Import of Virtual PC

[sbrinker]

I have installed VMWare Workstation 6.0.0 build 45731. The host OS is Windows Vista Ultimate x64.

I am attempting to import two virtual machines created with Virtual PC; a Windows XP SP2 VM, and a Windows 2003 Server Enterprise VM. The VPC and VHD files for each VM are located in the same folder.

In both cases, I receive the error message "unable to determine guest operating system."

If I try to open the VPC file for each VM, I receive the error "Failed to query source for information."

Any help is greatly appreciated.

-sbrinker

[Zoltán]

Hi,

I have a same problem but

I have installed VMWare Workstation 6.0.1 build 55017. The host OS is Windows Vista Ultimate x32.

I am attempting to import two virtual machines created with Virtual PC; a Windows XP SP2 VM, and a Windows 2003 Server Enterprise VM. The VPC and VHD files for each VM are located in the same folder.

If I try to open the VPC file for each VM, I receive the error "Failed to query source for information."

If I try to importing that I get the next error message : An error has occurred while importing the source image.

When I try to open or import the Symnatec Backup Exec System Recovery (livestate recovery) I got a same error messages.

[rsander5]

I am having the same problem --

I am trying to import from vpc an image of Vista x32 enterprise. The host system is XP SP2.

When i try to import the image the program reports back

"Unable to determine Guest Operating System'

Bob

[asatoran]

Many times I end up having to do a hot-clone of VPC/VS when I have trouble with the direct import of VPC/VS or cold-clone of a Livestate/Ghost image. If you can run VPC or VS somewhere, startup the VPCs, then select "Physical Machine" as your source instead. I end up having to do a hot-clone about 10% of the time and it has always worked so far. In a few cases, I've had to install Converter on the source machine and run Converter from there instead of the destination machine or other remote machine.

[Zoltán]

Hi,

I have a good software (VMWARE 6) but not tested every scenarios. Yesterday I checked than I reregistered all VmWare dlls and I finded duplicates. I found 1 dll twice on my system but that dll user the Backup exec file opening and handling. This file was same and signed by Symantec. My opinion the problem in the problem on the VMWare 6 because I could not able to import any MS virtual system too, and I got a same error message. I tested than I started hole VMWare system is a administrator privileged level but I got a some error messages. Do you know any channel when I able to send my system information to the VmWare support team? I did not found anything on the support site. This problem is not only my problems because it is general problem.

[maxtorqe]

I am experiencing the same issue with my VPC 2007 Vista Business image (x86). I tried upgrading my VMware Workstation to the latest 6.0.1 build, but no change. I have tried the older v 2.0 Import utility and the newer VMware Converter, same error "Unable to determine Guest Operating System". If VMware is going to state that they support Vista as a host and a guest OS, then they need to make certain that it is completely supported, if not, just document the exceptions openly. It would be in their best interest to make sure that all OSs can be imported from MS VPC into VMware to increase their market share. If anyone has some information on this issue please post.

[asatoran]

MS changed the disk format for Vista. So we'll have to wait for a new version of Converter. Workstation uses the same engine as Converter3, So both WS6 and Converter 3 are not able to convert Vista machines at this time. The manual does state that Vista is not supported for conversion.

<div class="zNoteText"><div class="zNoteText"><span class="zNoteHeads">Note The VMware Converter Import wizard included with Workstation does not convert Windows Vista physical machines to virtual machines. It also does not support converting Windows Vista images.</div></div>

The workaround I currently use is to use an imaging program like Ghost to image a machine and restore the image into a new VM. (And even Ghost had to be updated to work with Vista's disk format.)

Message was edited by: asatoran

[Zoltán]

Hi,

I understud theiste change but I could not able to imported Win2k3 guest machine from MS Virtual PC nad I could not able to open Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery (formelly Veritas livestate) files too. I hope the new VMWare patch or converter able to open this files on my Vista machine.

[asatoran]

Converter can fail for various reasons, even with Win2k3 and XP. I find that Converter is more reliable with a hot-clone than cold-cloning the physical machine or Ghost/LiveState image. I will cold-clone first and if it fails, then I install Converter on the source machine and the run Converter on the source machine. I've not had a hot-clone fail yet. (knock on wood. ) Just waiting for Converter to be able to handle Vista VPC VMs.

So if you have the RAM, install VPC, run the MS appliance, install VMWare Converter in the MS appliance and run Converter.

[tclement]

I just purchased workstation and have tried to convert an xp and vista vhd. I get "unable to determine guest operating system" when importing both. I've also installed workstation on another pc and get the same error.

This product is very disappointing.

[Peter_vm]

I just purchased workstation and have tried to convert an xp and vista vhd. I get "unable to determine guest operating system" when importing both. I've also installed workstation on another pc and get the same error.

Please describe in detail your procedure and vhd versions.

[simdoc]

asatoran:

Can you explain more what you mean? I'm having this fail almost all the time.

1) Are you installing the converter in the guest OS that you are going to clone? If so, how do you do this? Is there a separate installer for converter?

2) What MS appliance are you referring to?

Thanks.

[Peter_vm]

VMware Converter:

http://www.vmware.com/download/converter/

[asatoran]

asatoran:

Can you explain more what you mean? I'm having this fail almost all the time.

1) Are you installing the converter in the guest OS that you are going to clone? If so, how do you do this? Is there a separate installer for converter?

Peter has provided the link to Converter. Unless you have an enterprise license, you will install Converter in stater mode. You install it on any Windows machine. It does not have to be machine you want to convert. However, if you get a "unable to determine guest OS" error, then install Converter on the machine to be converted, and run Converter inside of that.

2) What MS appliance are you referring to?

Microsoft has available for download trial versions of their products. Windows XP, Exchange 2007, Biztalk, etc. But it is in their VirtualPC format. So you need to run them through Converter first. Many times, I get "unable to determine guest OS" when trying to convert one of these MS appliances. So I run the MS appliance in VirtualPC or Virtual Server, uninstall the MS Virtual Machine Additions (to prevent problems later) then install Converter and run it inside VirtualPC VM. This usually gets past the "unable to determine guest OS" error.

If you are having problems still, then start a new thread and attach the converter logs.

[simdoc]

Thanks to both of you for elaborating.