Does Converter change the NT4 HAL for multi to uni-processor?

[MR-T]

I have a written process for changing 2000 & 2003, but when using P2V assistant it managed this part of the conversion for you.

Does this still happen with Converter?

My guess is yes and the code was ported from assistant, but I'm looking for confirmation.

Thanks

[esiebert7625]

Converter does not do this, P2V did this for you.

If you change from a multi-processor system to a uni-processor system you need to manually change the HAL on the Windows server after the conversion. To do this go into Device Manager after the machine first boots and discovers it's new hardware and then click on Computer then right-click on the processor and select Update Driver. Then select Install from specific location and then Don't search I will choose the driver to install. Then select show All compatible hardware and select the appropriate processor. For example, if you went from a dual cpu to a single cpu then select ACPI uni-processor PC instead of ACPI multi-processor PC. You will need to reboot once you change this. To verify what HAL you are using you right-click your hal.dll in c:\windows\system32 and select the Version tab and select Internal Name and it should say halmacpi.dll for multi-processor acpi and halacpi.dll for uni-processor acpi.

[MR-T]

If this is true then I'm surprised, why take something out of the tool which had such a nice touch.

I don't think your process works for NT4.

[esiebert7625]

NT4 was alot more difficult to change the HAL then Win2k & 2003. I've used both products extensively and to me they seem like two vastly different products, more then an upgrade of an existing product. For example, the P2V Boot CD was Knoppix, Converter uses WinPE. The cloning engines seem different. Converter does not need a Helper and can talk to VC/ESX directly and so on. Converter is also a replacement for Importer as well as P2V. I like some of the features in P2V that are missing or different in Converter.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/156358

[gautam]

Converter does the HAL change for you in the case of NT4 SP6 (thats why you're prompted for the SP6 installer during the import/clone process)

[esiebert7625]

Good to know, thanks.

[admin]

Converter changes the HAL for NT4 only if the original machine was SMP. It does this by replacing the hal.dll and ntoskernel.exe. That is why an SP or Hot Fix file is requested, but not always.

For Windows 2000 and 2003, the HAL is not changed. If Converter detects that the original machine had multiple processors, it will define the VM to have multiple vCPUs. You will need to manually change the HAL inside the Guest if you change the number of vCPUs to 1.