How can I access my data after installing a virtual disk

[HenkFarmer]

On my PC I made a virtual disk with Windows XP on a usb-hdisk, brought it to my iMac and installed the lot. So far so good and indeed all the programs seem to work ok. The problem seems to be the data that was on a diferent hd (programs on c: and data on d:). It has to be somewhere in de .vmdk files, but how can it now be read by the different applications?

[wila]

Hi Henk,

Welcome to the VMware community forums!

You can move a virtual machine from a windows machine over to your OS X box (and back again).

However there are a few things to watch out for.

1. How did you setup your virtual disks? Are they created as 2GB split disks? This is the recommended format as you can then use a USB disk with the FAT32 filesystem which is recognized by all operating systems for read/write without any hassle. The problem with that filesystem is that it doesn't allow file sizes over 4GB.

2. It is best to have ALL your virtual disk local to one folder, if you keep them in the same folder, then there will not be any issues as to where files are located.

3. Some devices have a different name in the PC world, take for example the floppy disk.. they don't even exist on the Mac end of the universe.

Could you attach the .vmx file, so we can have a look and see if something jumps out?

thanks

--

Wil

_____________________________________________________

VI-Toolkit & scripts wiki at http://www.vi-toolkit.com

[HenkFarmer]

Thank you Wil for your prompt answer...

I did use the recommended format of 2gb split disks and used an usb-disk with fat32 to transfer the lot - and I'm still keeping them in one folder on my Mac (Documents/Virtual Machines)

Windows works fine and also the applications - it's only the data (formerly on the second drive d: on my PC) that seems to be missing. Although the size of the virtual disk suggests that all the data must be there to. The problem is just that I don't know how to make it readable for the different application programs.

Could be a very simple thing but I really can't find the answer...

According to the 'manual' I had to delete the .vmx file.

Thank you,

Henk

[WoodyZ]

I was thinking after your original post that what you had to say was a bit ambiguous and lacking enough substantive details (which it was) however something you said in your reply to Wil, specifically "According to the 'manual' I had to delete the .vmx file." may be enough of a clue for what I'm about to say after saying in the future have a look at as a guideline as to the information you should include.

That said based on the quoted sentence above it sounds as though you used VMware vCenter Converter Standalone to create a Virtual Machine of your Physical Machine and then have created a VMware Fusion Virtual Machine that is pointing to an existing Virtual Hard Drive (The one from the Virtual Machine that was created by VMware vCenter Converter Standalone) and if this is the case then without seeing the .log files created by that product during the conversion as well as additional information then there just hasn't been enough technical information to analyze so as to have a clear picture.

The Converter .log file will be in your %TEMP% folder and if Windows XP you can click Start > Run > type %TEMP% and press Enter or click OK.

Also need to see a file listing of the folder the .vmdk files are in if you haven't moved then to the Virtual Machine's Package. The file listing need to be in the format described in and also include the .vmx file and .log files from within the Virtual Machine's Package. Archive all requested files and attach to a reply.

Message was edited by: WoodyZ

BTW Without seeing the requested information I see two different scenarios... One being that you just didn't virtualize the 😧 Drive only the C: Drive or two would be if you did and have separate .vmdk files for each drive then you have not added the second drive to the Fusion created Virtual Machine and if the later then you can add it Hard Disk sheet under Settings for that Virtual Machine.

[HenkFarmer]

Thank you for your elaborate answer. After working with PC's for about 25 years they convinced me how much easier it could be to work with a Mac (iMac 24"). Well, after some month I'm still trying to get used to it and on top of that comes this virtualisation thing. This is completely new to me and being Dutch I'm maybe a bit slow at grasping the essence because of the language used. Indeed I used VMware vCenter Converter Standalone to create a Virtual Machine of my Windows XP and brought this to the Mac by means of a USB-harddisk. The programs all seem to work, but there's no trace of all the corresponding data. Far as I know I did indeed virtualize the 😧 drive (regarding too the file size). In the Archief.zip are the 4 logfiles and the .vmx file and there's also a listing of the complete folder with the .vmdk files. Hope you could shed some light on how to proceed.

Thank you,

Henk de Boer

[wila]

Hi Henk,

What being dutch can't be a problem as so am I. LOL

Seriously though your configuration doesn't show a 2nd drive in the logfiles.

Is your original Windows PC setup with 2 physical hard disks? OR is your disk split up in 2 partitions?

If it is the latter then doing the normal full disk migration using VMware Converter should have brought over both partitions, your system and data prtition.

In that case it would be interesting to see the partition table of your virtual machine. Normally however windows would find the partition and present it as a disk.

If your physical machine has 2 hard disks, then the data disk is probably not migrated over and you would still need to copy it over to the virtual machine using vmware converter.

PS: Woody asked for the migration logs too and they are not included in you reply

--

Wil

_____________________________________________________

VI-Toolkit & scripts wiki at http://www.vi-toolkit.com

[WoodyZ]

Okay the file listing was not tin the format as told how to create it in the linked document however it gave me the information I needed along with information in the vmware.log file.

You did indeed virtualize both the C: and 😧 Drives however you have not added the Virtual Hard Drive that represents the 😧 Drive to the Virtual Machine yet.

The C: Drive is the "grafisch-u2ihia.vmdk" file (and all it 2 GB segments) and this is what the Virtual Machine's .vmx configuration file is showing as presently in use.

The 😧 Drive is the "grafisch-u2ihia-0.vmdk" file (and all it 2 GB segments) and this is what you need to add to the Virtual Machine through it's Settings on the Hard Drive sheet and need to be don with the Virtual Machine shutdown and not suspended.

Have a look at: VMware Fusion (menu bar) > Help > VMware Fusion Help > Managing Virtual Machines > Managing Virtual Hard Disks > Adding an Existing Virtual Hard Disk

==========

Note: Also as a side note I do not like keeping the Virtual Hard Drive(s) in a separate folder and prefer that that be inside the Virtual Machine's Package however as long as you realize that the Virtual Machine as it presently is has it Virtual Hard Drive(s) outside of the Package you'll be okay or you can move them into the Package. If you need help with that (because you may to manually edit the Virtual Machine's .vmx configuration file) just let us know.

[WoodyZ]

PS: Woody asked for the migration logs too and they are not included in you reply

Wil I asked for them just to be through however based on the file listing and information in the vmware.log file I don't need to see the Converter Logs.

He just needs to add the grafisch-u2ihia-0.vmdk" file to the Virtual Machine and the data will be there.

[HenkFarmer]

Hi Wil and Goody,

Thanx for all your help. Attached is a zipfile of the migration logs - I hope, because I still don't have a very clear view of it all. Originally there were indeed two physical HD's. C: being 55 GB en 😧 up to 240 GB. I've also been thinking that this way I bring over a lot of garbage so maybe it would be preferable to start all over again and clean up both my program-disk and data-disk because there seemed to be no provision to make choices. It was all or nothing... If I start all over how do I get rid of the existing virtual Windows on my Mac?

Henk

[WoodyZ]

Heck the attached Archief-logfusion.zip file does not contain the Converter Logs they are the VMware Fusion Application Logs however I do not need the Converter Logs as originally asked for and Wil mentioned as I replied to his post as well as replied to your post with the list-vmdk.txt and Archief.zip file attached so pleas read my reply to that as your 😧 Drive is there and just was not added to the Virtual Machine when you created it under Fusion and you need to add it.

Have a look at:

[wila]

He just needs to add the grafisch-u2ihia-0.vmdk" file to the Virtual Machine and the data will be there.

LOL, how did i manage to overlook that?

I've attached his vmx edited with the suggestions you made to add the harddisk I so remarkably missed in his filelist.

There's a version 3 which has the full path in there and a version 4 where i removed the paths assuming his virtual disks are in the same folder as the vmx file.

--

Wil

_____________________________________________________

VI-Toolkit & scripts wiki at http://www.vi-toolkit.com

[WoodyZ]

He should be able to easily add the existing virtual hard drive through the Settings > Hard Disks sheet by pointing it to the existing "grafisch-u2ihia-0.vmdk" file although the edited .vmx file might be helpful for him to understand the relationship of the settings and having the .vmdk's inside/outside of the Document Package.

[HenkFarmer]

Hi Woody,

Indeed now I understand how to add the 😧 drive - but here comes the next hurdle as there is a lot of precious data (around 232 GB of it) with music, a lot of text-articles, pdf's and websites. This all doesn't fit inside the virtual machine and so I just have to use a separate extern usb-drive for that (on the Mac I also use separate 500 GB extern disks for photo's and for music). This all quite different from working with actual files and drives on the PC and so I feel kind of lost...

Thanx again,

Henk

[WoodyZ]

Indeed now I understand how to add the 😧 drive - but here comes the next hurdle as there is a lot of precious data (around 232 GB of it) with music, a lot of text-articles, pdf's and websites. This all doesn't fit inside the virtual machine and so I just have to use a separate extern usb-drive for that (on the Mac I also use separate 500 GB extern disks for photo's and for music). This all quite different from working with actual files and drives on the PC and so I feel kind of lost...

First of all have you added the "grafisch-u2ihia-0.vmdk" file to the Virtual Machine and if yes is the data there that you expected although it may show as E: Drive but that can be switched back to 😧 and make the CD/DVD E: which is not probably D:.

Also where does the "grafisch-u2ihia-0.vmdk" file (and all it 2 GB segments) reside? I'm assuming at "/Users/henkdeboer/Documents/Virtual Machines.localized/grafisch-u2ihia/" however you need to be explicit and specific about what you're saying because without absolute details, well frankly it's just a pain in the ass to try and help sometimes.

So after adding the "grafisch-u2ihia-0.vmdk" file to the Virtual Machine do you see the User Data that you saw on 😧 on the Physical Machine (even if it's showing as E: right now)?

You can do the following to change Drive Letters... Click Start > Rub > type diskmgmt.msc and click OK or press Enter. Then temporarily assign the CD/DVD from 😧 to F: and then change the second hard drive from E: to 😧 and then change the CD/DVD from F: to E: (Hint: Select the target Drive and right-click and select Change Drive Letter and Paths...)

Now comparing the Virtual Machine to the Physical Machine what is explicitly and specifically different for a Drive Letter and or Attached Storage or Network Share perspective? What are you seeing on the Physical Machine that your not seeing on the Virtual Machine from this perspective?

[HenkFarmer]

Hi Woody,

I don't see anything at the moment... After adding the second drive (indeed at "/Users/henkdeboer/Documents/Virtual Machines.localized/grafisch-u2ihia/") I can't even open the virtual Windows XP anymore and now get a message 'Could not open paging file for 512 MB' and 'Failed to allocate main memory. Module MainMem power on failed'. That's all very impressive for sure but I need to do some actual work with these wonders of technology and not just messing around with it to no avail...

I'm sorry, but it still feels like grobing in the dark - that's certainly not your fault as you've been most helpfull and enlightening re a lot of essential details. But I still don't seem to grasp the mechanism that ruling here. What I was promised was an easy way to have Windows XP run inside OS X. And at first this all seemed to work ok until I wanted to access the attached data. I always hated how Microsoft forever failed on informing about the overall picture and instead buried you under cryptical messages, but they don't seem exceptional.

So, for a last try: how can I just virtualize my C: disk with the essential programs and leave my data on 😧 out of it. And how can I access this data on an extern usb-disk from my virtualized Windows on the Mac. And how can I undo the going Windows virtualization as I'm also getting Time Machine-errors, that they need 265 GB(!) and only have 11.3 GB available. Maybe also it's all over my head and I have to go back to using my PC as well as my iMac and exchange data over an usb-stick or a network, but that sure seems primitive and a pity because I like the 24" screen on my iMac.

Thanx again,

Henk

[WoodyZ]

Wow... without technical information like the .vmx configuration file and the vmware.log file(s) it hard to say what you've done and a wild guess would be you added the "grafisch-u2ihia.vmdk" file as the second drive instead of the "grafisch-u2ihia-0.vmdk" file although without the technical information in the files I mentioned I just can't say.

As to what you were promised I don't know what you were promised and by who however if you cannot get your head around what's necessary then maybe the best thing you can do is just continue using the PC.

I'm sorry but I really don't have any time left this afternoon to help you with this but if you archive and attach the .vmx file and the .log files from within the Virtual Machine's Document Package like the files you included in the Archief.zip file earlier then later tonight I'll take a look at it. +(I'm in the US so it may be to late for you by the time I get back this evening and look at what you've attached but tomorrow is another day.

BTW You should not use Time Machine to backup Virtual Machine's and you should exclude the Virtual Machines folder from Time Machine.

Also keep in mind sometimes to help figure out what is what the best way to provide comprehensive diagnostic information is to use the "Collect Support Information" command from the VMware Fusion (menu bar) > Help > Collect Support Information and then attach the .tgz file it created on your Desktop. Then you do not need to go into the Virtual Machine's Document Package to gather the files.

[HenkFarmer]

Really, as a writer, musician and photographer I've come to appreciate the possibilities of computers. And I quite understand that under the hood computers are extremely complex machines. But as you don't need first to absorb a 500 page manual on harmony just to play on a piano or saxophone so I would like to be able to use some of those possibilities. If VMware announces that 'VMware Fusion is the easiest way to switch to Mac' I really don't expect it to be ABC. Still I now ended up with a lot of garbage and no working Virtual Windows - maybe due to my own stupidity. So I threw away everything virtual and try to start once more.

Still I have that question: how to make a Virtual Windows with just the program-disk c: (excluding the data-disk d:) - and how to access just plain data on an xtern usb-disk from inside an new virtual Windows?

Sincerely,

Henk

[wila]

But as you don't need first to absorb a 500 page manual on harmony just to play on a piano or saxophone

Huh, it takes YEARS of practice to play an instrument correctly... I do not understand your analogy, unless you are talking about songs like "Mary had a little lamb" and "vader jacob"

Still I have that question: how to make a Virtual Windows with just the program-disk c: (excluding the data-disk d:) - and how to access just plain data on an xtern usb-disk from inside an new virtual Windows?

a) If your PC contains 2 hard disks, then just don't select the second hard disk while migrating.

b) Copy it all to a USB disk and connect the usb disk while your VM has the focus

--

Wil

_____________________________________________________

VI-Toolkit & scripts wiki at http://www.vi-toolkit.com

[HenkFarmer]

Hi Wil and Goody,

Regarding the music playing analogy: the great J.S.Bach once said 'just playing the right key at the right time, that's all there is to music' - but of course the devil is in the details. You need a lot of practice to be able to do that, but on the piano you at once see the right layout of the notes. A saxophone could be a bit trickier, but after one week you may know all the keys but of course then starts the real work. Even then there are a lot of jazz musicians who don't know much about the right notes and chords, they just play them! And sometimes they even belong to the very top (but of course they do practice a lot).

I just wanted to say that many computer programs have underdevelopped help-files with a lot of technical details with sometimes a clear 'how' but seldom an explanation of 'why'... This way they mostly fall short of effective lightening up the darkness - and that still is where you start as a newbie. That said I'm very gratefull to you and Goody for enlightening the way at my first steps at virtualizing Windows on my Mac. Today I started all over again with a lean and clean Windows XP (with the data-disk disconnected) and it seems to run good and stable on my iMac. And now I'm preparing an usb-harddisk with all the essential data.

Thanx again,

Henk

[wila]

Hi Henk,

Haha.. yes i get what you mean with that. I sometimes play the guitar and there are times i don't know the names of the chords or notes I play, it is whatever my fingers decide to pick. But I couldn't do that in a week, it took me a bit longer to get there Yes i concur that help is often not that good.

But do check out the help in Fusion, it is actually remarkably good.

Great to hear that you are now finally making progress~!

--

Wil

_____________________________________________________

VI-Toolkit & scripts wiki at http://www.vi-toolkit.com