Destination does not support 64-bit guests.

[Joskin]

Hi all

I am trying to P2V a linux box (redhat 5 64-bit xeon cpu) to ESX 4.0 running on vmware workstation 7.0( Windows 2003 64 bit xeon cpu)

Cpu VT are enabled on both guests and destination server, with a cold start.

When i start to convert, it stop at the destination tab with the error : Destination does not support 64-bit guests.

In the log i can see : Destination does not support 64-bit guests.

I am able to create a Virtual machine on esx with the template for a Redhat 5 64-bit .

I have read all the posts talking about that problem on this forum. Is there something else to configure than the VT configuration in bios? Maybe a special configuration of the ESX virtual machine in vmware workstation?

Thanks for your help.

Olivier.

[AntonVZhbankov]

You want to migrate 64-bit linux from ... to ...?

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MCSA, MCTS, VCP, VMware vExpert '2009

http://blog.vadmin.ru

[Joskin]

I want to migrate my 64bit linux (redhat entreprise 5) from his physical state (running on a 64bit xeon) to a virtual machine running on esx 4.0.

Thankyou.

Olivier.

[AntonVZhbankov]

Is NX enabled on ESX?

---

MCSA, MCTS, VCP, VMware vExpert '2009

http://blog.vadmin.ru

[Joskin]

I dont know what it is.

Is it a bios configuration on the hosts pc ? Or a configuration into the ESX os?

Thank you.

Olivier.

[AntonVZhbankov]

NX and VT settings are in host BIOS.

---

MCSA, MCTS, VCP, VMware vExpert '2009

http://blog.vadmin.ru

[Joskin]

Yes NX is enabled .

Any other idea?

Thank you, Olivier.

[AntonVZhbankov]

Oh, I missed - you want to run 64bit guest in ESX running in VM? Impossible.

---

MCSA, MCTS, VCP, VMware vExpert '2009

http://blog.vadmin.ru

[Joskin]

The only solution is to install ESX on a physical machine?

What about using ESXi on a virtual machine?

My goal is to run this linux 64bit machine in a virtual machine. Is there any other way?

Thank you.

Olivier.

[AntonVZhbankov]

Virtual ESX can run 32 bit guests only, so the only way to run 64bit guests is to install ESX on physical machine.

---

MCSA, MCTS, VCP, VMware vExpert '2009

http://blog.vadmin.ru

[TomHowarth]

you can't vSphere running under Workstation cannot run 64Bit guests and the VT extentions are not passed through to the guest, I have just confirmed this by attempting to create a 64 bit guest in the same environment

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Tom Howarth VCP / vExpert

VMware Communities User Moderator

Blog: www.planetvm.net

Contributing author on "[VMware vSphere and Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing ESX and the Virtual Environment|http://www.amazon.co.uk/VMware-VSphere-Virtual-Infrastructure-Security/dp/0137158009/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256146240&sr=1-1]”.

[TomHowarth]

IF you need to run 64 Bit guests under ESX or ESXi then you will have to install ESX or ESXi on physical Hardware. alternatively you could just run the 64 bit guest under Workstation7. rather than nesting the VM's

If you found this or any other answer useful please consider the use of the Helpful or correct buttons to award points

Tom Howarth VCP / vExpert

VMware Communities User Moderator

Blog: www.planetvm.net

Contributing author on "[VMware vSphere and Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing ESX and the Virtual Environment|http://www.amazon.co.uk/VMware-VSphere-Virtual-Infrastructure-Security/dp/0137158009/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256146240&sr=1-1]”.

[Joskin]

The main problem is that i have to convert the physical machine to a virtual machine with Vmware converter. And the destination of this converter can only be an ESX server. I am right?

Thank you for your help guys.

Olivier.

[TomHowarth]

No your main problem is that you are attempting to convert a 64bit Guest to run on a Nested vSphere guest. the conversion will work if you point the converter and a phyiscal instance of ESX running of correctly configured hardware.

If you found this or any other answer useful please consider the use of the Helpful or correct buttons to award points

Tom Howarth VCP / vExpert

VMware Communities User Moderator

Blog: www.planetvm.net

Contributing author on "[VMware vSphere and Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing ESX and the Virtual Environment|http://www.amazon.co.uk/VMware-VSphere-Virtual-Infrastructure-Security/dp/0137158009/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256146240&sr=1-1]”.

[Joskin]

I have installed ESX on a physical machine, CPU is a Xeon Nocona 80546K (Old Dell poweredge 1850).

A the start page of ESX (at the end of the boot), it's writen on the screen (in red) that my CPU doesnt support NX (no execution flag I suppose...). I have take a look in the bios but i can't see any NX parameters.

And the result is the same in vmware converter : Destination does not support 64-bit guests.

Is there a special configuration to set in ESX?

Thankyou, Olivier.

[AntonVZhbankov]

Nocona does not have hardware assisted virtualization (aka VT), so you won't be able to run 64bit guests on it anyway.

---

MCSA, MCTS, VCP, VMware vExpert '2009

http://blog.vadmin.ru

[TomHowarth]

As Anton has already stated, the Nacona does not support VT therefore it will not be able to run 64 Bit guests. have a read of this to find compatible CPUs remember that this is not the full story, you BIOS must also support the feature set too. I think the earliest Dell that supported VT was the 1950

If you found this or any other answer useful please consider the use of the Helpful or correct buttons to award points

Tom Howarth VCP / vExpert

VMware Communities User Moderator

Blog: www.planetvm.net

Contributing author on "[VMware vSphere and Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing ESX and the Virtual Environment|http://www.amazon.co.uk/VMware-VSphere-Virtual-Infrastructure-Security/dp/0137158009/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256146240&sr=1-1]”.

[MarkHowells]

Apologies for the thread hijack (and I'll repost if you'd prefer), but I have the same problem. I have ESX 4.01 installed on physical hardware (Dell R200 (intel Xeon E3110). This has the Intel VT. I can create a 64bit VM using the VSphere client but as soon as I try to import a VM (Redhat Enterprise Linux 5 (64bit)) from my existing VMWare Server system , the converter says the dest doesn't support 64 bit clients. This has been a puzzle for a while...

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[continuum]

why for heavens sake do you want to use Converter for this ?

i guess the Red Hat VM already uses SCSI disks ? - so there is no need to torture this innocent VM with stupid Converter.

Just convert the vmdks to a type suitable for ESX with vmware-vdiskmanager - then you do not need Converter at all

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VMX-parameters- VMware-liveCD - VM-Sickbay

[MarkHowells]

That worked. Thanks

However, I'm still puzzled why Converter complained (or is it a bug in Convertor)