Snapshot prior to VM Hardware Upgrade?

[wgardiner]

Hello folks,

I've read lots of conflicting information around this, so thought I'd pose the question here.

We are going to be upgrading to vSphere 4.0 soon and obviously will be looking at upgrading VM hardware to version 7.

Now if I take a snapshot prior to doing the HW upgrade, and it goes pearshaped can I revert to the snapshot and the server will work?

Or is this a one way change, even with a snapshot in place?

Even Xtravirt, who are usually right on the money, seem a little confused:

(http://xtravirt.com/do-i-upgrade-vmware-virtual-hardware-version-7)

They say:

"When you upgrade from virtual hardware version 3 to version 7, the upgrade is irreversible, even if you take a virtual machine backup or snapshot before performing the upgrade."

Then later in the same article:

"Using Snapshots give you the option to revert back if there is an issue."

Thanks in advance.

[a_p_ · Accepted solution]

HW version 3 refers to VM's from e.g. ESX 2.x (see KB1003746 - Virtual machine hardware versions)

I never upgraded from this version, so I cannot tell whether this is true or not. However, it is possible to revert to a VM upgraded from HW version 4. VUM explicitly offers to take a snapshot prior to upgrading hardware.

André

[wgardiner]

Ahh I didn't even click that HW Version 3 is from ESX2.5.

That makes sense.

Thanks for your help :smileygrin:

[firestartah]

Hi

there is a way of reverting back to the older hardware version if it crashes http://blog.vmpros.nl/2010/04/09/vmware-how-to-downgrade-vm-hardware-level-7-to-4/

The snapshot is there for the precaution of not losing your data not for rolling back the hardware version as after upgrading to version 7 if the OS goes crazy then you can downgrade again and roll back to the snapshot.

Scott lowe has done a brillaint blog on doing the upgrade if your interested here: http://blog.scottlowe.org/2009/06/01/vsphere-virtual-machine-upgrade-process/

If you found this or other information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful".

Gregg Robertson, VCP3,4 , MCSE, MCSA, MCTS, MCITP

[firestartah]

I just tested and the snapshot does revert the hardware version back to the original. So if you do the snapshot before and it goes down you can roll back and it goes back to the original.

sorry i was positive it never worked for me before but it is now

If you found this or other information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful".

Gregg Robertson, VCP3,4 , MCSE, MCSA, MCTS, MCITP

[wgardiner]

Nice one mate, thats great. Thanks for testing!