vCenter Converter - Unable to obtain hardware information for the selected machine

[FLeonard]

Hi all,

I am trying to virtualize an old XP SP3 box with Converter 5.5.3-2183569 on the local machine. The converter fails immediately with this error "Unable to obtain hardware information for the selected machine". I googled the error and checked out all the proposed fixes. None worked. So far I have tried:

Followed instructions in KB 2059581

Running CHKDSK

Disabled non-necessary services

Removed AV

Disabled Windows FW

Uninstall / re-install Converter

Verified account privileges (admin)

The OS and apps work fine on that PC. Nothing to complain about. Also converted another XP box without a hitch earlier.

Any ideas? Thank you much.

[FLeonard]

I could not figure out what the error meant. I suspect a process was preventing the converter agent from probing Windows (even though I had removed AV). I ended up imaging the PC with Acronis True Image 9.5 and converting the TIB image to a VM with converter 5.5.3-2183569.