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jamesa88
Contributor
Contributor

Converting from IDE to SCSI vmdk

I have been tasked with migrating some linux based VMs from VirtualBox to VMware. When these machines were created the disks were created as SATA drives in VB. As such when I create a new machine and point to the vmdk files the kernal won't load.

VMw is loading these disks as IDE so all the pointers are to sdx and they are actually, in VMware, designated as hdx. I am probably blind but I would rather not have to recreate these VMs or edit alot of other files as I am no linux guru. Is there a way to do this?  BTW tried VMware converter for a running machine, however I am not moving to a hardware based ESX server which is the only option fora linux based machine. Also tried exporting the VMs in .ova and .ovf  bu tit seems VMware doesnt lke VB .ovas

Windows 7 Host

Workstation 8.0 -- can go down to 7 if necessary

Linux guests

Any help appreciated

Thanks

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mfelker
Expert
Expert

I am almost certain you cannot convert a virtual SCSI HD to a  virtual IDE HD.  I think that you will ahve to recreate the VM's.  Possibly somebody might tell you a way to clone a the VM and change the disk type but I doubt it.  For all Linux VM the default (and recommended ) harddrive type is SCSI.   Sorry.

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WoodyZ
Immortal
Immortal

Martin Felker wrote: I am almost certain you cannot convert a virtual SCSI HD to a  virtual IDE HD.

First of all the OP wants to go from IDE to SCS not SCSI to IDE and secondly either or can be changed into the other simply by modifying the corresponding meta-data in both the .vmx configuration file and the Disk DescriptorFile of the .vmdk.  This of course has to be done manually and should only be done by Users that understand what they're doing and know how to do it and should not be done without first backing up the corresponding files.

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mfelker
Expert
Expert

Sounds good. Sorry for the inadvertent interchange of HD type but it doesn't matter much if what you say will work without data loss. Since I may want to do this someday I wouldn't mind it you posted the exact changes to the .vmx file. For example could I just change ide to scsi in these lines.

ide0:0.present = "TRUE"

ide0:0.fileName = "Windows XP Professional.vmdk"

i

Or if SCSI replace with IDE? I don't think so but naturally I could be wrong. I could make a clone of this VM and try that out but I guess you must have so I don't have to .

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WoodyZ
Immortal
Immortal

It is not just the .vmx configuration file that has to be changed but also and more importantly the Disk DescriptorFile of the .vmdk.

Changes for a 40 GB virtual hard disk IDE vs. SCSI in both the .vmx configuration file and the DDB (Disk Data Base) section of the Disk DescriptorFile of the .vmdk.  These are meant to be an example only and the actual geometry needs to be calculated on a case by case basis although these are the stock difference in the values of a 40 GB disk.  Also keep in mind that in addition to modifying these values the drivers in the OS will need to be changed and in some cases this too will need to be done manually in order for all of this to work.  Also the information below is not necessarily complete as there are other parameters/values that can come into play and why I previously stated "should only be done by Users that understand what they're doing and know how to do it".

Never modify a .vmdk without a full backup of the virtual hard disk! Smiley Wink


IDE

.vmx

ide0:0.present = "TRUE"
ide0:0.fileName = "Windows XP Professional.vmdk"

.vmdk

ddb.geometry.cylinders = "16383"
ddb.geometry.heads = "16"
ddb.geometry.sectors = "63"
ddb.adapterType = "ide"


SCSI

.vmx

scsi0.present = "TRUE"
scsi0:0.present = "TRUE"
scsi0:0.fileName = "Windows XP Professional.vmdk"

.vmdk

ddb.geometry.cylinders = "5874"
ddb.geometry.heads = "255"
ddb.geometry.sectors = "56"
ddb.adapterType = "buslogic"
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mfelker
Expert
Expert

Well it looks like you''ve done it in the past!!.  Myself I'd find it easier to make a new VM but everyone does not know all the advanced stuff you doSmiley Happy   I believe  there may be some problems if you  change the disk typle for an XP VM HD to SCSI since IDE is since IDE is recommened but I'm sure you are right and give the better advice !

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jamesa88
Contributor
Contributor

I would like to thank everyone for the helpful advice. The solution is a little more advanced than I wish to take on but It is something to Practice and learn!!! Smiley Happy

Again thanks everyone for your time!!!!!!!!

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WoodyZ
Immortal
Immortal

Martin Felker wrote: I believe  there may be some problems if you  change the disk typle for an XP VM HD to SCSI since IDE is since IDE is recommened but I'm sure you are right and give the better advice !

There is absolutely nothing wrong whatsoever with running Windows XP on a SCSI Virtual Hard Disk and it is the default adapter type when installing Windows XP using Easy Install.  The issue with selecting SCSI when manually installing Windows XP is you need to manually supply the SCSI Driver at the appropriate time during the Windows Setup, otherwise Windows will not see the SCSI vHDD and with Easy Install the SCSI Driver is automatically supplied during the Windows Setup.  That said back to the IDE2SCSI and as previously mentioned it is not just properly calculating the geometry difference and modifying the .vmdk and also the .vmx files along with adding the drivers to the filesystem it is also injecting the appropriate information into the Windows Registry when changing out the type of disk from under itself.  I think it's actually easier to do with some Linux Distros then with Windows.  The bottom line is even though it is technically possible to do these things, it is not necessarily practical for the average user and as you can see the OP has opted out.  While for the advanced user it is faster to do this nonetheless for the average user one should use other methods to achieve the goal even though it takes longer.  That's about all I have to say on this issue as I have no extra time right now.

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mfelker
Expert
Expert

I'm glad you outlined this tour de force. Since I am but a humble and often misinformed user going back to VMware 1.0 in 1999 I guess I'll just have to stick to the basics

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continuum
Immortal
Immortal

Hi Marty
I made some notes on changing disk geometry - in case you are still interested see
http://sanbarrow.com/vmdk-basics.html#calcgeo


________________________________________________
Do you need support with a VMFS recovery problem ? - send a message via skype "sanbarrow"
I do not support Workstation 16 at this time ...

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mfelker
Expert
Expert

Thanks Ulli!

Maybe I'll get a chance to play with these (viruatl) disk parameters after I get back from holiday. I'm going off the grid for two weeks.

i had more need to get familiar with these things in the the long, long time ago times when there where ESDI drives. FreeBSD works with this stuff also in partitioning.

I have many other computing interests than VMware. Not only VirtualBox but I just made my first QEM/KVM machine using AQEMU GUI. It looks very promising indeed! Nex up will be Xen.

As openSUSE says

'Have a lot of fun"

Marty

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xbliss
Contributor
Contributor

I actually need to the opposite for a small Non profit.

I used VMWare Converter to do a P2V from an old DELL T410 that had LSI SAS, into a VMWare SCSI Boot. Any other pathways I tried Disk2VHD, SCVMM Eval, Acronis would give me 0x7B BSODs.

Is there anyway I can convert this to an IDE booting Disk (as I need to put it on small Hyper V box)? I am trying to use Starwinds V2V to do VMDK to VHD, but not sure how to make SCSI 0 boot turn to IDE Primary 0?

Can VMWare Converter to a direct P2V from SCSI to IDE?

Can someone please guide as Im not getting a clear/ related answer/ discussion anywhere?

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continuum
Immortal
Immortal

VMware Converter uses SCSI - to get an IDE-system you need to patch it manually.
What guestOS are talking about ?


________________________________________________
Do you need support with a VMFS recovery problem ? - send a message via skype "sanbarrow"
I do not support Workstation 16 at this time ...

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xbliss
Contributor
Contributor

P2V - SBS 2008 / Windows Server 2008.

What do you mean patch it manually? Is there a How To? Please guide. Thanks.

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continuum
Immortal
Immortal

There is no howto that I am aware of - but it is not to tricky.
Install a Win 2008 to a a VM with IDE - then create a patch using the info you can find in registry.
With 2008 you basically need to activate the correct services listed in HKLM/system/controlset001/services


________________________________________________
Do you need support with a VMFS recovery problem ? - send a message via skype "sanbarrow"
I do not support Workstation 16 at this time ...

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xbliss
Contributor
Contributor

continuum‌ - I went about the process of doing Registry edits for the Services/ Drivers and it was not enough. There's something else missing here.

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