P2V using VMware converter 4.1 boot CD, failing at 2 % all the time

Hi

Before I look at the logs two thing fast...

Do not use DNS names, but IPs.
Do nut convert this into a vCenter, but directly into a host.

Try this.

Meanwhile I will try to check the logs

Jail

is the destination set to vCenter or ESX server?

Hi

Are you trying to convert LUNS disks?

Is this a Windows 2003 blade, and the disks are in a SUN?

The problem I think in your physical disks.

Can you provide more information about the your physical server?

Jail

Hi

Also do not import Network Adapters. You can create this after.

Please read my article and check most of the tasks to bypass some of the issues.

https://www.experts-exchange.com/Software/VMWare/A_3639-VMware-vConverter-P2V-for-Windows-Servers.html

But as added above, do not convert into vCenter and do not use DNS names.

Also provide the information about your disks.

Jail

Best way:
Well, thanks for quick responses on this.
HP proliant DL 380 G4 Server with 2003 standard sp2 on it. (not blade) physical server.
HDD C: 12 GB,  D: 120 GB reducing it to 20 GB as the destination VM. Local disks with in the server.
Destination as the vCenter consisting of 2 Clusters containing couple of HP Proliant 460 G7 as ESX 4.1 Hosts with SAN shared LUNs as storage.
So, i am choosing the destination as vCenter > Data Center > Clusters > One of the ESX hosts > LUNs (Max available space) which again are set as 2 Resource pools in it.

Please let me know if u need more info on this to get it resolved.

 Many Thanks
Sathya

Hi

I have check that you are use this in a VMAX Storage as destination.

So try to convert into a host directly. In the destination just put the IP of one of you hosts.
Like I added above, do not use DNS names and also, do not use put the host as destination.

Try to follow the tasks from the article, I think it my help you on this conversion.

Are you also changing anything on the new VM? Disk size etc.?

As recommended in the article, do not convert Network Adapters. I see that you have one "MS TCP Loopback interface". You should not convert this. Disable this, and the rest of the adapters.

Hope this can help

Jail

Hi

Sorry did not read that you are reducing to 20GB on the second disk.

Well try again will all the recommendations that I have added and still reduce the disk, if still you have no success, do not change anything on the VM. Just do a normal conversion with the recommendations, but without any disk change.

Jail

do not p2v direct to vcenter

best way:
sorry for the delay in responding.
Ok, i have gone through your documentation and will try it again.
Wekk, its almost the same what i have been doing so far, except that i am entering the network details at the initial start wizard as its a static IP address assigned for the server. As i have read that it wont proceed wth out entering those details as its not DHCP assigned IP address for the physical server.

Till now, i have been choosing vcenter > then ESX server, i am not sure if i can directly enter ESX IP address, but vil try and let you know asap.

best way:
Okay, I have tried your way, but its not working with out entering the network info at vmware converter wizard start process. Also, after choosing not to enter Network IP info, when i tried using the ESX IP address info its not proceeding as its unable to find out with out entering the IP address info. on the whole, its just not progressing at all.

Please let me know further troubleshooting on this.
hav u had a chance to look at the logs and find anything which could be useful in resolving this.

Thanks

These are part of the vmware converter agent logs which i already posted above:
I feel something is not working and is mentioned in the logs here, but i am unable to get to the right point of resolving it. Please help me in this.

[2011-10-11 17:48:08.546 'App' 1172 info] [vmiImportTask,758] DeviceMappingAlert: VM memory not a multiple of 4.Setting VM memory to 3584 MB.
[#2] [j1] [2011-10-11 17:48:08.546 'App' 1172 info] [vmiImportTask,758] DeviceMappingAlert: The source machine is configured with more cdroms than the destination can map onto.  Dropping an unmatched drive.  It won't be in the new VM.
[#2] [j1] [2011-10-11 17:48:08.546 'App' 1172 info] [vmiImportTask,758] DeviceMappingAlert: The source machine is configured with more cdroms than the destination can map onto.  Dropping an unmatched drive.  It won't be in the new VM.
[#2] [j1] [2011-10-11 17:48:08.546 'App' 1172 info] [vmiImportTask,758] DeviceMappingAlert: The source machine is configured with more floppies than the destination can map onto.  Dropping an unmatched drive.  It won't be in the new VM.
[#2] [j1] [2011-10-11 17:48:08.546 'App' 1172 info] [vmiImportTask,758] DeviceMappingAlert: The source machine is configured with a USB controller. The destination VM does not support it so it will not be in the new VM.
[#2] [j1] [2011-10-11 17:48:08.546 'App' 1160 verbose] [managedVMCreator,1241] Creating managed VM...
[#2] [j1] [2011-10-11 17:48:08.562 'Libs' 1160 warning] SSLVerifyCertAgainstSystemStore: CertGetCertificateChain failed. LastError = -2146885628
[#2] [j1] [2011-10-11 17:48:08.562 'Libs' 1160 warning] SSLVerifyCertAgainstSystemStore: The remote host certificate has these problems:
[#2] [j1]
[#2] [j1] * CertGetCertificateChain failed
[#2] [j1] [2011-10-11 17:48:08.562 'Libs' 1160 warning] SSLVerifyCertAgainstSystemStore: Certificate verification is disabled, so connection will proceed despite the error
[#2] [j1] [2011-10-11 17:48:08.578 'App' 1160 verbose] [vimAPI]Local and remote namespace are the same

Hi

Sorry did not understand the question above regarding IP and network adapters.

In your destination you just need to put your IP from your VMware host.

The convert adapters, is almost in the end when you choose to add or not to convert your adapters into the new VM. This have no impact on the conversion itself.

Are you changing, or add, IP addresses in the Administration\Network configuration? See Image attached

There is no problem using or changing this. You should use IP/subnet that works, or that can connect to the VMware host(destination).

Regarding the above configuration. You are sure that the source can connect to the destination IP? Are in the same subnet? There no DMZ or firewall between both?

Regarding remove any Network adapter in the new VM, check image. This will prevent any problems during the conversion, and also a you IP duplications. You should create new vmxnet network adapters in your new VM.

 
 
Hope this can help

Jail

Hi

Forget to add, in the second picture, you should put the number of nics at 0

Jail

yes, i can connect to the destination host/vcenter servers as i have checked this directly by logging into the Source W2K3 server and its resolving them. Also, i can connect to the vCenter server as shown in above vmware converter images.

Also, regarding the vcenter agent log:
[2011-10-11 17:48:08.546 'App' 1160 verbose] [managedVMCreator,1241] Creating managed VM...
[#2] [j1] [2011-10-11 17:48:08.562 'Libs' 1160 warning] SSLVerifyCertAgainstSystemStore: CertGetCertificateChain failed. LastError = -2146885628
[#2] [j1] [2011-10-11 17:48:08.562 'Libs' 1160 warning] SSLVerifyCertAgainstSystemStore: The remote host certificate has these problems:
[#2] [j1]
[#2] [j1] * CertGetCertificateChain failed
[#2] [j1] [2011-10-11 17:48:08.562 'Libs' 1160 warning] SSLVerifyCertAgainstSystemStore: Certificate verification is disabled, so connection will proceed despite the error
[#2] [j1] [2011-10-11 17:48:08.578 'App' 1160 verbose] [vimAPI]Local and remote namespace are the same

Has this got something related to certificate eror...????

Hi

This is not a problem. This certificate issues happen in all conversions.

Lets start the beginning.

Did you clean the physical server(temp and defrag)
Are you stopping all the services?
Are you disable converting any network adapters
Are you changing anything on the conversion? Disk size etc? Using customize

Did you add a IP on that conversion? Or are you using DHCP to have an IP?

Jail

Thanks very much for your quick replies:
Did you clean the physical server(temp and defrag)
Did chkds /f, defrag C:, (D: not defrag as it large disk)

Are you stopping all the services? - No, just took a copy of all the running services

Are you disable converting any network adapters - No, there are 3 physical adpaters, but while converting its coming only as two and selecting one for the conversion into destination VM.

Are you changing anything on the conversion? Disk size etc? Using customize
changing disk sizes - C: same as source size
D: 120 GB - 20 GB

Did you add a IP on that conversion? Or are you using DHCP to have an IP?
I assigning a IP address, as with out this its not letting me access vCenter hosts.
I also tried entering host IP address directly in the destination list as you mentioned in your article.

I am still wondering why its still failing, even after going through these many corrections and careful
considerations. well ,I have googled a lot with the logs but no where i found any suitable answer to this problem and any help in this would be higly appreciated.

many thanks

i am actually trying now about the NIC setting to 0 as mentioned above in the vmware converter wizard process.
trying once again with this new option..
i will post you the results...

Hi

You need to do all the tasks to isolate the problem.

Defrag disks(is large disk, takes longer yes, but will reduce the time of the conversion and correct any problems)

You need to stop all non Windows, whithout this converion fail on running services.

Do not convert network adapters. Why you need the network adapters on this VM if there is no use for the conversion and you can create after.

If you have DHCP server on your domain/network, you do not need to add an IP. But you can add on IP if you use the right subnet, dns or gateway.

Regarding the rest of the tasks, if you not planing to follow recommendations, how can we isolate, or bypass the issue?

Jail

Hi

Many times I need to spend many hours to defrag or correct disk problems, before I can do a P2V of a server.

If a disk have problems in sectors(bad sectors or not) the conversion will fail.

Jail

Hi Jail
As mentioned earlier, i did followed the pre migration recommended tasks and went according to the guide lines only.
when talking D: 120 Gb i don't think its causing the problem because its just failing @ 2 % only, but vil try doing it certainly.
As this is a server and it has got static IP address assigned to it.

Just now, i did tried ur last suggestion of choosing NICs as 0, even then also it failed with the same error.
will try stopping the non windows services this time.

thanks

vmware-converter-agent-0.log
vmware-converter-client-0.log

Hi

This is the % of a conversion:

Creation of the target virtual machine (VM) (0%-5%)
    Preparing to Clone the Disk (5%-6%)
    Cloning (6%-95%)
    Post-cloning (95%-97%)
    Customization/Reconfig (97%-99%)
    Install Tools/Power On (99%-100%)

So if anything is wrong on the source, It cannot create the VM.

After testing the stop non Windows Services, try to convert whitout the d: drive.

Convert only with the C: and check if you get the same problem.

But in the logs I see that your destination is still the vcenter(plyvcent01) are you sure this is the logs from the last conversion?

Also your are using Domain users to connect?? I see two different users here

Jail

Yes, we are using domain users to connect to vcenter, tried with 2 different user accounts.
in the first logs, i just renamed the servers so that it won't be public to all the users, in the next (recent) logs i just attached same logs wth out changing it.

ok now, i am going to do the non windows services disabling and fragmenting D: as well.

I am not sure of how i can get D drive, once we conver the server with only C: drive now.
i will post you the results in next few minutes....

Hi,
i tried it again with the above mentioned changes and it still doesn't work and ended up with the same error.

Hi

Let me understand...

You are put the vCenter as destination? This must me in all the tests. Not just to test if it works. Conversion destinations is hosts, not vCenter.

Also you are using IPs, not DNS names? Same as above, in all conversions, not just for testing.

So the last logs are not correct? If yes, just put the right logs. Because the last logs is using vCenter and domain users.

And yes you should remove any private information.

We cannot change and if not work back again with the same configuration. You should use every time the recommendation settings.

Another question, is there any mirror RAID on that server?

In you last answer, what changes did you perform? Only remove d:?

Since we are in your environment and do not see this, you need to provide all information.

Jail

@paulsolov fellow EE Expert has suggested the following method:-

"If all else fails do the following as it has helped me over a hundred times when converter fails

1.  Download trial copy of Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery
2.  Install and take an image of the server
3.  Use VMware Converter to convert image (it knows it natively) to a VM"

Bestway:
Yes, the ultimate destination is ESX hosts which are located in vCenter as i mentioned above.

I have tried giving directly the Host IP address instead of the vCenter server as the destination. normally i have been giving vCenter > DC > Cluster > Hosts. Giving the host IP address is not working and not proceeding in the wizard process.

Its the same type of logs but kept the recent as i have been trying this process many times a day with couple of changes every time.
All i changed in the previous logs is plyvcent01.myserver1.myserver2.net to plyvent01.child.parent.net just to hide the domain names and did the same in the attached logs now.

i am using DNS names and it resolves and connects to vCenter > Hosts and starts the process to 2 %, then it fails. i don't see any connectivity problem here or DNS resolving issue here. anyways i have tried using vCenter server IIP address and directly the Host server IP address also, even then its the same error.

yes, i am doing this using the Domain user account to connect to vCenter server as the Destination. While booting the physical server w2k3 sp2 with vmware converter .iso image, it doesn't need any login as i am accessing it directly through ILO remote console to the boot screen and doing this P2V conversion wizard process. So here user login doesn't come into picture.

Earlier, i haven't defragmented D: drive, but later i did fragmented the D: Drive as well and started P2V process and then failed again with the same error.

Please let me know what else i need to try,

Thanks
vcenter-agent-logs.txt
vmware-converter-Client-Logs.txt

Sorry, giving directly the Host IP address as the destination server doesn't progress the conversion wizard.

Try Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery

hanccocka:
Its a production environment and i got to do 100s of P2Vs this way and we need to follow the standard procedure. vmware converter boot CD is the accepted process of conversion for doing this P2Vs in our environments.

Okay, if it's the accepted procedure for your organisation.

What difference does it make if the end result, is a good Physical to Virtual Conversion?

We've done, thousands of P2Vs, and not all our the same, and we have to use varying techniques to P2V physical machines.

Personally, I would build a new coldclone.iso using VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 5.0 rather than the "outdated and old, not updated, buggy coldclone.iso".

how to make vmware converter 5.0 clone CD as its an .exe file and needs to be installed locally on the Physical server.

Could you please guide me on this, as we need cold cloning P2V conversion rather than Hot cloning.

Hi

Something is wrong here. If you plan to convert into a host, you need to have access to host. If you cannot connect to the VMware host, then lets focus on this, because if you use the vCenter is almost sure that it will fail. In 10 on vCenter, 5 or 6 will fail.

Because the connection will go first to the vCenter then to the host. You are connecting to the host, but to the vCenter and vCenter is just a bridge to get to the host. And this many times fail because of network connections/communications.

And yes user domain is used in the vCenter logon.

Also you have IP then you should use. Why cannot use IP and can use DNS names. That is not make sense.

And is it will fail on DNS names connections. Is not the first connections. If you see the logs you will see that will try to connect several times during a conversion.

So without any other issues, will you follow the recommendations? And try a conversion?

If you cannot connect to the host, then lets focus why. Is a different subnet?

Inform the IP subnet that you are using in the vConverter and also the IP of the vCenter and from one VMware host.

Jail

Hi

For a HP proliant DL 380 G4 servers, the last VMware Boot ISO works just fine. I have done hundreds of this servers with the last version, and also with the 3.x

What we need to focus first, is in the environment that exists, then forward from there.

Jail

Best way:
I can connect to the vCenter using IP address and can see all the host servers, but if i enter the direct IP address of the Host server to where i wish to convert, it won't let me connect as my domain user login doesn't work on Direct host connection.

my server static IP address is in the same subnet of the vcenter and also i am choosing the correct subnet while converting P2V where it will give the option to select the IP subnet network for NICs.

I will reconfirm about the IP subnets again tomorrow.

will you be working tomorrow morning GMT timings ???

I appreciate your responses and thank you.

Hi

Again accessing vCenter is one thing, you are not accessing Host, but only vCenter.

And of course you cannot use Domain user to connect to a host, you need the user 'root' and password. This is the user to access the host. Or use another user that have been created to administrate the hosts.

If you dont have this user, or this password, you should ask for to the VMware Administrator.

This is why you cannot access this host.

The subnet of your source(vConverter) should be the same as the VMware host.

NICs?? Witch NICs? From the physical server? And the NICs in the new VM? Are you customizing this on the conversion?

Or are you referring to the vConverter Network settings that I have added an example above(Network.jpg).

Because if yes, this is not the same.

Jail

i am referring to the 2nd image which you posted above regarding the NIC selection option and putting that in the right subnet.
I have checked with the source (10.120.20.X) and vCenter, host IP networks are in (10.120.22.X), but VLAN ID network what we are choosing for NIC as shown in the above image is same as the source network IP i.e (10.120.20.X).

(Yes, i am referring to  vConverter Network settings that I have added an example above(Network.jpg). 2nd Image)

On the whole, we can make changes to the VM NIC adapter later on once the source is converted to Virtual server.

so i don't understand where this is creating problem in doing successful P2V.

Hi

When you are converting, IPs addresses from the new VM do not matter in this stage.

The only IP that you need to worry about is the IP from the vConverter, that is not the same that the IP from the NICs in the new VM. My initial picture.

When customizing a P2V many times is just stops.

So if you want to try this, if not...

Tasks:

Remove any USB devices attached to the server
Break any RAID mirror in the physical server
Clean the physical server(temp files)
Run defrag and chkdsk on all the disks you plan to P2V
Stop all non Windows Services
Convert into a VMware host(not vCenter) using root user as destination
Do not do any customization on the P2V for the new VM, just use the default
Do not import/convert Network adapters

Start the process.

If the P2V did not finish successful, import logs and upload here that logs only(not from previous P2V attempts)

Please follow all the this tasks and tested. All the tasks, not only just one or two, or miss one or two.

Jail

Besty way:
2 things out of all the tasks -

if we brak the raid mirror it would loose the logical (C, D) partitions - how can this be managed.
however, the server what i am trying on is configured with RAID 5 (not mirrored RAID - 0) with 2 logical partitions C: 20, D: 120 - > reducing it to 20 GB while doing P2V customisation. As its going to take huge space on vCenter storage.

I will have to clean the temp files

Rest of the things, i have already done.

i will check with the temp files cleaning and let you know.
mean while let me know if that is ok to proceed with RAID 5 config and customizing the size to 20 GB on the destination VM.

Many thanks

Hi

I forget to mention, if was any Software mirror. But also RAID 5 it will give no problems. But do not customize the disks. We can deal with this later, after a successful P2V.

Do not forget, destination VMware host directly, not vCenter.

Jail

Hi

Clean all temp files etc., is not mandatory. Is just to reduce the amount of data to convert and then reduce the time of each P2V.

And when you have 100 servers to do, all tasks that you ca add to reduce the amount of time on each server is important.

Jail

BestWay:
I tried it different way this time and it seems like it is going to finish this time, but it went up to 97 % and got failed again.

This time i did it with C: 12 GB and D: 56 GB migration with out any resizing while going through the Conversion wizard.
what i did was changed the NIC speed to 100 MB full initial wizard at the network setup prompt in the advanced Tab. for the both the adapters on the ProLiant DL380 G4 physical server.

I have attached the logs and failure image screenshot:

Please let me know wat else i can do to resolve and make this P2V successfull.

Thnx
P2V-Failure-image.bmp
vmware-converter-agent-0-13-10.1.log
vmware-converter-client-0-13-10..log

But what are the physical switch network ports set to?

There could be a mismatch between network ports on the server and switch, which will cause network errors and disconnections.

Hi

Yes was network lost.

Have you tried again? Also check hanccocka recommendation regarding switch ports and adapter ports speed.

Jail

there's no network disconnects or lost
I am trying it again.

hanccocka:
There could be a mismatch between network ports on the server and switch
Could you explain this a bit clear...wat exactly do u mean by this.

Does this line of Agent logs mean anything:

[#2] [j1] [2011-10-13 23:54:01.640 'App' 1336 error] [imageProcessingTaskImpl,572] VmiImportTask::task{4}: Image processing task has failed with MethodFault::Exception: vmodl.fault.HostNotReachable

[#2] [j1] [2011-10-13 23:53:57.031 'BuildDiskNameFromSpec' 1080 info] Logged in!
[2011-10-13 23:53:57.609 'App' 948 info] [stub,42] NBD_Clientopen: attempting to create connection to vpxa-nfc://[VMAX_51] PLYBOB03/PLYBOB03.vmdk@plyvei09.child.parent.net:902!52 9d a8 14 b5 08 9c fb-0a fa cc 05 e0 84 5d 86
[2011-10-13 23:53:57.609 'App' 948 info] [stub,42] Started up WSA
[#2] [j1] [2011-10-13 23:53:57.718 'Libs' 1080 warning] SSL_Connect: SECURITY WARNING: Should use SSL_ConnectAndVerify instead
[2011-10-13 23:53:58.046 'App' 948 info] [stub,42] Opening file [VMAX_51] PLYBOB03/PLYBOB03.vmdk (vpxa-nfc://[VMAX_51] PLYBOB03/PLYBOB03.vmdk@plyvei09.child.parent.net:902!52 9d a8 14 b5 08 9c fb-0a fa cc 05 e0 84 5d 86)
[#2] [j1] [2011-10-13 23:53:58.171 'BuildDiskNameFromSpec' 1080 info] *** Begin Logout() ***
[2011-10-13 23:53:58.171 'App' 948 info] [stub,42] DISKLIB-LINK  : Opened 'vpxa-nfc://[VMAX_51] PLYBOB03/PLYBOB03.vmdk@plyvei09.child.parent.net:902!52 9d a8 14 b5 08 9c fb-0a fa cc 05 e0 84 5d 86' (0xa): custom, 24565434 sectors / 11995 Mb.
[2011-10-13 23:53:58.171 'App' 948 info] [stub,42] DISKLIB-LIB   : Opened "vpxa-nfc://[VMAX_51] PLYBOB03/PLYBOB03.vmdk@plyvei09.child.parent.net:902!52 9d a8 14 b5 08 9c fb-0a fa cc 05 e0 84 5d 86" (flags 0xa). 0382B688
[#2] [j1] [2011-10-13 23:53:58.312 'BuildDiskNameFromSpec' 1080 info] *** Finish Logout() ***
[#2] [j1] [2011-10-13 23:53:58.312 'Libs' 1080 warning] SSLVerifyCertAgainstSystemStore: CertGetCertificateChain failed. LastError = -2146885628
[#2] [j1] [2011-10-13 23:53:58.312 'Libs' 1080 warning] SSLVerifyCertAgainstSystemStore: The remote host certificate has these problems:
[#2] [j1]



[#2] [j1]
[#2] [j1] [2011-10-13 23:53:58.328 'Libs' 1080 warning] SSLVerifyCertAgainstSystemStore: CertGetCertificateChain failed. LastError = -2146885628
[#2] [j1] [2011-10-13 23:53:58.328 'Libs' 1080 warning] SSLVerifyCertAgainstSystemStore: The remote host certificate has these problems:
[#2] [j1]
[rpcConnectionWrapper,202] Failed to establish Vim connection to 10.xx.xx.179. Vmacore::Exception: Invalid response code: 503 Service Unavailable

one quick question, when you talk about the network speeds, i wonder how did it work with the same network -> VMware Vritual ESX networks and here i didnt change anythng while doing P2V Hot Cloning.
It just went fine and was successful.

please let me know what else should i try in here to make this P2V successful!!!!!!

well, i am doing it through vmware converter .ISO image, would it be beneficial if i try it with physical converter boot CD as a different trial.

HOT Cloning uses the Drivers in the OS! - which could be later, better setup, HP drivers, teamining, correctly setup with your physical switches.

COLD cloning uses the OS on the cdrom and drivers on the CDROM, which may be out of date, do not set the network correctly etc

It happens!

Just a quick update on this, interestingly i found that the (VM appears created for 2nd trial) on the vCenter server in one of the Hosts even after showing the failures screen as mentioned earlier and with the logs showing VM destroyed. where as the with first trial P2V conversion after setting the NIC speed to 100 Mbps Full in the advanced tab I didn't get to see the VM created.

Can you explain what does this means. i haven't powered "ON" the VM on and will let you know further on this.

commincation issue maybe between Converter and vCenter or host ESX server, not be able to give commands to destroy VM.

I didnt get complete solution for this and am still facing the same issue and mving forward with tweaking it and alternate ways in the process. But it did finished successfully for one of the servers.