Migrating a Fusion VM to VMware Server

[misterbizarro]

Are there existing recommendations or best practices for migrating a fusion vm to vmware server?

[RDPetruska]

Make sure the guest OS is shut down (not just suspended) before powering the VM off. Copy the entire VM folder to the other PC. Manually edit the vmx file to change any host-specific device names and file/path syntax.

[misterbizarro]

What is the process when opening the new file in Vmware server?

[Troy_Clavell]

you could also use VMware vCenter Converter

[asatoran]

What is the process when opening the new file in Vmware server?

If you mean how to open the .VMX file to edit it, the VMX file is a text file so open it in something like Wordpad.

If you mean how do you open the virtual machine, it depends on the version of Server.

Server1: File, Open.

Server2: Virtual Machines menu, Add Virtual Machine to Inventory.

Then you browse to the .VMX file.

[RDPetruska]

you could also use VMware vCenter Converter

Troy, there is ABSOLUTELY no reason one needs to "Convert" a VMware virtual machine to move it between any of the hosted products. Part of the reason VMware is so successful is the portability of their virtual machines!

Randall, thanks. I haven't used Server 2 but remembered it has this "Inventory" thing where you can't simply browse to the vmx file and open it, like the other products.

[Troy_Clavell]

I agree, but the OP seems to be having issues with editing the .vmx. Just putting out options

[misterbizarro]

I added a datastore to the location of the copied files.

If I look in the directory of C:\Users\myuser\vms\myVM.vmwarevm\, there is a .vmx file and I can open and edit it with notepad.

But when I try to Add the virtual machine to inventory, it doesn't see the .vmx file in the datastore.

[misterbizarro]

Just for kicks, I also tried Vmware converter, I get the error message "Cannot obtain lock on virtual disks".

I moved the .vmsd aside and created a new one, yet that error message persists.

I am blocked at both paths of troubleshooting at the moment.

[misterbizarro]

FYI, The import works like a charm in VMwareDesktop.

[asatoran]

But when I try to Add the virtual machine to inventory, it doesn't see the .vmx file in the datastore.

Are you "clicking-all-the-way-through" to the VMX file?

Just for kicks, I also tried Vmware converter, I get the error message "Cannot obtain lock on virtual disks". I moved the .vmsd aside and created a new one, yet that error message persists.

Converter is not really necessary for what you're trying to do. There are cases where Converter would be useful for Fusion users. But for using a Fusion VM in Server2, there is no need to go through Converter. You just need to copy the entire virtual machine package or folder from the Mac to PC. Like what RDPetruska said, you may have to edit the VMX file to remove pathnames. If you didn't use snapshots, you can often just start the virtual machine up. (One of the reasons I don't use snapshots; so that I can move my VMs between various hosts with less problems.)

Even if you did use Converter, you still need to add the "converted" virtual machine to Server2's inventory. So Converter wouldn't help "not seeing the VMX file."