Importer fails with unhelpful error message

[ibid]

I just downloaded Importer Beta2 to my Leopard MBP (10.5.1) and tried to convert my Win

XP Parallels. The progress bar gets to "finishing the conversion" and then prints an

message saying it could not convert the VM with no information to help me understand

if there is something I might do to help the conversion complete successfully.

As this is a beta, I'm happy to provide additional information to help resolve this

issue and convert my VM for use with Fusion.

Josh Simons

[admin]

Anything in the logs? See for the locations.

[ibid]

Thank you for that pointer. Here is the additional information:

Version 1.0b2 (70999)

2.2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo running Mac OS X 10.5.1

I am using Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac, Build 5582.

The guest is WInXP SP2. The VM was originally created under

a pre-3.0 version of Parallels and then converted to 3.0.

Import.log contains:

Jan 15 15:38:17.815: app| Log for VMware Importer pid=3708 version=70999 build=build-70999 option=BETA

Jan 15 15:38:17.815: app| Hostname=mhp-0.local

Jan 15 15:38:49.265: app| Importing /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.pvs

Jan 15 15:38:49.266: app| Imported VM to be created in

Jan 15 15:38:49.266: app| Options: preallocateDisk is FALSE

Jan 15 15:38:49.266: app| Options: splitDisk is FALSE

Jan 15 15:38:49.266: app| pathFusionHelperVm is /Applications/VMware Fusion.app/Contents/Resources/naos-1.0.vmwarevm

Jan 15 15:38:49.266: app| pathToolsIso is /Library/Application Support/VMware Fusion/isoimages/windows.iso

Jan 15 15:38:49.266: app| pathTemplateVmx is /Users/jsimons/Desktop/Downloads/VMware Importer.app/Contents/Resources/template.vmx

Jan 15 15:38:49.266: app| pathImporterVm is /Users/jsimons/Desktop/Downloads/VMware Importer.app/Contents/Resources/importerVM

Jan 15 15:38:49.266: app| pathVMwareVmx is /Library/Application Support/VMware Fusion/vmx/Contents/MacOS/vmware-vmx

Jan 15 15:38:49.266: app| pathWindowsCD is

Jan 15 15:38:49.287: app| ParallelsHdd: Opening /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd

Jan 15 15:38:49.287: app| About to process descriptor /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd

Jan 15 15:38:49.319: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed DiskParameters: diskSize=16384032, c/h/s=16254/16/63

Jan 15 15:38:49.320: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed Snapshot/Shot node, GUID={5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41}

Jan 15 15:38:49.320: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed Snapshot/Shot node, ParentGUID={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}

Jan 15 15:38:49.320: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed Image node, GUID is {5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41}

Jan 15 15:38:49.320: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed Image node, Type is Compressed

Jan 15 15:38:49.320: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed Image node, File is /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd/winxp.hdd.0.{5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41}.hds

Jan 15 15:38:49.320: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed StorageNode start=0, end=16384032, blocksize=63, 1 images

Jan 15 15:38:49.320: app| Completed parsing of the descriptor for /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd

Jan 15 15:38:49.340: app| Disk Parameters

Jan 15 15:38:49.340: app| diskSize = 16384032

Jan 15 15:38:49.340: app| cylinders = 16254

Jan 15 15:38:49.340: app| heads = 16

Jan 15 15:38:49.340: app| sectors = 63

Jan 15 15:38:49.340: app| Parent info:

Jan 15 15:38:49.340: app| GUID {5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41} has parent {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}

Jan 15 15:38:49.340: app| Storage Nodes:

Jan 15 15:38:49.340: app| Storage: starts at 0 ends at 16384032 blocksize 63

Jan 15 15:38:49.340: app| Image: GUID={5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41}

Jan 15 15:38:49.340: app| filename=/Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd/winxp.hdd.0.{5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41}.hds

Jan 15 15:38:49.378: app| ParallelsHdd: Successfully opened /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd

Jan 15 15:38:49.378: app| ParallelsHdd: Successfully opened /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd

Jan 15 15:38:49.378: app| ParsedConfigCallback, preallocate=FALSE, required=7131

Jan 15 15:38:57.147: app| Importing /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.pvs

Jan 15 15:38:57.147: app| Imported VM to be created in /Users/jsimons/Documents/Virtual Machines.localized/Microsoft Windows XP.vmwarevm

Jan 15 15:38:57.147: app| Options: preallocateDisk is FALSE

Jan 15 15:38:57.147: app| Options: splitDisk is FALSE

Jan 15 15:38:57.147: app| pathFusionHelperVm is /Applications/VMware Fusion.app/Contents/Resources/naos-1.0.vmwarevm

Jan 15 15:38:57.147: app| pathToolsIso is /Library/Application Support/VMware Fusion/isoimages/windows.iso

Jan 15 15:38:57.147: app| pathTemplateVmx is /Users/jsimons/Desktop/Downloads/VMware Importer.app/Contents/Resources/template.vmx

Jan 15 15:38:57.147: app| pathImporterVm is /Users/jsimons/Desktop/Downloads/VMware Importer.app/Contents/Resources/importerVM

Jan 15 15:38:57.147: app| pathVMwareVmx is /Library/Application Support/VMware Fusion/vmx/Contents/MacOS/vmware-vmx

Jan 15 15:38:57.147: app| pathWindowsCD is

Jan 15 15:38:57.162: app| ParallelsHdd: Opening /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd

Jan 15 15:38:57.162: app| About to process descriptor /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd

Jan 15 15:38:57.162: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed DiskParameters: diskSize=16384032, c/h/s=16254/16/63

Jan 15 15:38:57.162: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed Snapshot/Shot node, GUID={5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41}

Jan 15 15:38:57.162: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed Snapshot/Shot node, ParentGUID={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}

Jan 15 15:38:57.162: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed Image node, GUID is {5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41}

Jan 15 15:38:57.162: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed Image node, Type is Compressed

Jan 15 15:38:57.162: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed Image node, File is /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd/winxp.hdd.0.{5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41}.hds

Jan 15 15:38:57.162: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed StorageNode start=0, end=16384032, blocksize=63, 1 images

Jan 15 15:38:57.162: app| Completed parsing of the descriptor for /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd

Jan 15 15:38:57.162: app| Disk Parameters

Jan 15 15:38:57.162: app| diskSize = 16384032

Jan 15 15:38:57.162: app| cylinders = 16254

Jan 15 15:38:57.162: app| heads = 16

Jan 15 15:38:57.162: app| sectors = 63

Jan 15 15:38:57.162: app| Parent info:

Jan 15 15:38:57.162: app| GUID {5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41} has parent {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}

Jan 15 15:38:57.162: app| Storage Nodes:

Jan 15 15:38:57.162: app| Storage: starts at 0 ends at 16384032 blocksize 63

Jan 15 15:38:57.162: app| Image: GUID={5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41}

Jan 15 15:38:57.162: app| filename=/Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd/winxp.hdd.0.{5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41}.hds

Jan 15 15:38:57.164: app| ParallelsHdd: Successfully opened /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd

Jan 15 15:38:57.164: app| ParallelsHdd: Successfully opened /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd

Jan 15 15:38:57.164: app| ParsedConfigCallback, preallocate=FALSE, required=7131

Jan 15 15:38:57.164: app| ParallelsHdd: Opening /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd

Jan 15 15:38:57.164: app| About to process descriptor /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd

Jan 15 15:38:57.165: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed DiskParameters: diskSize=16384032, c/h/s=16254/16/63

Jan 15 15:38:57.165: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed Snapshot/Shot node, GUID={5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41}

Jan 15 15:38:57.165: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed Snapshot/Shot node, ParentGUID={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}

Jan 15 15:38:57.165: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed Image node, GUID is {5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41}

Jan 15 15:38:57.165: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed Image node, Type is Compressed

Jan 15 15:38:57.165: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed Image node, File is /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd/winxp.hdd.0.{5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41}.hds

Jan 15 15:38:57.165: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed StorageNode start=0, end=16384032, blocksize=63, 1 images

Jan 15 15:38:57.165: app| Completed parsing of the descriptor for /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd

Jan 15 15:38:57.165: app| Disk Parameters

Jan 15 15:38:57.165: app| diskSize = 16384032

Jan 15 15:38:57.165: app| cylinders = 16254

Jan 15 15:38:57.165: app| heads = 16

Jan 15 15:38:57.165: app| sectors = 63

Jan 15 15:38:57.165: app| Parent info:

Jan 15 15:38:57.165: app| GUID {5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41} has parent {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}

Jan 15 15:38:57.165: app| Storage Nodes:

Jan 15 15:38:57.165: app| Storage: starts at 0 ends at 16384032 blocksize 63

Jan 15 15:38:57.165: app| Image: GUID={5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41}

Jan 15 15:38:57.165: app| filename=/Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd/winxp.hdd.0.{5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41}.hds

Jan 15 15:38:57.166: app| ParallelsHdd: Successfully opened /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd

Jan 15 15:38:57.166: app| ParallelsHdd: Successfully opened /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd

Jan 15 15:38:57.166: app| The on-disk footprint of the VM is 7131 MB

Jan 15 15:38:57.517: app| ParallelsHdd: Opening /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd

Jan 15 15:38:57.517: app| About to process descriptor /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd

Jan 15 15:38:57.518: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed DiskParameters: diskSize=16384032, c/h/s=16254/16/63

Jan 15 15:38:57.518: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed Snapshot/Shot node, GUID={5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41}

Jan 15 15:38:57.518: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed Snapshot/Shot node, ParentGUID={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}

Jan 15 15:38:57.518: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed Image node, GUID is {5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41}

Jan 15 15:38:57.518: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed Image node, Type is Compressed

Jan 15 15:38:57.518: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed Image node, File is /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd/winxp.hdd.0.{5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41}.hds

Jan 15 15:38:57.518: app| ParallelsHdd: Parsed StorageNode start=0, end=16384032, blocksize=63, 1 images

Jan 15 15:38:57.518: app| Completed parsing of the descriptor for /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd

Jan 15 15:38:57.518: app| Disk Parameters

Jan 15 15:38:57.518: app| diskSize = 16384032

Jan 15 15:38:57.518: app| cylinders = 16254

Jan 15 15:38:57.518: app| heads = 16

Jan 15 15:38:57.518: app| sectors = 63

Jan 15 15:38:57.518: app| Parent info:

Jan 15 15:38:57.518: app| GUID {5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41} has parent {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}

Jan 15 15:38:57.518: app| Storage Nodes:

Jan 15 15:38:57.518: app| Storage: starts at 0 ends at 16384032 blocksize 63

Jan 15 15:38:57.518: app| Image: GUID={5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41}

Jan 15 15:38:57.518: app| filename=/Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd/winxp.hdd.0.{5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41}.hds

Jan 15 15:38:57.520: app| ParallelsHdd: Successfully opened /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd

Jan 15 15:38:57.520: app| ParallelsHdd: Successfully opened /Users/jsimons/Library/Parallels/winxp/winxp.hdd

Jan 15 15:38:57.520: app| ParallelsHdd: starting disk conversion into /Users/jsimons/Documents/Virtual Machines.localized/Microsoft Windows XP.vmwarevm/winxp.vmdk

Jan 15 15:38:57.570: app| UUID: Unable to open /dev/mem: No such file or directory

Jan 15 15:38:57.592: app| DISKLIB-LINK : "/Users/jsimons/Documents/Virtual Machines.localized/Microsoft Windows XP.vmwarevm/winxp.vmdk" : creation successful.

Jan 15 15:38:57.615: app| DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Opened : "winxp.vmdk" (0x8)

Jan 15 15:38:57.615: app| DISKLIB-LINK : Opened '/Users/jsimons/Documents/Virtual Machines.localized/Microsoft Windows XP.vmwarevm/winxp.vmdk' (0x8): monolithicSparse, 16384032 sectors / 7.8 GB.

Jan 15 15:38:57.615: app| DISKLIB-LIB : Opened "/Users/jsimons/Documents/Virtual Machines.localized/Microsoft Windows XP.vmwarevm/winxp.vmdk" (flags 0x8). 0xe459864

Jan 15 15:42:32.358: app| DISKLIB-LIB :numIOs = 50000 numMergedIOs = 0 numSplitIOs = 0

Jan 15 15:46:25.476: app| DISKLIB-LIB :numIOs = 100000 numMergedIOs = 0 numSplitIOs = 0

Jan 15 15:52:21.350: app| DISKLIB-LIB :numIOs = 150000 numMergedIOs = 0 numSplitIOs = 0

Jan 15 15:56:29.450: app| DISKLIB-LIB :numIOs = 200000 numMergedIOs = 0 numSplitIOs = 0

Jan 15 15:58:33.431: app| About to fork helper VM...

Jan 15 15:58:33.445: app| Helper still running, will wait five seconds...

Jan 15 15:58:38.446: app| Helper still running, will wait five seconds...

Jan 15 15:58:43.447: app| Helper still running, will wait five seconds...

Jan 15 15:58:48.447: app| Helper still running, will wait five seconds...

Jan 15 15:58:53.447: app| Helper still running, will wait five seconds...

Jan 15 15:58:58.447: app| Helper still running, will wait five seconds...

Jan 15 15:59:03.448: app| Helper completed.

Jan 15 15:59:03.450: app| Jan 15 15:58:52.577: vcpu-0| Guest: 100 reconfig : reconfigure.sh v1.20 (importer)

Jan 15 15:59:03.450: app| Jan 15 15:58:53.907: vcpu-0| Guest: 100 reconfig : Mounting FAT partition /dev/hda1 at /mnt/windisk

Jan 15 15:59:03.450: app| Jan 15 15:58:53.909: vcpu-0| Guest: 100 reconfig : Checking for Windows location in Boot/BCD

Jan 15 15:59:03.450: app| Jan 15 15:58:53.911: vcpu-0| Guest: 100 reconfig : Checking for Windows location in boot.ini

Jan 15 15:59:03.450: app| Jan 15 15:58:53.913: vcpu-0| Guest: 100 reconfig : Testing boot.ini location: default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS

Jan 15 15:59:03.450: app| Jan 15 15:58:53.915: vcpu-0| Guest: 100 reconfig : Windows folder is /mnt/windisk/windows

Jan 15 15:59:03.450: app| Jan 15 15:58:53.917: vcpu-0| Guest: 100 reconfig : System hive path is /mnt/windisk/windows/system32/config/system

Jan 15 15:59:03.450: app| Reconfig_ReadHelperLog: helper failed with error Jan 15 15:58:53.928: vcpu-0| Guest: 400 reconfig : FAILED: Unable to get Windows version from the registry

Jan 15 15:59:03.450: app| Jan 15 15:58:53.928: vcpu-0| Guest: 400 reconfig : FAILED: Unable to get Windows version from the registry

Jan 15 15:59:03.450: app| Copying template from /Users/jsimons/Desktop/Downloads/VMware Importer.app/Contents/Resources/template.vmx to /Users/jsimons/Documents/Virtual Machines.localized/Microsoft Windows XP.vmwarevm/Microsoft Windows XP.vmx

[mudaltsov]

According to the log, the reconfiguration tools can't read the Windows version from the registry.

Either the version number is missing, or our tools can't read the registry file to determine the version.

Could you try running the original VM in Parallels, and using regedit to look at the CurrentVersion value?

To do that, go to the Start Menu, Run..., type "regedit" (without quotes), and click OK.

Then browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion

There should be a key listed named "CurrentVersion", with the value 5.1 for Windows XP. See the attached screenshot for an example.

If the value is there, there is either something wrong with the registry file, or the tools we use to read it.

If that's the case, let me know, and we can try pursuing this further.

If the value is not there (really strange for normal Windows installations), you can try adding it:

Choose Edit->New->String Value, and rename the new key from "New Value #1" to "CurrentVersion".

Then double-click on the key, and set the value to "5.1" (again, without quotes). It should look like the screenshot.

[ibid]

Strange, but my XP no longer boots under Parallels. I had started Parallels prior to using

Importer in order to stop the XP VM and XP was okay then. Now when I try to

start the VM, I see:

-

---

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:

\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows Setup using the

original Setup CD-ROM.

Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair.

-

---

I would not think Importer would even open my existing VM writable so I have

no idea what has happened...

[mudaltsov]

Importer should not modify the original Parallels VMs - it makes a copy of the virtual disk into VMware's vmdk format, and then reconfigures that to run in Fusion.

Could you try using Parallels Explorer to mount the Parallels disk and see if the CONFIG\SYSTEM file is there?

[ibid]

Yes, the file is there. Show info reports it is plain text, 3.5 MB on disk. Textedit refuses

to open it: "The document SYSTEM could not be opened."

[mudaltsov]

Before doing anything else with the VM, I would recommend taking a snapshot of the current disk state.

Even though the VM currently doesn't work, you may need to come back to it if anything bad happens, or if you need to switch snapshots.

It seems a little odd that you can't open the file... It could be possible that the file system is corrupted. Did you try copying it to the Desktop from Parallels Explorer?

To check and fix file system errors, you can try using chkdsk from the recovery console. There is a pretty thourough tutorial here:

http://www.help2go.com/Tutorials/Windows/C:%5Cwindows%5Csystem32%5Cconfig%5Csystem_missing_or_corrup...

Please look at the sections called "Recovery Console" and "Option 2". Hopefully that will be enough to fix the problem.

If the file system is good, but the error is still there, the file must be corrupted beyond simple repair. It may be possible to restore the registry files from another Parallels disk snapshot (if you have one) or from a Windows System Restore point.

If you have a recent enough snapshot, try using that. You need to switch to that snapshot in snapshot manager, make sure the VM is turned off, and copy the needed registry files to your Mac using Parallels Explorer. Then switch back to the current (broken) snapshot, and replace the files. If you don't have a snapshot, or if it's too old, the tutorial steps through recovering files from the System Restore backups in "Option 3". Copying the files can be done a lot easier with Parallels Explorer, since you have direct access to the files.

The error Windows shows is with CONFIG\SYSTEM, but the original issue with the missing version suggests CONFIG\SOFTWARE is damaged as well. So if you're trying to restore the registry, make sure to get both of those files. There may be additional user registry files that have also been corrupted, but it's hard to know for sure unless you run into more errors. Either way, they would be available to restore in the same way.

[mudaltsov]

Another short question... you said:

I had started Parallels prior to using Importer in order to stop the XP VM and XP was okay then.

Did you by any chance stop it by using the red square stop button in the Parallels toolbar?

That button turns off the VM immediately, without using the "Shut Down" option in Windows, same as unplugging the power from a physical computer.

If Windows was trying to write to the registry at that moment, it may explain how the registry files got corrupted.

[ibid]

I could easily have done that. Pilot error it is. Time to install XP from scratch using Fusion.

Thanks very much for your help and sorry to have taken your time with this.