Converter Tips

May 13th, 2009
Agent Installation Location
  1. Locally: Install Converter and agent directly on source machine if converting directly into ESX Server
  2. Remotely: Connect to source machine over network to install agent
Agent Installation
  1. Use local administrator account
  2. Avoid domain accounts that have restrictive policies
  3. Allow reboot for Windows NT 4.0 and 2000 sources
Machine Preparation
  1. Do not deactivate the following services or harden security
    1. Workstation service
    2. Server service
    3. TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper service
    4. Volume Shadow Copy service (Windows 2003 or XP)
  2. Ensure sufficient free disk space (at least 200MB)
  3. Mirrored or striped volumes across multiple disks should be broken
  4. Dynamic disks with utility partitions should use cold cloning
  5. Disable Windows Simple File Sharing (Windows XP only)
  6. Disable anti-virus software
  7. Defrag hard disks
  8. Shutdown any un-needed Windows Services
  9. Clean-up any temporary files and un-needed data
  10. Run chkdsk
  11. Keep users off if possible
  12. Power off VM if not using hot cloning
  13. VCB VM exports need editing prior to import
    1. Edit virtual disk filenames inside .vmx
    2. Rename filenames for .vmdk files to match those listed in .vmx
    3. Edit index .vmdk file to change references to span files
Network Preparation
  1. Open TCP/UDP ports 139, 445, and 902 (Converter 3.0.0) or 443 (Converter 3.0.1)
  2. Open network ports between source and destination, alternative is to create a VM visible to source, copy VM files to location visible to destination, and import VM
  3. Use FQDN to connect to both source and VI3
Converter Preparation
  1. Run on OS greater than or equal to source if source is VM and powered off, or Symantec Livestate System Image
Cloning
  1. Starter edition limitations and workarounds
    1. Cannot remote hot clone directly into VI3
      1. Workaround 1: install Converter on source machine
      2. Workaround 2: select standalone VM as destination, and then import VM to VI3 using two steps
    2. Cannot run multiple tasks concurrently
      1. Workaround: run multiple copies of Converter
    3. Cannot cold clone
      1. Workaround: create new VM, use third-party cloning application such as Ghost, and run Converter configure
  2. Do not resize volume for fastest clone speed (block-level copying)
  3. Resize volumes if source disks have inefficient utilization (resorts to file-level copying)
  4. Use cold-cloning disk-based cloning (not volume-based) for non-Windows systems
  5. Use hot cloning for Windows NT 4.0 systems to avoid NTFS upgrade
  6. Destination needs to be writeable
Configure
  1. Avoid cloning utility partitions
  2. Check partition numbers in boot.ini
  3. Automatic “Install VMware Tools” option is only available for ESX Server VMs
Clean-Up Prior to Power On
  1. Edit VM settings according to desired goal
    1. Number of vCPUs
    2. Add/Delete USB devices
    3. Add/Delete Serial and parallel devices
    4. Remove Floppy drive if not needed
    5. SCSI controller type (BusLogic vs. LSI Logic)
  2. OEM source may require license activation
    1. SMBIOS.reflectHost = “TRUE” in .vmx may avoid reactivation
    2. Requires destination host to have same hardware
Clean-Up After Power On
  1. Detect hardware
    1. VMware Tools installation may hang if hardware not detected
  2. Allow reboots to occur
    1. Detect hardware and VMware Tools installation
  3. Verify HAL and change if necessary
  4. Remove non-present old hardware
    1. CMD prompt type set DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES=1
    2. Next type DEVMGMT.MSC and select Show Hidden Devices
    3. Delete any old grayed out non-present hardware
Guest Troubleshooting
  1. Blue screen after powering on
    1. Start Windows in Safe Mode and uninstall hardware-specific applications or services
    2. Attach VM to “Helper VM” to remove hardware-specific drivers or to correct the boot.ini
  2. No keyboard/mouse
    1. Select Workstation/Server VM instead of ESX Server, then import VM to ESX Server
    2. Use PS/2 keyboard/mouse on source
  3. Display problems
    1. Uninstall PC Anywhere prior to installing VMware Tools
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