Converter failed to connect to remote machine. A secure connection to the host could not be established

[firstport]

Goal

I want to migrate WinXP Pro from my Desktop PC to a Virtual Machine on the Mac again using VMWare Fusion 3 on my Mac Book Pro...

(Previously did this over a year & a half ago - no problem).

Steps taken

MAC: I Load "VMWare Fusion" and go, File -> Migrate Your PC... then click Continue -> Continue ... which results in a message => "Looking for your PC..."

On the PC: I Load the "PC Migration Agent". Displays the Passcode (Eg: "8435")

MAC: Automatically displays, "Enter the four-digit passcode from your PC and click Continue." So I enter "8435" and click "Continue"...

MAC: Says, "Enter the Administrator username and password for your PC." So I enter both the Administrator username and Password for the Desktop PC and click Continue.

Problem

MAC: Says, "Converter failed to connect to remote machine. A secure connection to the host could not be established"

Fusion has had this problem all day, despite me trying each of the following step, then retrying the Migration steps again:

Actions tried:

     - different username (with & without a last name, using uppercase & lowercase 1st character for the username

     - double checked the login username & password on the desktop by logging out and back in again

     - checked in User Accounts that it was a Computer Administrator and that the name was the same there

     - Checked in Administrative Tools -> Computer Management that the Name & Full Name are the same and just 1 word and same case (and the same as the user login name).

     - shutting down all Firewalls & Anti-virus programs on all computers involved and trying again

     - uninstalling VMWare and re-installing 3.0

     - updating to VMWare Fusion version 3.1.3

     - using a network cable to connect to a common switch instead of using a wireless connection on the Mac

     - shutting down all non-essential programs on both computers

     - upgrading and then downgrading again the PC Migration Agent version (CD and downloadable).

     - Rebooting both computers

     - Ensuring "File Sharing" was on and "SMB" enabled in System Preferences -> File Sharing.

     - performing system-wide Software update

     - tried IP and HostName instead of Passcode, and Hostname.local

Note: I can read and access the PC shares ok from the Mac.

But nothing tried so far seems to fix the problem with fusion connecting.

Questions

What am I missing? What else can I try? The PC and Mac seem to have some sort of communication at least, but what would be causing the Converter to fail connection to the remote machine? Also, where can I find the log file(s)?

[admin]

You have tried the troubleshooting methods which I'd recommend.

Remember that you have to have Apple Firewall on Mac and any 3rd party firewalls on Windows turned off.

In general, I'd suggest the fastest possible connection, a directly attached ethernet cable. One easy way:

  - power down Windows machine

  - attach ethernet cable from Windows machine to Mac

  - Boot up Windows machine

If you are having problems, you may as well simplify things by turning wifi of on Mac and PC

Log files are at:

   Mac side:  Open Console.app, look under

    FILES >~/Library/Logs > VMware Fusion > vmware-fusion.log

   Windows side (you need to change your windows settings to see the path in UI):

   C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone

The if you could post the logs, (especially the highest numbered vmware-converter-agent.log)  it would be great.

[WoodyZ]

If the version of Windows on your Desktop Computer is an OEM version then it its not legally transferable to another system.

If the Migrate Your PC... command doesn't work then I suggest you try VMware vCenter Converter.

[firstport]

Bingo!! Working now...

I tried 2 things since you replied...

1) Your suggestion about shortening the network cable... and rebooting etc... I used that... I borrowed the switch from upstairs, and brought it down beside the PC, so both Mac and Desktop could be side by side using short cables. (Taking the ADSL modem effectively off the network also and hence, the Internet offline).

(At least this step saved me running up and down the stairs all the time).

Still didn't work though.

2) Previously I had downloaded and tried to update the VMWare Fusion PC Migration Agent yesterday as well as updating the VMWare Fusion to 3.1.3, but I just tried again to re-download the PC Migration agent and re-installed it again (as I had this niggling feeling in the back of my head somewhere that the downloaded PC Migration Agent may have been a corrupt download or something) and when I got a fresh copy, and installed it - the User Interface then changed to a new look and feel when I ran it. (Surprise, Surprise). This basically confirms that the PC Migration agent was actually still on the original CD version - not as I had thought (that it was the downloadable version off the website). In other words, the PC Migration Agent update must have rolled back somehow when I tried to install it. (I had read that VMWare Fusion 3.1.3 needs the downloaded version of PC Migration Agent for it to work, so it makes sense now why it wasn't working).

So after running the updated VMWare Fusion Migration Agent on the PC, the connection actually worked straight away. As a result, I now have WinXP Pro Virtual Machine on my Mac.

No need to post any logs now.   WooHoo!

I didn't know what you meant by:

   "Windows side (you need to change your windows settings to see the path in UI):

   C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone"

But I figure, I don't need to know now.

Thanks heaps for all your help & suggestions.

[firstport]

The answer presented itself. (See comment to 1st responder).

It was basically an un-updated PC Migration Agent that caused the problem, due to the Update not taking hold but somehow rolling back on a corrupt downloaded version. I read that VMWare Fusion 3.1.3 needs the PC to update the PC Migration Agent to the downloaded version, for it to connect. So I thought I would download again and re-install the latest version to make sure I wasn't trying to run a corrupt version of the PC Migration Agent. When I did this, the User Interface got a new look and feel when I ran it, confirming that it was on the old version before. When I tried to Migrate then, everything worked properly.

I checked the 6, 7 & 8 positions and it didn't say "OEM", and I also figured if migration worked once before (and it wouldn't if it was OEM), then it should work again hey?  But yes, you are correct, the VMWare Fusion software won't allow an OEM version of WinXP to be migrated to a VMWare Fusion Virtual Machine (according to VMWare documents I read online).

Glad I don't have to research "VMware vCenter Converter" now. That sounds like extra work.

Yours was good advice anyway and noted. Thanks.