Trouble migrating disk from VMWARE Server to ESX 3.5

[atarallo]

Hi

I have a VMWARE SERVER 1.0.5, running some legacy VMs that I want to move to our current ESX 3.5. I tried to convert the disks and I don't get them seen on the ESX 3.5

To move the disks I have don this:On the vmware server I've runned: vmware-vdiskmanager -t 2 -r linux.vmdk disk1.vmdk. Moved the resulting file to to the ESX and there I've done: vmkfstools -i disk1.vmdk -d 2gbsparse disk1M.vmdk.

Then I go the the VI client, create a new machine. When I choose to use an existng disk I browse the directory where my converted disk is stored. And it doesn't show my disk.

What I'm dong wrong?

[espi3030]

They way we migrated from VMware server to ESX was, we downloaded VMware Converter, powered off the VM's and ran the converter. Process took about an hour per server.

[ctfoster]

I agree with espi3030 convertor is custom made for this job. You'll also have the option to resize the discs on the way.

[kjb007 · Accepted solution]

ESX uses a descriptor file to define the disks it uses for VM's. The descriptor file is named as the -flat.vmdk. If you've already moved the disks over the ESX server, then you'll need to create this descriptor file. Otherwise, as stated, the easier option is to use converter and point to that local vmdk file, and destin that to the vc or esx server to become a vm with all of the proper config files in place.

-KjB