long shot, but I know there are several other IT folks here.
I have question regarding copying an VMware 2.5.2 image for testing, keeping it on the 2.5.2 box.
Now, using VMware convertor, I can copy it to my 3.5esxi server, but I haven't enough space.
long range plan is a Server 2000 to Server 2008R2 upgrade. Something I can't just try on a production box if I want to keep my head
So what's the question then?
Sorry...any way to replicate a guest OS on a 2.5 server, turn it on and attempt an upgrade?\
Edit: leaving the original running with name and IP address.
clone can be set to anything or not have the virtual nic powered on
I don't have much experience with VMware, but a dirty trick that works on any VM host is to clone an existing disk to a new one using a third VM (maybe just a Linux LiveCD if you don't have any available).
Of course this would mean taking the machine you're cloning the disk from offline for a while.
So, you basically want to make a copy of a running guest to another vmware server( on another box) and play w/ the upgrade there? Would it work to just do the guest install from scratch on another server, and practice the upgrade there? I'd be interested in knowing how this would work myself. I don't know if you can make a complete image while the vmfs is being used. Oh wait, how do yo have the guests on the orig machine setup? Meaning on a vmfs part on the box w. the vmware server, or on a lun somewhere else?
Try...
Taking a snapshot of the source VM using vmware-cmd.
Create a new VM and delete all vmdks in it
Copy the vmdk files from your snapshot into your new using vmkfstools.
Fix your configurations files accordinately.
Pbw wrote: Try... Taking a snapshot of the source VM using vmware-cmd. Create a new VM and delete all vmdks in it Copy the vmdk files from your snapshot into your new using vmkfstools. Fix your configurations files accordinately.
what he said......
This is beyond my area of expertise...
I just play with VirtualBox a little bit, and that's just for running XP when necessary.
same box unfortunately. it's the only one with the spare 400gb
Grtechguy wrote: same box unfortunately. it's the only one with the spare 400gb
The step I provided will worked just disconnect network or tag it to a different vlan. In the configuration file or GUI.
Do you have a desktop you can use to experiment?
I'm currently working on a server image that was copied to a VMWare 2.X server installed on a Windows 7 desktop using the VMWare converter.
The converter can make a copy of a running system.
VMWare server 2.x is a free download but you have to register to get a product key.
I did have to hook up a seconday 1TB hard drive to hold the disk images.
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