VMware Converter problem when not using root user.

[Ajmal72]

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am trying to migrate a Physical server to an VM server on ESX 3.5 server using VM converter application. How can I do this migration without using the "root" user. I may mention that there is no problem when I use the "root" user. Thank you for all your help.

Regards,

Abul Hasnat AJMAL.

[paragsha]

When you say "root" user, are you referring to

• the accound on ESX/VC or

• the account on your windows box where you have converter installed or

• the account on your windows box which you are trying to migrate

Also ellaborate what errors are you seeing and attach required logs files.

Thanks

[IamTHEvilONE]

The only one that makes sense is ESX, since Converter only works for a hot clone against windows systems.

It sounds like you don't have VirtualCenter. If you did, any user that has the correct privileges to create a virtual machine can use converter to send a vm to VC.

If you want to do it directly with ESX, you need to use the VI Client to create a new user and assign the correct privileges ... which is Administrator when using ESX alone (i think)

Your VirtualCentcer User (if applicable) needs the following privileges:

• Allow ReadOnly

• Disk Access

• Allow Virtual

• Machine Files

• Download

• Inventory of VMs

Source: http://www.vmware.com/pdf/VMware_Converter_manual303.pdf

Regards,

EvilOne

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[Ajmal72]

Yes, I am trying to use a different user instead of the root user in the ESX server. I am using virtual Center for this purpose.

I did succeed in virtualizing a Physical server to a virtual without using the "root" usercode. In order to do this, I created a user in the ESX server. Then I connected to the ESX server (not Control Center) using VMware Infrstructure Client and added this user to the permissions list and giving it "administrator" privileges. Then I can use this user to do the P2V conversion. Till now I did not have any problem.

Regards,

Abul Hasnat Md. AJMAL

[IamTHEvilONE]

Ajmal,

Welcome to the forums ... forgot to say that last time. :smileywink:

What you are doing should work fine. As long as the user is valid in the ESX host with admin privileges (since there is only 3 levels of access on ESX directly). What are the symptoms right now .. you mentioned that the non-root account doesn't work any more ... but what happens when attempting to use the non-root account?

If ESX is being managed by Virtual Center, I have seen problems with propagating information when things are managed at the wrong level. If ESX is being managed by Virtual Center, then do the management changes via Virtual Center. If you make changes in ESX via SSH, then you need to restart the management protocol to ensure that the VI Client shows the changes.

Even with that ... why not make a User in VC that is specifically for conversions ... but how things are managed is up to you.

Regards,

EvilOne

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[Ajmal72]

Thank you very much :smileyhappy: .

No, I did convert the P2V using a non root user. I created the user (and granted the privileges) using Virtual Center. I normally use SSH only to change the time. I use the Virtual Center for all the operations that can be performed by Virtual Center.

I have converted a few physical servers using the new user (I may mention that the root user is still present and I made no changes to the root user) and I did not face any problem till now. I created the new user so that other departments can also do the conversion without knowing the root password.

Thank you very much for all your help.

Regards,

Ajmal.