VMware Converter error converting physical server running CentOS 4.7

[shannonadams]

I am attempting to convert a physical server running CentOS 4.7 to a VM (on ESX 3.5 Server) using the VMware-converter-4.0.0-146302. The server is powered on and I startup the converter client and go through all the steps to convert the server. The process starts and hangs at 1 percent.

I exported and reviewed the logs and see the following in the agent log:

Converter Task GetEvent(taskID=task-3)

unable to detect guest state as "running", will retry 1199 times ...

could not get the server certificate thumbprint. Will retry 284 times...

got server thumbprint from helper: 1A:F9:DA:D5:BC:E5:8C:FD:22:CC:7E:6F:11:5F:3A:FC:DB:4B:42:0C

Getting VIM connection to 10.9.10.246...

Reusing existing VIM connection to 10.9.10.246

unable to get IP address from GuestInfo, will retry 299 times ...

Also, the converter gui logs show:

UpdateTask

(converter.task.TaskInfo) {

dynamicType = <unset>,

key = "task-3",

task = 'converter.task.Task:task-3',

name = "Convert",

descriptionId = "Convert.P2V",

userName = "root",

source = "10.9.10.201",

target = "10.9.10.246/brsauth.bigrocksports.com",

state = "error",

cancelled = false,

cancelable = true,

data = <unset>,

error = (converter.fault.HelperVmFailedToObtainIpFault) {

dynamicType = <unset>,

msg = "Unable to obtain the IP address of the helper virtual machine."

},

result = <unset>,

progress = 1,

estimatedTimeRemaining = <unset>,

transferRate = <unset>,

queueTime = "2009-02-26T14:37:11.293159Z",

startTime = "2009-02-26T14:37:11.553563Z",

completeTime = "2009-02-26T14:43:34.277239Z",

eventChainId = 29,

vcTask = <unset>,

logBundleInfo = (converter.DiagnosticManager.TaskLogBundleInfo) {

dynamicType = <unset>,

key = "task-3-diag-20090226144333-MQFAUK.zip",

timeCreated = "2009-02-26T14:43:33.438212Z",

format = "zip",

content = (converter.DiagnosticManager.BundleContent) [

"agentLogs",

"serverLogs"

],

size = 706251,

crc = -1155030952,

},

}

I can convert Windows servers over the ESX server without any problems. Can someone translate this me and let me know how to get around the errors?

Thanks,

Shannon

[tkdunbar]

You need to set an ip address for the ip-helper when converting a Linux server

[shannonadams]

Thanks for the response. I am not sure how to set up the ip-helper IP address. Would that be on the ESX server or the Linux server I am converting? I would appreciate some guidenance on how to set it up.

Shannon

[tkdunbar · Accepted solution]

On the Linux server you are converting. When converter gets to the step 3 View/Edit Options the last option is called Helper VM Network. You can edit that option and add an ip address. The ip needs to be on the same network of your default gateway on your Linux server.

[shannonadams]

Ok, it got much farther this time. It was almost done and then failed. The converter-gui log shows the following at the bottom:

tar: ./opt/pvweb/etc/pvweb: time stamp 2009-02-26 16:26:36 is 14645.439317864 s in the future

tar: ./proc: time stamp 2009-02-26 13:45:14 is 4788.937231942 s in the future

tar: ./home/sadams/.bash_history: time stamp 2009-02-26 14:19:05 is 6814.215217051 s in the future

tar: ./dev: time stamp 2009-02-26 13:46:35 is 4822.501108855 s in the future

tar: ./etc: time stamp 2009-02-26 13:46:10 is 4794.892642897 s in the future

tar: ./root/.vmware/VMware vCenter Converter Standalone/Logs: time stamp 2009-02-26 16:32:30 is 14774.892222702 s in the future

tar: ./root/.vmware/VMware vCenter Converter Standalone: time stamp 2009-02-26 13:52:47 is 5191.892091847 s in the future

tar: ./root/.vmware: time stamp 2009-02-26 13:49:49 is 5013.891971568 s in the future

tar: ./root: time stamp 2009-02-26 13:49:49 is 5013.888270918 s in the future

tar: ./var/log/vmware-vcenter-converter-standalone: time stamp 2009-02-26 13:49:55 is 5019.880024746 s in the future

tar: ./var/log: time stamp 2009-02-26 13:46:34 is 4818.879828254 s in the future

tar: .: time stamp 2009-02-26 13:50:40 is 5064.879677228 s in the future

",

msg = "An error occurred during the conversion."

},

result = <unset>,

progress = 93,

estimatedTimeRemaining = <unset>,

transferRate = <unset>,

queueTime = "2009-02-26T16:28:51.848703Z",

startTime = "2009-02-26T16:28:51.91702Z",

completeTime = "2009-02-26T16:46:48.546027Z",

eventChainId = 24,

vcTask = <unset>,

logBundleInfo = (converter.DiagnosticManager.TaskLogBundleInfo) {

dynamicType = <unset>,

key = "task-2-diag-20090226164643-JTUNOG.zip",

timeCreated = "2009-02-26T16:46:43.690874Z",

format = "zip",

content = (converter.DiagnosticManager.BundleContent) [

"agentLogs",

"serverLogs"

],

size = 1066677,

crc = -1086003946,

},

}

Can you tell why it failed?

Thanks again,

Shannon

[tkdunbar]

I don't know. I would suggest reviewing all the options. I have not seen this problem.

[davdunc]

This looks like the image was cloned on a system that had some

date/time problems and probably has nothing to do with running tar command. This means the archive

time is in the future and is AFAIK a standard message.

[jjj0923]

I'm a little confused about the nature/function of the helper.

I am getting this error message also and I am running the converter on a windows physical machine and converting a rh linux (physical) box to a virtual machine.

should the ip address be the ip address of the windows box running the converter?

thanks in advance.