Please, support for MRIMG Images from Macrium Reflect.

[Reibenbacher]

Hi.

Newbie here, sorry.

now I'm trying VMPlayer 3.1.4:

a) you are able to load/install Ubuntu from an  .ISO  (ubuntu 11.04 too, even
if the release notes tell "until  10.10");

==>>>
b) you are able to Open entire OS images  from:
VMware  (vmx)
Virtual PC (vmc)
Symantec backUp   (sv2i)
StorageCraft  (spf)
Acronis True Image  (tib)

and....in the  future....I warmly warmly  hope...=> All Macrium Reflect Images (mrimg)

I'm using Macrium Reflect Free build 4.2.

Purpose: you may want in the upcoming releases of VMPlayer to add supporting 
this kind of diks image files MRIMG too?

This were wonderful!!

and (my opinion) very very useful and important.

Thanks a lot in advance.

Best regards

[DSTAVERT]

There are perhaps hundreds of disk imaging software companies and unfortunately supporting all of them directly would be difficult to impossible. VMware supports the most popular or where they get developer support. You might want to contact Macrium to encourage them to create a restore to VMX option in their software.

[Reibenbacher]

Thanks for your reply!

Yes, I worte today to Macrium, here the answer:

"Thank you for your comments. We will investigate adding this functionality in  the near future."

I hope that Macrium or VMPlayer will add this support

I warmly hope...otherwise booth applications Macrium & VM were useless for me

thanks.

[DSTAVERT]

I doubt this will happen in VMware Player. Not sure how either company benefits from adding this to a free product. If you had purchased VMware Workstation and Macrium Reflect you might get someone to listen.

If the Macrium boot CD can recognize a Player hard disk you may be able to create a new virtual machine in player and use the boot CD to restore directly.

[Reibenbacher]

I use Reflect free for. Today was the first day for me, with a virtual machine and the first day for Ubuntu and Macrium Image of my C:\ VistaOS.

I hope that my happiness do not keep on too short :-))

So I dont understand exactly your suggestion, sorry (newbie here). Yes the macrium boot CD can recognize all my internal discs and my HDD USB and my USB BD drive whrn it start with Isolinux Utility.

But what should I do with the boot CD of Macrium?

I think so:

- turn my PC on with external HDD USB connected: here is the mrimg image. no no: in this case Windows will recognize the external usb HDD, but Ubuntu doesnt.

also 1)

open VMPlayer from desktop Windows (The status of Ubuntu 11.04 will be restored...)

2) connect a usb HDD drive.

3) VM will tell me: "VMware USB Device Installing..."

4) now VM can see the device, ok.but then...?

5) open the image mrimg in VMPlayer not allowed...

how to create a new virtual machine in VM folder? (click on Create new VM from where?)

macrium boot cd have to recognize what? what is Player hard disc?

thank you in advance

[WoodyZ]

If the Macrium boot CD can recognize a Player hard disk you may be able to create a new virtual machine in player and use the boot CD to restore directly.

The Linux CD/ISO Image does recognize VMware SCSI Disks and NICs and can be used to restore an image to a Virtual Machine.  The program also has a BartPE Plugin as well.  So I see no reason why this product cannot be used to restore images to a Virtual Machine.

[Reibenbacher]

If  the Macrium boot CD can recognize a Player hard disk you may be able to  create a new virtual machine in player and use the boot CD to restore  directly.

The  Linux CD/ISO Image does recognize VMware SCSI Disks and can be used to  restore an image to a Virtual Machine.  The program can also create a  customizable BartPE CD/ISO Image as well.  So I see no reason why this  product cannot be used to restore images to a Virtual Machine.

>> thank you for your reply!!

ehmmm ehmmm were you so friendly and can you tell me how to restore or add or load this .mrimg image into VMPlayer 3.1.4 installed on Vista,

sorry friend I think so.

1) .....

2).....

3) now insert the ....

4) and finally clic on...

5) done.

sorry I'm newbie and today is my "first day", you know.

I "feel" that you are right and you were able to create what I warmly desire (=> open VM: open virtual machine number one with Ubuntu: done, ok

AND at the same time: open VM : open virtual machine number two with my VistaOS raedy for use.

to get this VistaOS in VM ready for use I must before install in VMPlayer my image *.mrimg*, I guess for the first time only! right?

but please please may you  want to describe the single steps as in my example above?

I'm very grateful to you.

I'd glad to hear your answer;.-)

and tomorrow I'd be veryhappy to try your steps. thanks a lot. thanks a lot.

[WoodyZ]

Sorry but I do not have time to write up step by step instructions geared towards a total newbie, however I'll try to write up something to help you go in the right direction and post it back later.

[Reibenbacher]

Thank you in advance.

very great!

[Reibenbacher]

Hi. here the answer from Macrium:

Hi,

If VMPlayer emulates a standard IDE/Sata hdd interface, then yes the  Macrium boot CD will work out of the box for you. Otherwise, there is the option  to inject drivers (in this case VMPlayer mass storage drivers) into the Macrium  boot CD.

*even more confused*

[Reibenbacher]

Does VMPlayer handle vhd files?

Perhaps... if your suggestions are too hard for me, could I try this?

http://kb.macrium.com/KnowledgebaseArticle50005.aspx

may work?

thanks.

[Reibenbacher]

Yes, the process MRIMG > to VHD went fine.

I have created a new VM in VMPlayer (and I was very happy).

But at the start my OS Vista (guest) fails to load in VMPlayer. Boot  manager tells: Windows boot failed, a needed device not found or HW has been  modified (I never had the DVD of Vista, because it comes as OEM) but I guess  that the Image from my OS is perfect, I got this image from the same machine  where I have opened then the VHD. perhaps VMPlayer cannot find  the drivers...

I think that I should to give up...

[gszoniec]

Reibenbacher wrote:

Does VMPlayer handle vhd files?

No, but you can convert vhd files to vmdk format using VMware Converter

[Reibenbacher]

Hi.

really??

this were wonderful!

MRIMG > to VHD and then VHD > to WMDK usinf VM converter!!

I'll try you suggestion. And I hope that Windows will start in VMPlayer and the driver are recognized. In the meantime you tried this and Windoes want not to boot. "Hardware seems to has been modified".....

I dont tried this process in the past because here

http://kb.macrium.com/KnowledgebaseArticle50005.aspx

VMWare  Server lacks the flexibility to use vhd files as a virtual disk file  and you are required to use vmware's own vmdk file format.  Unfortunately, VMWareConverter will only convert complete vm  configurations not individual virtual disk files.

The starwind V2V converter has been found to work well and is available cost free from here... http://www.starwindsoftware.com/converter

Once you have a vmdk file, the process of generating a virtual  machine is similar to that discussed above. Note, be careful to chose  the correct hardware connection for the vmdk i.e. ide or scsi. The  correct choice will depend on source machine configuration.

but I have VM Player (not Server).

Thank you I'll try today...and hope that Windows will start...

I will report here my efforts

[Reibenbacher]

ohi ohi now I become the answer from Macrium:

Hi,

The reason your system is not booting is because you need a different  mass storage driver early on in the booting process. It is almost definitely  installed as VM's do not emulate exotic hardware. However, it will need to be  enabled.

We have a tool called redeploy that figures out what drivers you  need and reconfigures windows accordingly. Unfortunately, it only included in  the non-trial professional and server editions.

!!!!!

also my problem is not the conversion: even without VM Converter I can get a VHD playable in VMPlayer!

my problem -as Macrium wrote- is the mass storage driver witch have to be injected for booting Windows.....only in the professional build of Macrium.

[Reibenbacher]

=> my question:

how to set VMPlayer to get this drivers enabled (and no window's booting problems ever)?

thanks!

[WoodyZ]

If you're talking about with respect to .vhd files you can't, it doesn't work that way with VMware Player except for Windows XP Mode under Windows 7.

[Reibenbacher]

Ok. If anyone has idea how to get a working image from Vista (mrimg to vhd, > to vmdk: i guess vmdk should work with VmPlayer...) with VMPlayer please let me know

I supposes that evef I load an Acronis image directly into VmPlayer...then Vista will NOT start...

but Macrium tell me that it is possible by enabling the mass srotage driver in VmPlayer...perhaps macrium is wrong....

I have to search another VM...perhaps MS PC 2007...

[Reibenbacher]

My latest question

does VMPlayer emulate a standard IDE/Sata hdd interface??

thanks a lot.

[WoodyZ]

Even though the following link is for Workstation and ACE Online Library nonetheless have a look at Virtual Machine Specifications as they are the same for VMware Player.