Windows Product Activation after VM is converted?

[stanj]

I am using the vSphere 5.0 Standalone Converter

 

I converted a VMware Server 1.0.5 Xp VM over to ESXi 5.0.

  

When I boot the converted Xp VM and login, I get

   

Windows Product Activation...

Since Windows was first activated on this computer the hardware on the computer has changed significantly.

Due to these changes,

Windows must be reactivated within 3 days.

 

Do you want to reactivate Windows now?"

  

I do not want to reactivate Windows Xp since it was activated prior to the conversion over to ESXi.

Any ideas on how to get around this issue?

thanks

[a_p_]

I'm afraid there's no way to workaround the Microsoft product activation. Anyway, there should be no issues with another activation.

André

[stanj]

hmmm,,  that means I will need to reactivate close to 100 VMs that I need to convert,,,

Isn't there a limit on the number activations that MS allows per site?

[a_p_]

hmmm,,  that means I will need to reactivate close to 100 VMs that I need to convert,,,

I'm afraid, yes.

Isn't there a limit on the number activations that MS allows per site?

This may depend on the type of license you use (retail, volume, ...). You'd probably have to ask MS.

The only way to avoid re-activation is the use of enterprise license keys which don't require an activation. I'm not sure about the requirements for such licenses, though.

André

[RParker]

Stan wrote:

hmmm,,  that means I will need to reactivate close to 100 VMs that I need to convert,,,

Isn't there a limit on the number activations that MS allows per site?

Depends on your keys, if they are MSDN you can't reuse them, you have to get new keys after you go beyond the initial activations.  Retail keys can be reset so it doesn't prompt, but you must call Microsoft and tell them what's going on.

Otherwise if they are volume license keys (which shouldn't require activation) there is no limit (except for your license agreement)

[continuum]

Converter will very likely change the IDE-disks to SCSI - which is not necessary at all.

I would really try a simple copy - instead of using Converter at all

[Ivan Ivanov]

In general Converter tries to preserve the disk types. I have to admit the logic there is way too complicated, takes into account various factors and not always working as desired.

As long as the simple file copy - I am not sure ESX will like Server VMDKs, because for Server the VMDK header is embedded in the beginning of the VMDK file itself, however for ESX these are split in two separate files. Anyway, trying doesn't hurt...

[continuum]

VMserver 1 probably used monolithicFlat and those vmdks are absolutely exchangeable with ESXi - only a small edit in the descriptor is required.
The other types can be impoorted with vmkfstools

[stanj]

Ok,

Are you saying to try something like VEEAM FASTscp to copy the Xp files to ESXi and try to start the VM?

Also, these are MSDN licenses and was able to activate this Xp VM ..at least this one time,,,

[continuum]

the idea is to keep Converter out of the game - then you do not need to change the virtual hardware.
The best procedure to upload the files varies on your start conditions.

It would help if you tell us which vmdk-format is used on the VMserver.
If it is monolithicFlat you just make a small edit to the desriptor and then can use the file as it is.
If you use a different format - tell us which one

[stanj]

ok,

looking at the VM folder, it appears the VM is comprised of 5 VMDK files, instead of one VMDK file...

WinXpVM.vmdk

WinXpVM-f001.vmdk

WinXpVM-f002.vmdk

WinXpVM-f003.vmdk

WinXpVM-f004.vmdk

WinXpVM-f005.vmdk

so, does this mean no edit of the descriptor is poosible?

[RDPetruska]

The descriptor IS the "WinXpVM.vmdk".

The "WinXpVM-f00n.vmdk" files are the actual disk files - split pre-allocated disk type.

[continuum]

no - a small edit will not make it in this case

plan A: - on VMserver : use vmware-vdiskmanager to convert the split vmdk into a one piece preallocated vmdk

plan B: - on ESXi - try to import the already uploaded vmdk with vmkfstools

[stanj]

since the vmdk is already on the ESXi 5 server, lets try B..

do you have the vmkfstool command that imports the vmdk?

thanks

[continuum]

vmkfstools -i "current-split.vmdk" "new-esx-compatible.vmdk" -d thin

the red part is optional - it will create a thin provisioned vmdk
as always specify the descriptor-vmdk - the small text file - as vmdk

[stanj]

I will need to get a new VMware Server VM moved to the ESXi 5 server.

The VMs that were converted over to ESXi 5 were all activated.

So,

is the process to move the VMware Server 1.0 VM files over to a folder on ESXi 5 (say, VMtemp) , then login to the ESXi 5 Server,  an issue the import command selecting a new folder (say VMxp) as the target for the imported VMDK file?

Like,,

vmkfstools -i /vmfs/volumes/datastore/VMtemp/XPVM1.vmdk  /vmfs/volumes/datastore/VMxp/XPVM1.vmdk

[continuum]

looks ok
vmkfstools can not create new directories - so create it yourself first

[stanj]

sorry for the late response,,,I was on another task for a month,,

anyway, I still will try the import,,

however, I also notice that when I open MS Windows on one of VMs I converted from vMware Server 1.0 to ESXi 5, the MS Office product wants to be activated,,,,,

will the import possibly solve this issue also?

[stanj]

would you  happen to have the command process for using vmware-diskmanager to convert the above 5 vmware server files into one ESXi vmdk?

thanks

[continuum]

using vmserver 1 ?

step one: vmware-vdiskmanager -r split.vmdk -t 2 monolithic.vmdk

step two: now you should have one text.vmdk and one -flat.vmdk
edit the text.vmdk like descibed here :
http://sanbarrow.com/vmdk-howtos.html#flattovmfs

[stanj]

ok

it is vmware server 1.0.5

is the split.vmdk in your command below represent the -f0001 file below?

If so, does the command need to be run against each -f000x file?

WinXpVM.vmdk

WinXpVM-f001.vmdk

WinXpVM-f002.vmdk

WinXpVM-f003.vmdk

WinXpVM-f004.vmdk

WinXpVM-f005.vmdk

then the monolithic file is moved to ESXi 4.1?

[continuum]

run it once against WinXpVM.vmdk

[stanj]

I tried t -2 by selecting the vmdk and used a target disk that is located on a shared folder since the local drive does not have enough space...

vmware-vdiskmanager -r  “c:\file_name.vmdk"  -t 2  “\\share\folder\monolithic.vmdk”

I get back an error – “"Failed to convert disk: ‘\\share\folder\monolithic.vmdk ‘ The destination file system does not support large files. <12>".

[continuum]

yes - that is expected if you use FAT32

if it happens on a NTFS share - try assigning a driveletter instead using an unc-path

[stanj]

I copied over the vmware server vmdk files to a folder on another server and then installed VMware Server 2.0

I used then vmware-vdiskmanager option 4 to covert the file to an esxi file...

vmware-vdiskmanager -r “d:\file_name.vmdk"  -t 4 "d:\converted\esxi_new_file.vmdk"

I now see a esxi_new_file.vmdk file and a  esxi_new_file-flat.vmdk file

the vmdk file gets modified (how) and then both files moved to the esxi datastore?

[stanj]

update,,,

I modified the esxi_new_file.vmdk file – changed the hardware version form 4 to 8.

Removed the 0 (offset) that was on the line RW 16777216.

 

Copied the vmdk and vmdk_flat file to the ESXi Server datastore.

 

Built a new Xp VM using the custom process and used “existing disk” (esxi_new_file.vmdk).

Started the VM.

 

But, the MS Office and Xp still required activation.

  

Did I miss a step because it still requires activation?