VM not showing up in Virtual Center.

[Deidson]

New to the boards. Thanks for any help in advance!

I cloned a Workstation 5.5 vmdk file to an ESX 3 server. After several failed attempts I finally figured out how to get the cloning to work through vmkfstools. I see the vmdk file in the vmfs volume, but for some reason Virtual Center or VI did not add the VM to the MUI. Is there a config file I need to change on the ESX server?

Thanks again.

[admin · Accepted solution]

You need to register the VMDK with a VM. Create a new VM using the VI client, select custom, and then browse to your imported VMDK file to attach it.

If you've copied the .vmx file across as well you can register that instead of creating a new VM, although the above method iks probably easier as it saves messing with the .vmx. Anyway, to register a .vmx, click an ESX host in the VI client, on the summary page right click -> datastore browser the volume with the VM/VMDK on it. Browse to the .vmx file and click it, the little blue vmware logo will light up in the top left corner, click it, give the VM a name, choose a host, and away you go.

[Deidson]

That worked. Thanks a ton.

[edonk]

Wouldn't it be much easier to use the VMWare Converter for this purpose? Just point to your VMDK, next to your ESX and VMWare converter moves it to your ESX including upgrade of VMWare Tools. Dowlaodable at http://www.vmware.com/download/converter/