VMWare Fusion to vi3/ESX - fails to convert

[suppressed]

Hi,

We had a Mac OSX workstation temporarily running VMWare Fusion 1.0 hosting a Gentoo VM image. It reports as Workstation 6 hardware. We have upgraded our server and installed the vi3 foundation product and now wish to host our VM image.

I can't use converter to convert the image to ESX Server. It always fails after 2%.

I have tried using the VMWare converter (3.0.3 build 89816), which does warn "Warning: Cannot configure the source image." but allows me to continue. The source data reports a disk size of 100GB (of which I think 57GB is used with LVM), and if I select 'Select volumes and resize to save or add space' it comes up with 3 volumes claiming to maintain size at average 0.10GB, 0.94GB and 1.87GB, instead I leave the radio selected on 'Convert all disks and maintain size'.

Source
Type: Hosted VMware virtual machine
Location: C:\temp\vm1\vm1.vmwarevm\vm1.vmx
Disk Options: Copy all disks and maintain size
Disk 1: 100.00 GB
Destination
Type: ESX Server machine
Name: test
Host / Cluster: unknown00215e26d514.localdomain
Resource Pool: Office Server
Datastore: datastore1
NIC1: VM Network
Customization
Install VMware Tools: No
Guest Customization: No
Remove System Restore: No

When I continue it fails after 2%:

12:06:47 PM Step 1 : Connecting to VMware Converter Agent on localhost
12:06:47 PM Step 2 : Creating target virtual machine and converting data
12:06:58 PM Configuring parameters for the target virtual machine...
12:07:00 PM WARNING: Source guest operating system is not supported on the destination
12:07:00 PM WARNING: Dropping extra CD-ROMs
12:07:00 PM WARNING: Dropping the sound device
12:07:00 PM Creating target virtual machine...
12:07:20 PM Cloning disk 0...
12:07:37 AM ERROR: Unknown error returned by VMware Converter Agent
VMware Converter Agent logs can be found on localhost at C:\Windows\Temp\vmware-temp\vmware-converter*
VMware Converter Client logs on this computer can be exported, or found at C:\Users\accounts\AppData\Local\Temp\vmware-temp\vmware-client*
VMware Converter logs are stored on a temporary basis, and should be retrieved as soon as possible.

I check the log files and get TCP errors refering primarily about the NFC eg:

2008-09-29 12:07:17.084 'App' 3068 verbose Got an update from CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:17.084 'App' 3068 verbose VmiImportTask::task step "clone to VM" 0% completed
2008-09-29 12:07:17.084 'App' 2504 verbose Waiting for updates from CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:17.084 'App' 2504 verbose (Re)Start waiting for property updates from CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 1940 warning Failed to get volume information. Error 1005 Assuming the volume is not 'formatted'
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 1940 verbose Guessing which volume is system volume...
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 1940 info OS resides on partition 1 , disk path C:\temp\vm1\vm1.vmwarevm\vm1.vmdk
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 2568 info No active volumes are known to VolumeMappingInfoBuilder...
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 1940 verbose GetDisks: disk=
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 5308 info No geometry.biosSectors defined,
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 5308 info No geometry.biosHeads defined,
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 5308 info No geometry.biosSectors defined,
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 5308 info No geometry.biosHeads defined,
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 5308 info No geometry.biosCylinders defined,
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 5308 info No geometry.biosSectors defined,
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 5308 info No geometry.biosHeads defined,
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 2568 info Prepared...
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 5308 info No geometry.biosSectors defined,
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 2568 info CloneTask::task step "cloning target disks" created
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 5308 info No geometry.biosHeads defined,
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 2568 info Performing disk-based block-level cloning...
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 5308 info No geometry.biosCylinders defined,
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 2568 info Getting disks for the source computer...
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 5308 info No geometry.biosSectors defined,
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 1940 verbose GetDisks: disk=
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 5308 info No geometry.biosHeads defined,
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 2568 verbose Disk 0 id=disk=
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 5308 info No geometry.biosSectors defined,
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 2568 verbose Cloning 1 disks...
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 5308 info No geometry.biosHeads defined,
2008-09-29 12:07:17.115 'App' 5308 info No geometry.biosCylinders defined,
2008-09-29 12:07:20.469 'App' 2568 verbose Cloning 0 disk of 1...
2008-09-29 12:07:20.469 'App' 1940 verbose Got an update from CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.469 'App' 2568 info Cloning disk disk= into disk Vm1/Vm1.vmdk
2008-09-29 12:07:20.469 'App' 2568 info CloneTask::task step "Cloning into disk Vm1/Vm1.vmdk" created
2008-09-29 12:07:20.469 'App' 2504 verbose Waiting for updates from CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.469 'App' 2504 verbose (Re)Start waiting for property updates from CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.469 'App' 4544 info Disk::CloneTo...
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 4544 verbose Registering disposable session object id=BlockLevelCloning::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 4544 verbose Associating disposable session object id=BlockLevelCloning::task with session id=6FCE8FD6-C070-454E-94F3-50A76D1DC69E
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 4544 info Scheduling BlockLevelCloningTask for execution...
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 4544 verbose Got an update from CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 2568 verbose Successfully connected to BlockLevelCloning::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 2504 verbose Waiting for updates from CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 2504 verbose (Re)Start waiting for property updates from CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 2568 verbose Start managed object method for task BlockLevelCloning::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 2568 info CloneTask::task step "Cloning into disk Vm1/Vm1.vmdk" in progress...
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 2568 verbose Waiting for completion of task BlockLevelCloning::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 2568 verbose Waiting for updates from BlockLevelCloning::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 2568 verbose (Re)Start waiting for property updates from BlockLevelCloning::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 3068 verbose BlockLevelCloning::task: Starting execution of an image processing task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 3068 verbose BlockLevelCloning::task: SetState to running
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 3068 info Starting Block level cloning ...
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 3068 info The source CHS value: 13054 255 63
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 2016 verbose Got an update from CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 2016 verbose Got an update from BlockLevelCloning::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 2016 verbose CloneTask::task step "Cloning into disk Vm1/Vm1.vmdk" 0% completed
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 2016 verbose CloneTask::task step "cloning target disks" 0% completed
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 2504 verbose Waiting for updates from CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 2504 verbose (Re)Start waiting for property updates from CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 1940 verbose Got an update from CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 2568 verbose Waiting for updates from BlockLevelCloning::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 2568 verbose (Re)Start waiting for property updates from BlockLevelCloning::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 5320 verbose Got an update from BlockLevelCloning::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 2504 verbose Waiting for updates from CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 2504 verbose (Re)Start waiting for property updates from CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 2568 verbose Waiting for updates from BlockLevelCloning::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.484 'App' 2568 verbose (Re)Start waiting for property updates from BlockLevelCloning::task
2008-09-29 12:07:20.609 'App' 3068 verbose DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Opened : "vm1.vmdk" (0xe)
2008-09-29 12:07:20.609 'App' 3068 verbose DISKLIB-LINK : Opened 'C:\temp\vm1\vm1.vmwarevm\vm1.vmdk' (0xe): monolithicSparse, 209715200 sectors / 100 GB.
2008-09-29 12:07:20.609 'App' 3068 verbose DISKLIB-LIB : Opened "C:\temp\vm1\vm1.vmwarevm\vm1.vmdk" (flags 0xe).
2008-09-29 12:07:20.625 'App' 3068 info Check to see if disk geometry need to be changed. Reading partitions' boot sector ...
2008-09-29 12:07:20.625 'App' 3068 info Partition 0 boot sector. The partition 's boot indicator is set to 128. The type is 131
2008-09-29 12:07:20.625 'App' 3068 info The partition 0 is not NTFS, FAT32, FAT16. Skip reading its boot sector
2008-09-29 12:07:20.625 'App' 3068 info Partition 1 boot sector. The partition 's boot indicator is set to 0. The type is 130
2008-09-29 12:07:20.625 'App' 3068 info The partition 1 is not NTFS, FAT32, FAT16. Skip reading its boot sector
2008-09-29 12:07:20.625 'App' 3068 info Partition 2 boot sector. The partition 's boot indicator is set to 0. The type is 131
2008-09-29 12:07:20.625 'App' 3068 info The partition 2 is not NTFS, FAT32, FAT16. Skip reading its boot sector
2008-09-29 12:07:20.625 'App' 3068 info Partition 3 boot sector. The partition 's boot indicator is set to 0. The type is 142
2008-09-29 12:07:20.625 'App' 3068 info The partition 3 is not NTFS, FAT32, FAT16. Skip reading its boot sector
2008-09-29 12:07:20.625 'App' 3068 info BlockLevelCloning::task step "copy local->remote" created
2008-09-29 12:07:20.781 'App' 3068 warning SSLVerifyCertAgainstSystemStore: Subject mismatch: localhost.localdomain vs 192.168.1.220
2008-09-29 12:07:20.781 'App' 3068 warning SSLVerifyCertAgainstSystemStore: The remote host certificate has these problems:

* The host name used for the connection does not match the subject name on the host certificate

* A certificate in the host's chain is based on an untrusted root.
2008-09-29 12:07:20.781 'App' 3068 warning SSLVerifyIsEnabled: failed to read registry value. Assuming verification is disabled. LastError = 0
2008-09-29 12:07:20.781 'App' 3068 warning SSLVerifyCertAgainstSystemStore: Certificate verification is disabled, so connection will proceed despite the error
2008-09-29 12:07:20.984 'App' 3068 verbose Hostagent session established for copying to or from remote disk Vm1/Vm1.vmdk
2008-09-29 12:07:21.030 'App' 3068 verbose DISKLIB-DSCPTR: Opened : "vm1.vmdk" (0x1e)
2008-09-29 12:07:21.030 'App' 3068 verbose DISKLIB-LINK : Opened 'C:\temp\vm1\vm1.vmwarevm\vm1.vmdk' (0x1e): monolithicSparse, 209715200 sectors / 100 GB.
2008-09-29 12:07:21.030 'App' 3068 verbose DISKLIB-LIB : Opened "C:\temp\vm1\vm1.vmwarevm\vm1.vmdk" (flags 0x1e).
2008-09-29 12:07:21.452 'App' 3068 warning NfcNetTcpWrite: bWritten: -1
2008-09-29 12:07:21.452 'App' 3068 warning NfcNet_Send: requested 272, sent only 4294967295 bytes
2008-09-29 12:07:21.452 'App' 3068 warning NfcFileSendMessage: hdr send failed:
2008-09-29 12:07:21.452 'App' 3068 warning Network error -- Failed to send header message
2008-09-29 12:07:21.452 'App' 3068 info BlockLevelCloning::task step "copy local->remote" destroyed
2008-09-29 12:07:21.452 'App' 3068 error File transfer failed.
Dst error: Network error -- Failed to send header message
2008-09-29 12:07:21.530 'App' 3068 warning NfcNetTcpWrite: bWritten: -1
2008-09-29 12:07:21.530 'App' 3068 warning NfcNet_Send: requested 264, sent only 4294967295 bytes
2008-09-29 12:07:21.530 'App' 3068 warning NfcSendMessage: send failed:
2008-09-29 12:07:21.530 'App' 3068 error BlockLevelCloning::task: Image processing task has failed with MethodFault::Exception: sysimage.fault.NfcConnectionFault
2008-09-29 12:07:21.530 'App' 3068 verbose BlockLevelCloning::task: SetState to error
2008-09-29 12:07:21.530 'App' 3068 verbose Remote task BlockLevelCloning::task completed
2008-09-29 12:07:21.530 'App' 2568 verbose Waiting for updates from BlockLevelCloning::task
2008-09-29 12:07:21.530 'App' 4544 verbose Got an update from CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:21.530 'App' 4544 verbose Got an update from BlockLevelCloning::task
2008-09-29 12:07:21.530 'App' 2504 verbose Waiting for updates from CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:21.530 'App' 2504 verbose (Re)Start waiting for property updates from CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:21.530 'App' 2568 verbose Cleaning up remote task BlockLevelCloning::task
2008-09-29 12:07:21.530 'App' 2568 verbose Disposing task wrapper for task BlockLevelCloning::task
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 3068 verbose object explicitly disposed: BlockLevelCloning::task
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 3068 verbose BlockLevelCloning::task being destroyed
[#13] 2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 2568 error CloneTask::task step "Cloning into disk Vm1/Vm1.vmdk" failed
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 2568 verbose Reporting image processing task failure for task BlockLevelCloning::task
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 2568 error ImageProcessingTask FAILED. Fault name: sysimage.fault.NfcConnectionFault
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 2568 info CloneTask::task step "Cloning into disk Vm1/Vm1.vmdk" destroyed
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 2568 info CloneTask::task step "cloning target disks" destroyed
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 2568 error Cloning failed!
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 2568 error CloneTask::task: Image processing task has failed with MethodFault::Exception: sysimage.fault.NfcConnectionFault
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 2568 verbose CloneTask::task: SetState to error
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 2568 verbose Remote task CloneTask::task completed
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 2504 verbose Waiting for updates from CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 2016 verbose Got an update from CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 2504 verbose Cleaning up remote task CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 2504 verbose Disposing task wrapper for task CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 1940 verbose object explicitly disposed: CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 1940 verbose CloneTask::task being destroyed
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 2504 error VmiImportTask::task step "clone to VM" failed
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 2504 verbose Reporting image processing task failure for task CloneTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 2504 error ImageProcessingTask FAILED. Fault name: sysimage.fault.NfcConnectionFault
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 2504 info VmiImportTask::task step "clone to VM" destroyed
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 2504 error Cloning failed: sysimage.fault.NfcConnectionFault
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 2504 info Removing destination VM
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 2504 info Successfully connected to UfaManagedVMCreator
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'App' 2016 info Initializing SSL context
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'Libs' 2016 warning SSLVerifyCertAgainstSystemStore: Subject mismatch: localhost.localdomain vs 192.168.1.220
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'Libs' 2016 warning SSLVerifyCertAgainstSystemStore: The remote host certificate has these problems:

* The host name used for the connection does not match the subject name on the host certificate

* A certificate in the host's chain is based on an untrusted root.
2008-09-29 12:07:21.545 'Libs' 2016 warning SSLVerifyCertAgainstSystemStore: Certificate verification is disabled, so connection will proceed despite the error
2008-09-29 12:07:21.561 'App' 2016 verbose Local and remote namespace are the same
2008-09-29 12:07:21.561 'ManagedVMCreatorImpl::DestroyVM' 2016 info Connecting to host 192.168.1.220 on port 443 using protocol https

2008-09-29 12:07:21.561 'Libs' 2016 warning SSLVerifyCertAgainstSystemStore: Subject mismatch: localhost.localdomain vs 192.168.1.220
2008-09-29 12:07:21.561 'Libs' 2016 warning SSLVerifyCertAgainstSystemStore: The remote host certificate has these problems:

* The host name used for the connection does not match the subject name on the host certificate

* A certificate in the host's chain is based on an untrusted root.
2008-09-29 12:07:21.561 'Libs' 2016 warning SSLVerifyCertAgainstSystemStore: Certificate verification is disabled, so connection will proceed despite the error
2008-09-29 12:07:21.686 'ManagedVMCreatorImpl::DestroyVM' 2016 info Authenticating user root
2008-09-29 12:07:21.810 'ManagedVMCreatorImpl::DestroyVM' 2016 info Logged in!
2008-09-29 12:07:22.013 'App' 2016 info Waiting for VM destruction to complete...
2008-09-29 12:07:22.013 'App' 2016 verbose Waiting for a task to complete...
2008-09-29 12:07:37.769 'App' 2504 info VmiImportTask::task step "create and clone to VM" destroyed
2008-09-29 12:07:37.769 'App' 2504 info VmiImportTask::task step "Clone VM" destroyed
2008-09-29 12:07:37.769 'App' 2504 error VmiImportTask::task: Image processing task has failed with MethodFault::Exception: sysimage.fault.NfcConnectionFault
2008-09-29 12:07:37.769 'App' 2504 verbose VmiImportTask::task: SetState to error
2008-09-29 12:07:37.800 'App' 4544 verbose object explicitly disposed: VmiImportTask::task
2008-09-29 12:07:37.910 'App' 3068 verbose object explicitly disposed: computer=
2008-09-29 12:07:37.910 'App' 3068 verbose Cleaning up computer's child objects
2008-09-29 12:07:37.910 'App' 3068 verbose Unregistring disk id=disk=
2008-09-29 12:07:37.910 'App' 4544 verbose VmiImportTask::task being destroyed
2008-09-29 12:07:37.941 'App' 2016 verbose CloseSession called for session id=6FCE8FD6-C070-454E-94F3-50A76D1DC69E
2008-09-29 12:07:37.941 'VmdbAdapter' 2016 verbose Removed vmdb connection /db/connection/#d/

I have been able to convert some Windows VPC to VMWare images without a problem - it is only affecting this disk. The main error I can see is the sysimage.fault.NfcConnectionFault

The system overview is:

OS Name Microsoft® Windows Vista^TM Home Basic
Version 6.0.6001 Service Pack 1 Build 6001
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name A-PC
System Manufacturer Dell Inc.
System Model Inspiron 530
System Type X86-based PC
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E4500 @ 2.20GHz, 2200 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 2 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Dell Inc. 1.0.10, 15/12/2007
SMBIOS Version 2.5
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume3
Locale Australia
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.0.6001.18000"
User Name A-PC\account
Time Zone AUS Eastern Standard Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 2.00 GB
Total Physical Memory 1.99 GB
Available Physical Memory 1.12 GB
Total Virtual Memory 4.21 GB
Available Virtual Memory 2.83 GB
Page File Space 2.28 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys

The network interface is listed as: Intel(R) 82562V-2 10/100 Network Connection

I would appreciate some assistance, no matter what I do this happens. I have also attempted to convert it to a Standalone VM but the Install virtual appliance fails also.

There seems to be some talk about not transfering with maintain size set. The problem is - how can I know what to change the volumes to when they are coming up so small? Is there a way for me to identify this?

[suppressed]

How do I identify enough space if I don't maintain the size of the disk? it is about 57GB raw - but the 3 disks it suggests as maintaining size adds up to about 3GB.

Thanks

Cameron

[suppressed]

On the phone with a ESX technician he mentioned that:

- Convert all disks and maintain size - Block level copy

- Select volumes and resize to save or add space - File level copy

I found that when I perform a block level copy (maintaining size) it fails after 2% (of 100GB)

When I select volumes and resize the disks appear as 0.10GB, 0.94GB and 1.87GB, with no option to change (I am guessing due to unsupported guest OS). It transfers fine (but obviously all the data isn't moved, as it should be about ~57GB), but it fails.

[paragsha]

Yes, you got the first problem right. There is some issue with converter 3.0.3 that requires 2x space if doing a disk based clone (there will be a KB soon). The problem with volume based cloning (that is what you are doing when you selected "select volume"...), wont be supported for Linux guests.

Can you elaborate on "It transfers fine...but it fails"? What is the failure? Did you try booting the VM on ESXi. You could be hitting several issues, but it is not possible to narrow them down without more details.

[suppressed]

Sorry, to elaborate:

The 2GB image transfers to the ESX server (Converter reports OK at 100%), and appears configured correctly through the ESX management tool. I am able to power on the VM, but I get a notice about being a problem with the operating system (obviously as it is not completely there).

Will the KB have information on simply importing the vmdk across to box and creating a new VMX on ESX? I have been told so far that this is a manual work around:

1. Get the VMDK available to the ESX, e.g. copy to the datastore using the Datastore Browser

2. Use Remote CLI to execute an import statement on the vmdk (using the vmkfstools -i <source> <target>)

3. Create a new vmx, choosing an 'existing' disk and locating the imported vmdk

I am in the process of attempting this today - I have tried it before - but at the time I wasn't convinced it was going to work and didn't give it a thorough enough attempt. That damn 57GB image takes a long time to copy from our NAS/NFS to the ESX server.. infact so slow (5MB/s) that I think I will raise a new support request, considering that they are both gigabit cards, and plugged directly into each other (!!).

I will post my findings to here.

[paragsha]

You will need to try disk based cloning for non-Windows systems. Also you need to make sure that these systems are configured with SCSI drivers, since ESX does not support IDE.

[suppressed]

Is disk based cloning the method I discussed in my prior updated reply? e.g. using vmkfstools -i <source> <destination>?