Create a VM from a unix hard drive

[olaola619]

Hello all,

I'm new at everything related with VM and I beg for your help.

In our factory we have a really old computers (using a kind of UNIX system) used for controlling processes. It is common that they fail and we have to fix them. ¿It is possible to create a VM from them and use them in a new Windows computers? As they are not windows I can't install VM converter or whatever and I try to connect the hard drive (IDE) to a Windows computer but it doesn't reccognise it.

Attached you'll find some captures of the computers.

Thenk you in advance.

[Duncan Epping]

No and Yes, or Yes and No. This is not an "easy" process if you ask me. You have some extremely old gear, the operating system alone is probably 15 years old and the hardware is also ancient. I am not even sure I would recommend virtualizing this 1:1. I would recommend to sit down with a local expert. Look at the applications that control the factory processes. Figure out if you can run these apps on a newer operating system (LINUX based) and move those apps to the new OS if even possible.

At the same time, I would recommend having a conversation with your management. Discuss how fragile and ancient the current set up is. Ask them to consider funding a project to update the applications that drive the processes. Are these custom apps? Is there anyone still around who initially involved with these? Can the functionality be rewritten/ported to a new platform? They will ask you why they should bother/consider probably. Ask them what the cost would be of the factory being down for weeks if the hardware breaks or if the software stops working for whatever reason.

[olaola619]

We are reprogramming all of our processes in Siemens PCS7. But it takes a lot of time and we expect to have all of our factory migrated in 6 or 7 years. So meanwhile my manager and I are looking for a good solution.

We'll try to contact with a local expert as you said.

Thank you for your answer.

[Duncan Epping]

That is great to hear. I assume you know which apps on these machines are responsible for managing the process?

you can see which OS'es are officially supported today, SCO OpenServer 5 has been deprecated in terms of support for a long time now: VMware Compatibility Guide - Guest/Host Search

Which doesn't mean it won't work, it is just that VMware will not be able to help when you run in to issue when you virtualize it. I think that virtualizing it is a good idea, as that at least solves the hardware problem for you, as it won't be easy to find parts of a computer which is 20 years.

[Duncan Epping]

Here's a link to some documentation on virtualizing SCO by the way:

VMware Documentation for SCO OpenServer 5.0

[olaola619]

Thank you for everytinhg :smileygrin:

[KevinGB]

Did you get any further with this?

[continuum]

On a scale from 0 to 10 P2V of SCO is at least a solid 23 - if not higher.
If you do not have a skilled SCO admin in house I would suggest hire one for such a project.

It becomes a bit easier if:

- you are lucky and the original hardware uses an ancient BUSLOGIC-controller
- you have to do this for a version of SCO or Openserver for which you can download an existing VM provided by SCO.

Dont know if such versions are still available from the original vendor - but you may still find such VMs via google.
Anyway - if you have to do such a task - dont create a MeToo post and instead create a new post and provide as many details as you can.

And keep in mind that the clock is ticking ... a few years from now all the required knowledge may have disappeared ...
I had to deal with such projects a few times - but we never managed to get a satisfying solution in any of those cases.

Ulli