Running pre-installed operating system(XP Professional) on Vmware workstation

[cyborg7]

Hello everyone!
I have pre-installed operating system files or you can say backup of the whole C drive where operating system was installed. Now i want to run that on virtual machine using vmware.
Can you please guide how to make it run on it because i have tried but not succeeded.

Thanks

[weinstein5]

Welcome to the Community - A coupld of questions

• Is this workstation the one where you have installed VMware Workstation? If it is there is a tool included that will allow you to virtualize the machine that is running the workstation software - check out page 24 of http://www.vmware.com/pdf/desktop/ws90-using.pdf
• If not, what backup software did you use to backup your workstation - there are some migrations that can read backup images.

[cyborg7]

No, it's not the workstation where i have installed VMware Workstation, its other than that. I didn't used any backup software to backup that, i simply make a .ISO copy of the entire C drive where operating system was installed.

[WoodyZ]

cyborg7 wrote: I have pre-installed operating system files or you can say backup of the whole C drive where operating system was installed. Now i want to run that on virtual machine using vmware.

If by "pre-installed" you'er referring to Windows XP that was preinstalled as in an OEM install then you may not virtualize it as by its OEM EULA it is not transferable to another system, physical or virtual, and lives and dies on the original system it was installed on.

[cyborg7]

No i did not mean that from pre-installed operating system. By pre-installed i meant that i have already a copy of installed windows in .ISO format or u can say backup. I got it from an older system hard disk in which windows xp was installed, what i want to do is to run the windows/operating system in that old hard disk using VMware.

[weinstein5]

If that workstation is still available you can still follow the procedure on page 24 to create the VM -

[cyborg7]

No, that workstation no longer exist

[WoodyZ]

Do you still have the HDD from that system?  If yes do you have a USB/FireWire External Enclosure or Universal Hard Drive Adapter Kit to temporarily access the HDD from?

[cyborg7]

Yes, I have HDD from that system and i have used SATA to USB converter to access it and made a .ISO copy of the contents in it e.g. C drive. Now i want to run/boot it using VMware!!!!!!

[WoodyZ]

Using an ISO Image that is just a copy of the Windows XP Filesystem is not the best source from which to create a Virtual Machine!   So since you still have access to the HDD, create a virtual Machine adding the HDD as a physical disk to the Virtual Machine and do not run or power it on as this is just temporary so as to use VMware vCenter Converter Standalone to convert it.  That way a proper copy of the HDD will be created as a normal file based virtual hard disk, at which point you can delete the temporary one and disconnect the HDD from the system.

[cyborg7]

Thanks for the reply
I found .PQI backup of it also, can you please guide how to make a virtual machine using .PQI file?

And apart this case, is there any way to make a VM using .ISO backup file?  :smileysilly:

[WoodyZ]

cyborg7 wrote: I found .PQI backup of it also, can you please guide how to make a virtual machine using .PQI file?

Any Backup Image File(s) can be restored to a HDD, physical or virtual, with the appropriate software.  That of which either created it or is capable of working with the target image type.  A .PQI file is a Disk/Drive Image created by PowerQuest Disk Imaging Software.  PowerQuest was purchased 10 years ago by Symantec and IIRC Norton Ghost could at one time open .PQI Images, however I do not know whether or not it's still true today with the latest Symantec Products.

And apart this case, is there any way to make a VM using .ISO backup file?  :smileysilly:

As I already said, "Using an ISO Image that is just a copy of the Windows XP Filesystem is not the best source from which to create a Virtual Machine!" an this is because it is nothing more then a copy of the Filesystem and while you certainly can extract its contents to a disk, physical or virtual, nonetheless the disk will not be bootable and would have to be repaired.

Since you still have the HDD then I'd suggest you do as I have already mentioned as VMware vCenter Converter is free and I'm assuming you already have VMware Workstation.  So between the two, you can create a Virtual Machine from the Physical HDD.

[cyborg7]

Ok i did as stated. I made a virtual machine, New Virtual Machine wizard (Custom Option)>I will install operating system later>Guest Operating System Windows Xp>NAT> SCSI Controller>BusLogic>Use a physical disk>Use entire disk> VM created.

Then i use converter to convert it using Select source as "Vmware Workstation or other vmware vm", it says "Unable to obtain hardware information for the selected machine."

?????

[WoodyZ]

When starting the VMware vCenter Converter Standalone Client you need to right-click and select "Run as administrator", otherwise you'll get that message!

[cyborg7]

:smileygrin: Thanks alot.

Thank you all for your kind replies!