help: convert a XenServer VM (Debian Squeeze) to VMware

[Janvis]

Hi all,

I've been at it for some time now, but till now no luck.

I'm trying to convert a good working XenServer VM to a VMware one.

All is looking good until the process is at 99% and than throws an error:

FAILED: An error occurred during the conversion: 'GrubInstaller::InstallGrub: /usr/lib/vmware-converter/installGrub.sh failed with return code: 127, and message: Installing GRUB1 on (hd0)... /vmware-updateGrub.sh: 59: grub:
not found Error installing GRUB Error running vmware-updateGrub.sh through chroot into /mnt/p2v-src-root '

Searching this forum & web does give me some results, but none are for the Debian Squeeze OS.

(looks like the problem is with the GRUB 1/2)

The XenServer version is: 5.6.0

The VMware vCenter Converter Standalone Client version is: 5.0.0 build 470252

The VMware ESXi version is: 5.0.0 build 623860

Anyone here who might know how to fix this?

Thank you for any info on this.

[patanassov]

If it is the grub version problem, it should be fixed the same way regardless of the specific distro. Can you check what 'grub-install -v' returns?

[Janvis]

Thank you for your reply.

The VM that is running on the Xenserver is replying this:

host:~# grub-install -v
grub-install (GRUB) 1.98+20100804-14+squeeze1

It would be really great if I could get this VM to run on VMware.

Once again thank you for any info on this.

[patanassov]

It looks like the grub version recognition issue Can you try this workaround? http://communities.vmware.com/message/2048540#2048540 

BTW, if you are converting a machine with paravirtual kernel, this won't be enough. Have a look at this article:

http://www.google.bg/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CLMCEBYwAw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcommunities.vmware.com%2Fservlet%2FJiveServlet%2Fdownload%2F7492-62151%2FXEN_VMware_migration.pdf&ei=WjfoT8vjOZLW2wWMwdzaCQ&usg=AFQjCNGSZUXOFhLBUraFgkfo4AKL_vEj3Q 

Regards, Plamen

[Janvis]

I thought that this was going to be an easy job.

Reading the "XEN_VMware_migration.pdf" from your link does not make it look like that :-(

I'm going to give it a try, and will report back!

Once again thank you for the info.

[Janvis]

Okay. The VM that I'm trying to converts is not using a paravirtual kernen, so this should make things a bit easer you should say.

Well guess NOT... &@%#^*@^...

Converter is still having a hard time.. After 2 1/2 hours I now get an error:

FAILED: An error occurred during the conversion: 'GrubInstaller::InstallGrub: /usr/lib/vmware-converter/installGrub.sh failed with return code: 1, and message: Installing GRUB2 on (hd0)... /usr/sbin/grub-setup: error:
no such disk. Error installing GRUB Error running vmware-updateGrub.sh through chroot into /mnt/p2v-src-root '

I did add the following to /usr/sbin/grub-install:

if [ $# -eq 1 -a "$1" = "-v" ] ; then
  echo "grub-install (GNU GRUB 1.98+20100804-14+squeeze1)"
  exit 0
fi

Help.. I'm lost!

[Janvis]

Sorry to bump this message, but it would be great if someone might know how to fix this!

Thank you.

[Ivan Ivanov]

This fix worked because now Converter has detected the proper GRUB version. The error now is "no such disk"?

[Janvis]

Hi ivivanov,

I guess that it did, but now I need to get it to work (boot) all the way :-/

Problem is that I have no clue on how to do this.

[Ivan Ivanov]

Well, can you upload the whole helper log?

Besides, after the cloning part has completed and the reconfiguration has failed, all your data is on the target VM. You can try to boot from a live CD and try to fix it manually to boot (what Converter does is to update /etc/fstab entries to reflect the new volume paths, update grub and rebuilds initrd image).

[Janvis]

Thank you for your reply.

Here are the log files.

I will do some more testing with the rescue CD also and report back.

[Janvis]

Still no luck here.

I did manage to install grub again, but after selecting the kernal to boot it just sits there showing the message:

Decompressing Linux... Parsing ELF... done.
Booting the kernel.

I'm about to give up on this project, and stay with XenServer :-/

[Janvis]

Why do things (for me) never work the way it should.

I'm still struggling with this boot problem, and have no clue on how to fix it ;-(

Anyone here who might know what's going wrong?

[Ivan Ivanov]

May be you should try some Debian forums on how to make the VM bootable.

What Converter does is

* Update GRUB

* Update initrd

* Update fstab

In theory all your data should be on the target. Apparently Converter was not able to fix all these parts. If the kernel is not paravirtualized, it should be possible after booting from a live CD/rescue disk to update the configuration and boot the target successfully, however I am not familiar with Debian and don't now how to proceed from here. My guess is that more information should be available on Linux/Debian forums (not necessarily related to Converter).

[Janvis]

Thank you for the update.

Yes I can see all data when booted in rescue mode from a live CD.

I will ask on some other "linux" forums, and when fixed post the answer here.

Once again thank you for helping.