine, now there is no "right button" to delete old snapshots .... jejeje

Anyway, I shall try OVFtool - it looks goos to me : create a OVF file, and then back ...

Acronis - what is acronis ? Any URL ?

Thanks a lot. Sebastian.

[AlexNG_]

Hi Sebastian,

Acronis is like Norton Ghost.

Anyway, if you do not want downtime, it's more dificult to achieve.

With OVF i think that you should poweroff your VM. So once powered off, you could do several things:

1. OVF

2. Backup and restore with software image (acronis, norton...)

3. Do a cold clon with converter

4. Other technics suchs as the one described in the link in my previous post.

Another, more dramatic and maybe difficult option, is to build from scrtach the VM on the new VMware host and then migrate data...

Regards,

Alex.

[FredericPerrin]

AlexNG:

Anyway, if you do not want downtime, it's more dificult to achieve.

With OVF i think that you should poweroff your VM. So once powered off, you could do several things:

From Sebastian's posts : the VM is still running on the old SuSE VMware Server. He has a copy (as in, he did a scp(1) of the files to his laptop) of the VM files. So now, Sebastien can meddle as much as he wants with his local copy of the VM.

Sebastien:

Anyway, I shall try OVFtool - it looks goos to me : create a OVF file, and then back ...

Or without the intermediate step, you can directly push the VM to an ESX server :

ovftool.exe --name=Foo --datastore=Bar --network=Baz D:/baz/baz.vmx vi://user:password@esxserver

This assumes that the VM has no CD drive, though (and maybe other limitations).

[AlexNG_ · Accepted solution]

Hi Sebastian,

I've been rereading the converter and I've seen what looks like a path problem:

vmxFilePath = "G:\Txina_Juny_2010\MDM_copia\Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5_vmwarVersion2.vmx",

But on the error we can read:

"G:\Txina_Juny_2010\MDM_copia\/VMWare-images/MDM-BISC/IOD2008_DEMO6_1.vmdk" : failed to open (The system cannot find the path specified).

Can you check if these folders (/VMware-images/MDM-BISC/) exists? If so, copy them to your local machine and try again with converter. If they do not exist, check the .vmx file, maybe there is some "error" inside.

Alex.

[AlexNG_]

Frederic, you're right, first reading was too quick...

[SebastiaNet]

Thanks for your time and patience, Alex.

I did see the PATH error ...

The path "VMWare-images/MDM-BISC" is where the VM was located at VMWare Server 1.0.0 ...

The path "g:\Txina_Juny_2010\MDM_copia\" is where I copied the files, using SCP.

And Converter ... is trying to find a file in this path:

"G:\Txina_Juny_2010\MDM_copia\/VMWare-images/MDM-BISC/IOD2008_DEMO6_1.vmdk" : failed to open

It is quite dificult to read, but it says "g:\... ... copia" then "\" and finally "/VMWare-images/MDM-BISC/IOD2008_DEMO6_1.vmdk"

I have re-read the VM file, and there is no such sentence there ... but I am going to copy the VM intothe expected path, just to try to run Converter - it has (almost) always been a very kind tool ...

Thanks for your help, Frederic - the idea of going "direct" to ESX is good for me.

Anyway, now I am navigating Google searching for "vmware+error23" ... Hope it is NOT "file not found" ... ()

Sebastian.

[SebastiaNet]

Alex : I copied the VM into the "complete" directory and now converter is working ... or has past 7% ....

Frederic : I shall read the OVFtool manual anyway - it looks to me as an interesting tool.

Thanks you both again - I have given the bonus points, just in case you care ...

Sebastian's conclusion :READ THE CONVERTER LOGS in DETAIL (even I still dont know what "error23" stands for ... jejeje )

[AlexNG_]

Hi Sebastian,

Glad to have been helpfull!

[SebastiaNet]

Hola, Alex - jo també soc a Barcelona ...

Només per curiositat : a quina empresa treballes ?

Jo soc a IBM i no et trobo a les BluePages ...

En Sebas.

[AlexNG_]

Hola Sebas,

Si et sembla bé seguim per missatges privats!

Sorry for our non-english, we move to PMs! :smileysilly: