Stuck in a mind loop - ESXi 3.5 to ESX4.1

[Arjan1]

We've been using the free esxi 3.5 successfully for a while now and finally got everything set up to go ahead with a full esx deployment but i'm running into a wall while trying to get our 'old' VM's over to a new server.

Here's the situation:

3x ESXi 3.5 servers with roughly 10VM's each. All direct attached storage.

1x ESX 4.1 advanced server with direct attached storage as well (SAN is coming before someone comments on that

1x vSphere standard server. (upgraded from an advanced kit to a normal version)

When transferring a VM from 3.5 to 4.1 the network breaks because it gets a new mac. On linux this is easily fixable and not that big a deal compared to windows.

To prevent this, I am supposedly to install the 4.1 vmware tools on the 3.5 VM's and do a hardware upgrade to v7, however I cannot connect the vsphere server to the 3.5 servers as i do not have a 3.5 license server. I cant upgrade the 3.5 hosts w/o having to take everything down and risk losing everything if it goes wrong as the stuff is on direct storage. Its bad enough that its on direct storage to not warrant taunting it

I cant seem to be able to find the windows tools for 4.1 except in the update manage, which cant connect to 3.5 because of the license server.

I am probably overlooking the obvious but after a flood of new information it's getting a bit fuzzy.

[illvilja]

Hi,

You can install the license server on vCenter 4.1.

Follow this KB for a how-to.

This will make you able to manage your older hosts.

VCP3/VCP4/VTSP/VSP/MCTS: Virtualization

[AndreTheGiant]

When transferring a VM from 3.5 to 4.1 the network breaks because it gets a new mac. On linux this is easily fixable and not that big a deal compared to windows.

How you you transfer the files?

If you use some kind of file copy, then you have to answer I_moved the first time that you power-on the VM.

Andre

[Arjan1]

I'm using vmware converter with the 'import machine' function from within vsphere server.

I'm thinking its turning more into a question on how to transfer windows to new hardware and not have it break the network card.

[a_p_]

I'm thinking its turning more into a question on how to transfer windows to new hardware and not have it break the network card.

That's what I think too. Try move a VM with e.g. Veeam FastSCP and if the Question "Moved or Copied" comes up, answer it with "I moved" as AndreTheGiant mentioned above.

André

[WaffleSniffer]

Hi

To move VMs from 3.5 to 4.x i'd generally recommend the following:

1. Shut down the VM on the 3.5 host

2. Using Veeam FastSCP (free) copy the VM folder from the 3.5 host to the 4.1 datastore

3. Register the VM on the 4.1 host and power on and then (as Anton said) choose I Moved...

This way there is no risk to the data and you can be happy that all VMs have moved successfully before you rebuild the 3.5 host.

One thing, you mentioned that you've put in an ESX 4.1 host. Is this ESXi? If it;'s not, i'd certainly recommend that you change to ESXi, as 4.1 is the last release to include ESX.

Hope this helps

Adam

[Arjan1]

Its actually a temporary server that is running the normal ESX4, i will use ESXi for the actual servers.

I'll see what happens if i use scp and just transfer the files.

[Arjan1]

Ok the VM actually moved over and is running, the only 'problem' i see is that the VM is still v4 instead of v7.

Will this come back to bite me in the rear at some point ?

[WaffleSniffer]

Hi

Glad you got it moved over successfully. As for the VM version, you can safely leave it as v4, however if it's never going to need to be run on a v3.5 or lower host again then you can safely upgrade it to version 7. That way you can take advantage of the more advanced features made available to v7 guests.

Cheers

Adam

[a_p_]

You can easily upgrade to version 7, if you don't need to go back to an ESX host 3.x later. Just update the VMware tools on the VM and then right click the VM in the inventory and select "Upgrade Virtual Hardware" (with the VM powered off)

André

If you found this or any other post helpful, please mark them as correct and/or helpful.

[Arjan1]

Ok, upgrading from v4 to v7 seems to be causing the network to fail in windows.

It gives me the correct old mac in the vm properties but in windows i am getting the 'lan connection 2' card.

I'll just uninstall the nic before migrating the machine over and see how that goes, i'd rather do this now then in 6 months when a server fails.