VMDK on newly converted VMFS3 volume

[BryanMcC]

So I want to add a disk to a ESX3.5 VM that is on a recently converted VMFS2 volume..

Details....

I have a VM on an ESX 3.5 server that I have created from a clone of the C: drive on an ESX 2.5.2 server.

The machine is up and running but missing its d: drive that is still on a VMFS2 volume. This thing is 350GB and cannot be cloned or copied from its location.

I wish to convert the VMFS2 volume to VMS3 and add the disk but I have a question or two...

How to add the disk if it has no descriptor file.. I assume that I could impot the disk (vmkfstools -i source.vmdk dest.vmdk) but would this require extra disk space? I only have 100GB free on the 450GB volume and the vmdk is 350GB.

What about the dir structure.. I would like to put the vmdk in a dir that references the name of the machine just like VMFS3 volumes do.. This one is not necessary just a preferred method.

Any help would be appreciated.

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[vlchild]

I am a little confused. Are these two different servers or are the VMFS2 and VMFS3 volumes on the same server? Why can't you move the VMDK, do you not have enough space?

You have a few options depending on your circumstances.

The converter (2.0.2) has done a very good job of resizing volumes for me, so if you are only using say 50GB of the 350 and do not have the space on the target host this is a good option. Once the VMDK is converted and resized you can eaily move the VMDK into the folder structure of the existing guest and then just mount it when adding an exiting drive in the settings.

If these two volumes are on the same server then convert it to VMFS3, put in directory structure like you want and mount it that way.

Lee