export standalone to ESX2

[fputhod]

I created a Standalone VM using VM converter 3.

I want to export this standalone VM to an ESX2 but VM converter says it only works with ESX3 and above?

What are other options to export a standalone VM to my ESX2 server?

[esiebert7625]

ESX 2.5 is a supported Converter destination if it is managed by VC2. Otherwise you can copy the vmdk file to the ESX2 server with WinSCP/FastSCP and then import it into ESX using vmkfstools -i, then create a new VM and tell it to use an existing virtual disk and select you imported vmdk file.

Fyi…if you find this post helpful, please award points using the Helpful/Correct buttons.

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Thanks, Eric

Visit my website: http://vmware-land.com

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[fputhod]

I will give the import a try.

it sounds like the process is quite simple and now wonder why the new VMconverter/importer cannot do such a simple task?

[esiebert7625]

Converter is a new product that was built to work with VI3, they included support for ESX2 but they would of had to modify that version to get it to work direct, hence the VC2 requirement which handles the piece that ESX2 cannot.

What platforms can Converter be installed on?

VMware Converter 3 can be installed on the following platforms: Windows XP Professional, Windows 2003 Server, Windows 2000 Professional, Windows 2000 Server and Windows NT SP6+ (IE5 or higher required)

What import formats does Converter support?

Source formats supported include: Physical Machines running supported OS, Microsoft Virtual PC (version 7 and higher), Microsoft Virtual Server (any version), Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery images (also Ghost 9 or higher), VMware Workstation 4.x virtual machine (compatible with VMware GSX Server 3.x), VMware Workstation 5.x virtual machine (compatible with VMware Player and VMware Server 1.x), VMware ESX Server 3.x, VMware ESX Server 3.x (when managed by VirtualCenter 2.x), VMware ESX Server 2.5.x (when managed by VirtualCenter 2.x)

What export formats does Converter support?

Destination formats supported include: VMware Workstation 4.x virtual machine (compatible with VMware GSX Server 3.x, ESX Server 2.5.x), VMware Workstation 5.x virtual machine (compatible with VMware Player and VMware Server 1.x), VMware ESX Server 2.5.x (when managed by VirtualCenter 2.x), VMware ESX Server 3.x (when managed by VirtualCenter 2.x), VMware ESX Server 3.x Note: VMware ESX Server 2.5.x when managed by VirtualCenter 1.x and VMware ESX Server 2.5.x unmanaged are not supported

What are the supported guest operating systems?

The following 32-bit guest operating systems are fully supported by VMware Converter 3: Windows NT, Windows 2000 Professional, Windows 2000 Server, Windows XP Professional, Windows 2003 Server.

The following 64-bit guest operating systems are fully supported by VMware Converter 3: Windows XP Professional, Windows 2003 Server

Support for the following guest operating systems is Experimental. VMware Converter 3 can clone source images containing these operating systems, but the destination virtual machine may or may not work without additional configuration after import. In particular, if the source image contains unsupported hardware, you may need to modify the configuration of the destination virtual machine before using it: Linux, Windows NT 3.x, Windows ME, Windows 98, Windows 95, MS-DOS

[fputhod]

This quite some details...anyways....

There is something I am not sure...

I have 2 kind of disk files.

machine.vmdk (1k)

machine-flat.vmdk (7G)

machine(2).vmk (1k)

machine(2).vmk (7G)

machine(3).vmk (1k)

machine(3).vmk (7G)

I am not too sure if I need to import the small vmdk files or just the large one?

The standalone machine vmx file refers to the small files.

how to go?

[esiebert7625]

The small file is the disk descriptor file, the large one (-flat) is the actual disk data file. Copy both files to your ESX server.

[fputhod]

ok I finally discovered that. however

and when I do that:

vmkfstools -i ORIGNIE.vmdk DEST.vmdk

the current dir being the vmfs folder where all the VMs disk are

I get :

Invalid file specification: DEST.vmdk

(The console OS cannot overwrite VMFS partitions)

what am I doing wrong?

[esiebert7625]

You only need to use vmkfstools on the non-flat file (descriptor) it will automatically create both destination files.

[fputhod]

yes I got that, but this is what I am doing.

Origine.vmdk is the (1k) descriptor file.

trying to import the descriptor file but I get the error message

is there an argument I am missing?

[esiebert7625]

Check out this post with the same error and many suggestions....

http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?messageID=379590&#379590

[fputhod]

hehe yeah I read this one too. Thanks for the link tho.

but for sure my VM has scsi disk

[fputhod]

ok I did import all the disk created with the converter.

imported with the vmfstools -i successfully (At least this utility did not mention any error)

Create a new VM using existing disk. The wizard did not complain at all.

However if I use the VMware remote console to see the VM and eventual power it on, I get the following message:

One or more of your disk files were created by a more recent version of VMware software and are not supported by this version of VMware ESX Server.

And I cannot power this VM at all.

Now what can be done?