Shrink a VM

[seangar]

Is there a way to shrink the size of a W2k3 VM while its off ?

For example I discovered a VM that was created with a 20 GB size. I would like to shrink it to 12 GB.

Also what about growing it ?

TIA

S

[esiebert7625]

Yes, see my web site....

http://vmware-land.com/Resizing_Virtual_Disks.html

Fyi…if you find this post helpful, please award points using the Helpful/Correct buttons…thanks

[seangar]

I get an error on Method 2, step 8 (login information): Managed source /destination (ESX in this case) host not found... listening on that port... etc. I can ping the host(s) and VC from the VM that I am trying to resize.

I tired the VC also, does it use DNS to resolve ? How is it resolving the host names ? All the dev ESX hosts and windows VC box I have are on the same switch. They have no problems seeing each other. The VM is on the same network but routed into a different switch.

Obviously the VM has to be able to see them ? Windows FW is OFF on this box.

[esiebert7625 · Accepted solution]

Did you install Converter directly on the VM you want to convert? Did you try IP address instead? If you choose VC as a destination it first contacts VC and then the ESX server you choose. Converter requires certain ports which must be open on any OS/network firewalls between the source and destination. Also if you have a web server on the server you are converting you must stop it because Converter 3.0.1 also uses port 443.

Also check the converter logs for more detail on the error. These files are located in %Windir%\temp\vmware\temp.

See this link for more best practices for Converter...

http://vmware-land.com/Converter.html

What TCP/IP ports are used by Converter?

Converter uses the following ports:

• Converter application to remote physical machine - 445 and 139

• Converter application to VirtualCenter Server - 902 (Converter 3.0.0, port 443 for Converter 3.0.1)

• Converter application to ESX Server 3.x - 902 (Converter 3.0.0, port 443 for Converter 3.0.1)

• Physical machine to VirtualCenter Server - 902 (Converter 3.0.0, port 443 for Converter 3.0.1)

• Physical machine to ESX Server 3.x - 902 (Converter 3.0.0, port 443 for Converter 3.0.1)

When you select VirtualCenter as a destination and then chose a ESX host, Converter will first make a connection to VirtualCenter and then the ESX host, so you will need to make sure these ports are not being blocked for both the VirtualCenter server and ESX server.

[seangar]

There is no FW blocking traffic on this network (IP range/vlan). Ill review what you sent. Thanks

[dsanders]

When I do this I attach a new virtual disk - correctly sized this time. I then use BartPE and use Ghost to clone disk to disk. After the Ghosting is done unattach the original disk, reboot and you should be good to go.

Growing a disk is much easier, I roughly use this method except I use BartPE instead of another full blown virtual machine.

http://vmprofessional.com/index.php?content=2k3resize