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GABarber
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Looking for Roadmap for Virtualization on Windows 7

Hi

I have been using VMware on my Mac for a while and now have a need to Virtualize an old XP workstation (which is dying) and now want to image that machine and run it inside a VM on a new Windows 7 64 bit workstation.

I've downloaded VMWare Workstation trial, but I couldn't see any read roadmap as to how to take the original XP system and get it running.  As I have a lot of software configured on this machine, I don't want to start with installing the OS and reinstalling everything.

I did a few searches of the documentation, but couldn't find any step by step directions as to what software and steps were required.

Can anybody direct me to some documentation that walks thru the steps to virtualizing an existing xp machine?

Thanks

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RaZaKKaZaR
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Hello GABarber,

Did you try VMware vCenter Converter?  It is a free, standalone tool that can convert most Windows OS boxes into a VM that either VMware Workstation or ESX can use.

Here is a link for the documentation:

http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vcc_pubs.html

Regards,

Trevor

http://www.vmtrooper.com

==================================================================================

If any of my responses have been helpful in any way, please rate accordingly. Thank you and Happy VM'ing! :smileygrin:

VCAP5-DCD,DCA * http://www.vmtrooper.com * If any of my responses have been helpful in any way, please rate accordingly. Thank you and Happy VM'ing! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

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RaZaKKaZaR
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Hello GABarber,

Did you try VMware vCenter Converter?  It is a free, standalone tool that can convert most Windows OS boxes into a VM that either VMware Workstation or ESX can use.

Here is a link for the documentation:

http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vcc_pubs.html

Regards,

Trevor

http://www.vmtrooper.com

==================================================================================

If any of my responses have been helpful in any way, please rate accordingly. Thank you and Happy VM'ing! :smileygrin:

VCAP5-DCD,DCA * http://www.vmtrooper.com * If any of my responses have been helpful in any way, please rate accordingly. Thank you and Happy VM'ing! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:
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GABarber
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I took a look at the VM Ware vCenter Converter  into documention - but I didn't see anything simple where I can just start out with an Acronis Disk image of the Source System and I wondered if using vCenter is the hard way to go.

Isn;t there a simpler way to setup a VM when you already have an acronis disk clone of the Source System and can just mount it as a drive on the target workstation?

Thanks

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RaZaKKaZaR
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Hello GABarber,

I can personally testify that using the VMware Converter is a simple process.

You deploy the agent, kick off the Converter job, and your new VM will be created.

That being said, If you want to use your Acronis image, you will have to check to see if they or one of their partners has a conversion tool.  Even if they do, it will most likely be a conversion to ESX instead of VMware Workstation.

-Trevor

VCAP5-DCD,DCA * http://www.vmtrooper.com * If any of my responses have been helpful in any way, please rate accordingly. Thank you and Happy VM'ing! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:
GABarber
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I am surprised that I need to do any conversion to map a windows disk image straight to a VM on Windows.

How is the Standalone version of the converter different?

Thanks

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GABarber
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Hi

Digging deeper  into the docs - It looks like the Standalone server does import directly from the Acronis True Image - so this looks like the way to go.

I'll give it a try and post back how it went.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Glenn

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dquintana
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Hello GABarber,

Here you have a official tutorial with a real How to migrate your pc to a vm using vmware converter an vmware workstation.

I see that this is the tutorial that you need.

Regards

Ing. Diego Quintana - VMware Communities Moderator - Co Founder & CEO at Wetcom Group - vEXPERT From 2010 to 2020- VCP, VSP, VTSP, VAC - Twitter: @daquintana - Blog: http://www.wetcom.com-blog & http://www.diegoquintana.net - Enjoy the vmware communities !!!

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GABarber
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I tried to use the physical machine convert feature but it keeps dying with an access privledges error - but the reasons for failure are not clear to me as the user account has full admin privs.

It looks as if its trying to install something on the source machine and failing....

Any clue as to what is wrong and how I can fix it.

heres the log...


[2010-12-16 21:13:35.704 'P2V' 2064 verbose] [task,339] Transition from None to InProgress requested
[2010-12-16 21:13:35.704 'P2V' 2064 verbose] [task,388] Transition succeeded
[2010-12-16 21:13:35.704 'P2V' 2064 info] [task,274] Starting execution of a Task
[2010-12-16 21:13:35.704 'P2V' 2064 info] [clientConnection,101] Connecting to IPC$ on GMSRV2 as GMSRV2\GBarber
[2010-12-16 21:13:35.704 'P2V' 2064 info] [clientConnection,104] Successfully connected to IPC$ on GMSRV2
[2010-12-16 21:13:35.704 'ClientConnection' 2064 info] Connecting to \\GMSRV2\pipe\vmware-ufad-ws60-beta3-vmdb, use SSL: true
[2010-12-16 21:13:35.720 'ClientConnection' 2064 warning] Failed to connect to \\GMSRV2\pipe\vmware-ufad-ws60-beta3-vmdb. Reason: The system cannot find the file specified. . Error code: 2.
[2010-12-16 21:13:35.720 'ClientConnection' 2064 info] Starting ufad-ws60 on GMSRV2
[2010-12-16 21:13:35.720 'P2V' 2064 info] [,0] Opening service control manager to [GMSRV2] with access 983103 failed: 5

[2010-12-16 21:13:35.720 'ClientConnection' 2064 warning] Failed to startup VMware Converter Agent service on GMSRV2. Reason: Service control manager error.
[2010-12-16 21:13:35.720 'ClientConnection' 2064 warning] Unable to start ufad-ws60 service
[2010-12-16 21:13:38.731 'ClientConnection' 2064 info] Connecting to \\GMSRV2\pipe\vmware-ufad-ws60-beta3-vmdb, use SSL: true
[2010-12-16 21:13:38.731 'ClientConnection' 2064 warning] Failed to connect to \\GMSRV2\pipe\vmware-ufad-ws60-beta3-vmdb. Reason: The system cannot find the file specified. . Error code: 2.
[2010-12-16 21:13:38.731 'ClientConnection' 2064 info] Starting ufad-ws60 on GMSRV2
[2010-12-16 21:13:38.731 'P2V' 2064 info] [,0] Opening service control manager to [GMSRV2] with access 983103 failed: 5

[2010-12-16 21:13:38.731 'ClientConnection' 2064 warning] Failed to startup VMware Converter Agent service on GMSRV2. Reason: Service control manager error.
[2010-12-16 21:13:38.731 'ClientConnection' 2064 warning] Unable to start ufad-ws60 service
[2010-12-16 21:13:41.741 'ClientConnection' 2064 info] Connecting to \\GMSRV2\pipe\vmware-ufad-ws60-beta3-vmdb, use SSL: true
[2010-12-16 21:13:41.741 'ClientConnection' 2064 warning] Failed to connect to \\GMSRV2\pipe\vmware-ufad-ws60-beta3-vmdb. Reason: The system cannot find the file specified. . Error code: 2.
[2010-12-16 21:13:41.741 'ClientConnection' 2064 info] Starting ufad-ws60 on GMSRV2
[2010-12-16 21:13:41.741 'P2V' 2064 info] [,0] Opening service control manager to [GMSRV2] with access 983103 failed: 5

[2010-12-16 21:13:41.741 'ClientConnection' 2064 warning] Failed to startup VMware Converter Agent service on GMSRV2. Reason: Service control manager error.
[2010-12-16 21:13:41.741 'ClientConnection' 2064 warning] Unable to start ufad-ws60 service
[2010-12-16 21:13:44.752 'ClientConnection' 2064 error] Giving up trying to connect to \\GMSRV2\pipe\vmware-ufad-ws60-beta3-vmdb
[2010-12-16 21:13:44.752 'VmdbSvc' 2064 verbose] Shutting down VMDB service...
[2010-12-16 21:13:44.752 'VmdbSvc' 2064 verbose] Unregistering callback...
[2010-12-16 21:13:44.752 'VmdbSvc' 2064 verbose] ...done
[2010-12-16 21:13:44.752 'P2V' 2064 error] [task,295] Task failed: P2VError UFA_NOT_RUNNING()
[2010-12-16 21:13:44.752 'P2V' 2064 verbose] [task,339] Transition from InProgress to Failure requested
[2010-12-16 21:13:44.752 'P2V' 2064 verbose] [task,388] Transition succeeded
[2010-12-16 21:13:47.950 'P2V' 1964 info] [installAgentTask,79] Installing UFAD to hostname=GMSRV2, username=GMSRV2\GBarber, postponeReboot=1, verifySSLCerts=0
[2010-12-16 21:13:47.950 'P2V' 2808 verbose] [task,339] Transition from None to InProgress requested
[2010-12-16 21:13:47.950 'P2V' 2808 verbose] [task,388] Transition succeeded
[2010-12-16 21:13:47.950 'P2V' 2808 info] [task,274] Starting execution of a Task
[2010-12-16 21:13:47.950 'P2V' 2808 info] [clientConnection,101] Connecting to ADMIN$ on GMSRV2 as GMSRV2\GBarber
[2010-12-16 21:14:05.953 'P2V' 2808 info] [,0] SMB manager: Access denied connecting to share [\\GMSRV2\ADMIN$].

[2010-12-16 21:14:05.953 'P2V' 2808 error] [task,295] Task failed: P2VError REMOTE_UFA_BAD_PERMISSIONS(GMSRV2)
[2010-12-16 21:14:05.953 'P2V' 2808 verbose] [task,339] Transition from InProgress to Failure requested
[2010-12-16 21:14:05.953 'P2V' 2808 verbose] [task,388] Transition succeeded

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GABarber
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Hi - Anybody have any answer or idea as to why the Import Utility fails??

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Joe1948
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If the XP machine is still running Paragon Go Virtual should do what you want  http://www.paragon-software.com/home/go-virtual/download.html Then you'll have to deal with the Windows activation issue. The first time Windows Update connects it will change to not genuine.

Joe

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GABarber
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Is Paragon a different VM software product or something to help image the system?

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Joe1948
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It creates the files specifically for VMware Player/Workstation. Just install it on the machine you want to copy and the result is the same when ran on VMware Player or Workstation. I've used it for XP and Windows 7. All of the software and settings will be the same as the real PC. It's easy to use and free. No matter how you copy it you will have to deal with Windows liscencing.

Joe

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GABarber
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Thank you

I used this to create the VM image. which I got up and running fairly easily.

I do have a problem - perhaps not related to the method of imaging the system.

When I did get the system up and running under VMware (after I installed the tools), the system was much slower that I expected it to be - even after I reconfigured the processors and memory and installed the vmware tools.

Running my compiles, the similar vmware engine running on my macbook pro compiles more that twice as fast the the same compile in the vmware environment on my windows 7 machine -  though he i7 875 processor and memory and disk in the Windows 7 machine are all much faster than the macbook.

I wonder if this is something related to how the system was imaged.

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