Redhat VM -> Workstation Converstion with VCC, Workstation thinks it's an ESXi host

[Seventh77]

Pardon the ambiguous title, I wasn't quite sure how to phrase it.

I have a RHEL virtual machine that's running on an ESXi 4 cluster. I converted it to Workstation 8 format using the standalone converter. However, when I try to open the newly created VM in Workstation, I'm presented with this message:

"Running VMware ESX in a virtual machine requires the outer virtual machine to be configured for running a VMware ESX guest operating system. You may not power on a virtual machine until the outer virtual machine is reconfigured."

This machine is not ESX, it's just a Redhat machine. It's configured correctly in Workstation (listed as Redhat), but I can't get past this error. I've tried re-converting it to a WKST 7 VM, but I get the same error. What am I missing? All of my searches have turned up people actually trying to run ESX under Workstation - I'm just trying to convert a Redhat VM.

Any insight would be great. Thanks!

[continuum]

I guess you have a RedHat that runs some other Hypervisor - XEN, KVM ? or something like that ?
If that is correct then read jmattsons notes on "running nested VMs"

If that assumption is not correct - attach  the vmx-file to your next post

[Seventh77]

Thanks for the reply! It's not running a hypervisor of any kind, it's just a plain RHEL VM.

VMX is attached.

[continuum]

Your vmx boots fine on my host so I guess it is something related to the CPU
add

vhv.enable = "TRUE"
and try again - if it still fails - use the vmx-file that worked on ESXi

if that still fails - then we miss something inside the VM itself - maybe you load a XEN kernel or KVM modules or something similar ... ?

[Seventh77]

You were able to boot that vmx under Workstation? What version, if I may ask?

(Thanks again, btw)

Edit: I added that config line, but still no change unfortunately. I get that same error, almost immediately after I click Power On.

[continuum]

Should boot in WS 7,8,9,10 - with small fixes in 6.5

open the vmx and set

scsi0:0.present = "FALSE"

scsi0:1.present = "FALSE"

(both use "true" now)

Try to start again - if you get the same error then something is not configured correctly on your host - VT support disabled / CPU too old ....
If it starts to boot from network without errors you have something in that RedHat VM that requires special parameters

It is time to have a look at the latest vmware.log - please attach it