Installation on Existing Server?

[chaucerw]

I'm going to be installing ESXi in order to perform some software testing, and wanted to know if it is strictly necessary to blow away the existing operating system (Windows server 2003) on the test server prior to installing ESXi ? Or is there was a way to migrate the existing OS onto ESXi as part of the ESXi installation process?

Thanks.

Patrick

[jayctd · Accepted solution]

Part of the installation process no

You could use vmware converter from another machine to P to V migrate it then put it back on the host after you have installed ESXi

You could also ghost the server (or use acronis) and convert the image to a virtual also using the vmware converter and put it back on as a virtual

Would require another machine to store that image on until ESXi is put on (or another ESX host that already exists to put the image onto)

Jered Rassier

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[DSTAVERT]

No real way to migrate. You can use the VMware Converter tool (downloads) to convert the server to an OFV appliance prior to installation but you would need to provide external storage and upload the ofv after installation.