VMware vSphere

 View Only

  • 1.  NT 4 running on IDE to VMWare ESX 3 (SCSI only)

    Posted Dec 01, 2008 11:52 AM

    Hi!

    We have to virtualize a NT 4 running on an IDE hard disk to VMWare ESX, but since VMWare does not support IDE, we always get INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE when we start the new converted virtual machine.

    What steps we have to do to get it working, since this is a critical business system which is running on a very old PC that could fail any time -- modifying or upgrading the source system (NT 4) should be avoid since this is a very complex Access 2 / Jet application.

    Since it seem impossible to install the SCSI driver at boot (like for Windows 2000 + F6), I was thinking of installing LSI Logic SCSI drivers in NT 4 before migrating it, but how we can accomplish that when the system does not have any disk of this kind installed -- and how to make sure it will boot with this driver when migrated into a VM?

    Thanks.

    Claude Lachapelle



  • 2.  RE: NT 4 running on IDE to VMWare ESX 3 (SCSI only)

    Posted Dec 01, 2008 12:36 PM

    prior to converting the host install the BusLogic drivers, and follow this proceedure to get the disk geometery I know this is for XP but the process is the same

    alternatively, move the machine to a VMware server instance running Linux, this would get arround the issue of IDE to Scsi Conversion.

    If you found this or any other answer useful please consider the use of the Helpful or correct buttons to award points

    Tom Howarth

    VMware Communities User Moderator



  • 3.  RE: NT 4 running on IDE to VMWare ESX 3 (SCSI only)

    Posted Dec 01, 2008 06:00 PM

    Finally we decided to use VMWare Server on a dedicated physical server for all old/legacy operating systems.

    Thanks.

    Claude Lachapelle



  • 4.  RE: NT 4 running on IDE to VMWare ESX 3 (SCSI only)

    Posted Dec 02, 2008 02:46 PM

    Here how to import anything using IDE into ESX (SCSI only):

    1. Use VMWare Converter to import as a VM Workstation or VM Server.

    2. Modify the SCSI disk definition into the VMDK to represent an IDE drive:

      1. Create a new IDE drive with the SAME capacity of the imported VM SCSI disk

      2. Open the IDE drive VMDK to get the IDE properties

      3. Open the SCSI disk VMDK to change the SCSI properties for the IDE ones

    3. Open the VMX file and change to SCSI boot disk properties for the IDE drive properties (you can get the correct IDE properties by creating a new VM with an IDE boot drive -- use it .vmx file).

    4. Start the VM, the OS should recognize is IDE drive correctly, if not fix what's wrong with the VMDK or VMX file.

    5. Shutdown the VM.

    6. Add a new BusLogic SCSI drive.

    7. Start the VM and configure the OS to support and see the SCSI drive.

    8. Shutdown the VM.

    9. Reconfigure the IDE VMDK & the VM VMX file for being a SCSI drive.

    10. Start the VM, now the OS should boot using the SCSI driver and the SCSI disk as the boot disk!

    11. Import this VMX/VMDK into ESX.

    Voilà!