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Aakii
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How to migrate VM from esxi 6.0 to esxi 5.1?

Hi,

i want to migrate or move 1 VM Linux machine running on Esxi 6.1 to another esxi 5.1 both esxi are separate and their Datastore also.

kindly assist me on this.

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sjesse
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Just export it and import, you can't destroy anything this way, just leave the source off until its imported correctly.

VMware - How to Import and Export OVF Files | PeteNetLive

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abhilashhb
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You cannot migrate or power on a virtual machine created on a newer version of ESXi to an older version due to virtual machine hardware version difference.

You can use a tool like VMware vCenter Converter standalone to do this migration - VMware vCenter Converter Standalone Documentation

This is a free tool and does not come with any support.

Abhilash B
LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhilashhb/

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Aakii
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is it possible to create VM in esxi 5.1 and copy vmdk and related files from esxi 6.1. will it work.

could you please recommend something using converter. i dont want to damage VM machine.

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scott28tt
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You should also note that both of those versions are also out of support - only 6.5 and later are supported now.


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sjesse
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Just export it and import, you can't destroy anything this way, just leave the source off until its imported correctly.

VMware - How to Import and Export OVF Files | PeteNetLive

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sjesse
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Do realize though that some newer operating systems aren't supported in older versions so you may run into issues.

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abhilashhb
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Even export and import would need HW downgrade first to make sure the machine works on the lower version ESXi server.

Abhilash B
LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhilashhb/

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sjesse
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Yeah thats true, but looks steps in here may work

Import OVF Template - Unsupported hardware family 'vmx-10'

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Aakii
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Brother i export VM Machine in OVF file and i change vmx-11 to 9 thats work. thanks for that. but now i want to reduce the size of vmdk file. server doesn't have that much space. i can export again after changing the properties but server on cloud and it has very low bandwidth. is there any way i can reduce vmdk file and its properties locally?

vmdk is 38 GB but allocated 600GB Thick Provision. want to reduce by 300GB

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continuum
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Options:

A::  best option but requires a brave admin - modifies existing vmdk and requires no extra space

- resize partitions inside the guest

- cut off the unused space after last partition with dd

- fix GPT or MBR with Linux LiveCD

B: second best - requires about 40gb of extra space

- create new thin provisioned disk and partition it as needed

- add new disk to existing VM

- move data from old disk to new disk

C: recommended by most admins

- use VMware Converter

- sounds like easiest variant but but is probably the trickiest in your scenario


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Do you need support with a VMFS recovery problem ? - send a message via skype "sanbarrow"
I do not support Workstation 16 at this time ...

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IRIX201110141
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You first should tell which vHW the VM is currently using.

Running a VM on 6.0 doesnt mean that the vHW of 6.0 is used.

Regards,
Joerg

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Aakii
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i dont know the limitation of server right now. but during exort i couldn't change the size but ichange it to thin provision. now i can change the disk size. and rest of the thing will figure out. e.g. convert thin provision to think provision. not sure that server required or not. but i guess it will work. it just a drive.

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Alex_Romeo
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Hi,

You can also do it like this:

  • remove the VM from the Esxi 6.1 inventory
  • From the Datastore make a copy of the entire virtual machine folder.
  • With vCenter Converter you import the VM into Esxi 5.1
  • Doing so should resolve the settings to be made by itself (virtual hardware, etc ...)

ARomeo

Blog: https://www.aleadmin.it/
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Aakii
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Thank you all, i just export and import the VM machine, there was vmx-11 issue because of migrate newer version to older. work fine. there was another problem relate to storage. existing machine has 600GB thick provision and where i migrated was 500GB available so i just import it with thin provision. after that there was network hardware difference which is solved also by changing network file in linux machine.

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