Destination box has VMware player 3.1.4. Not possible to run a newly created vm.

[NewToVM20111014]

For the first time, I tried to virtualize my machine using VMware vCenter Converter Standalone. The destination machine has VMware Player 3.1.4 installed, so I chose, destination as having VMware 4.0.x instead of VMware 3.0.x as 3.1.4 is beyond 3.0.x. The newly created VM does not run on VMware 3.1.4. Is there anyway out of this except may be creating another VM using option VMware player 3.0.x as the destination machine option? Thank you.

[a_p_]

Welcome to the Community,

for VMware Player or Workstation you need to select "VMware Workstation" as the destination. The ones you selected refer to ESX(i) hosts.

André

[NewToVM20111014]

Thank you, Andre.

I actually chose, 'VMware Workstation or other VMware virtual machine' option as the 'destination type' and not the EXSi option. After the destination type is chosen I have to select VMware product. It is at this point, I chose, VMware Player 4.0.x as the product instead of VMware Player 3.0.x as my destination machine has VMware Player 3.1.4 installed on it. Thanks again.

[a_p_]

Looks like you use VMware Converter 5.0. I was not aware that "VMware Player 4.0" is available as the destination product since it is not available yet. I assume VMware Player 4.0 will use a new virtual hardware version like ESXi 5.0 which will not work with VMware Player 3.x. In this case you need to select Player 3.x as the destination.

André

[WoodyZ · Accepted solution]

Then you should be able to just create a new (empty) Virtual Machine with VMware Player 3.x and then just delete the empty virtual hard disk (.vmdk files) and replace it with the one created with VMware vCenter Converter.

[NewToVM20111014]

Thank you, Woodyz. That did the trick.

When I am playing the VM, trying to log on with my username, it is saying that I have to activate Windows to log on. Is this normal? Does this need to be done everytime a VM is created new? When I try to activate is says invalid product key. I checked the product key from my previous computer and retyped, still does not work. What could be going on here?

[WoodyZ]

For version of Windows OSes this use WPA (Windows Product Activation) it is normal and expected to have to deal with WPA when imaging a system and restoring that image to another system, especially when there is divers hardware differences like when going from physical to virtual.

Also if the source is a OEM Install you cannot legally transfer it to another system as OEM installs live and die on the first system they're installed on.