Upgrading to Windows 7 from XP on a VM

[GeoGA]

I'm running OCS GLPI for inventory on an old VM and need to update to windows 7, but cannot afford to lose the data. I have an ISO, but cant seem to get the job done. Any suggestions?

[corvettefisher]

Hello,

Check to make sure you can upgrade from XP to Windows 7, I believe XP->win7 only has a migrate unless you do XP-Vista-Win7. Also be sure to take a backup of the VM first.

You should be able to upgrade the VM by attaching the ISO to the CD rom, change the VM OS type to "windows 7 32/64 bit" then boot from CD and perform your upgrade.

[GeoGA]

How do you change the VM OS type? I kinda got thrown into all of this.

[doa27581]

On the VM right click go to Options and look there - this is using the vSphere Client.  

[GeoGA]

There is no "options" when I right click. Only Edit Settings. And, yes this is on vsphere client.

[doa27581]

From your answer this suggests you are using the Web Console to manage this VM then?

[GeoGA]

I am. What would be my other option? Or, what would be the best course of action considering this?

[doa27581]

If you are using the vSphere Client to access vCenter or the ESX host directly, when you right click the VM and select Edit Settings, there should appear to be several tabs, one of which is Options.  Under it is Guest Operating System select thereunder Windows 7.

It is possible that VMware Permissions were set that could prohibit you from "seeing" this option - but that is not the default behavior  (If your VM hardware version is version 10 or higher you need to use the vSphere Web Client to accomplish your goal)

[doa27581]

AFTER you select Edit Settings, then you will see the Tab - Options.

:smileyhappy:

[GeoGA]

Ok. I'm there. The OS shown is XP-32 bit. But, it's greyed out and won't allow me to change it. I'm logged in as root, so I don't know what I might have to do to change it.

[corvettefisher]

If the machine is currently powered on it will not let you change it