Copy VM from ESX3.5 to use in VMw Server...cannot find vmdk file which is there

[smackthat]

I am trying to copy a 2008 VM created in VI3.5 to use for testing on a desktop with Server, or even Player/Workstation. I used WinSCP to copy the directory and all files and then tried to import into Server, but it says it cannot find the vmdk file which is clearly there and named correctly. I tried renaming everything, files and corresponding names within VMX, and still same error. The VM was created on ESX3.5 using VMFS and functions normally in this enviro, but I cant get it to start by simply having copied it. Upon the first launch attempt, it asked if I had moved or copied it, and I chose copied.

What am I missing? What is the best method to transport or long distance relocate a VM from VI3.5 production enviro to an isolated or new platform like Server, Player or Workstation?

[smackthat]

I didnt use Converter, I just tried firing them up straight after the copy. Once 'converted' it works like a daisey....

[jjahns]

You can always verify paths to VMDKs in the VMX configuration file. Most of the time for ESX the paths are relative to the configuration file, unless you have a VMDK on a different LUN.

Maybe the path was set to absolute, and when you copied the files over, that never changed.

[Texiwill]

Hello,

VMware Converter is the tool of choice for V2V migrations. Else you need to minimally fix the file path references within the VMX file. At worse you have corrupted your VMDK which depends on the format of the VMDK more than anything else. Thin disks are often corrupted when moving between systems. Note, however that WinSCP or any SCP client will not corrupt a thin disk, however any subsequent copies without using scp could do so.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.

SearchVMware Blog: http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/virtualization-pro/

Blue Gears Blogs - http://www.itworld.com/ and http://www.networkworld.com/community/haletky

As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

[gtyrer]

Have you tried first splitting the monolithic vmdk file on the esx server into 2gb sparse files and then copying all the split files with winscp. I think the command was something like: vmkfstools -i sourcedisk -d 2gbsparse destinationdisk.