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markbenham

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Citrix Xenserver and guest VM

Hi,

I have a guest VM (windows 2008 server R2) created on Xenserver 6.1 that boots up fine.
When I export/import this guest VM (Win2k8 R2) onto Xenserver 6.0, it doesn't want to boot up. It comes up with 2 options, either:

1. Launch Startup Repair
2. Start Windows normally.

Selecting either of the options not does help with the bootup.
Is this because the guest VM is created on a newer verison of Xenserver (Xenserver 6.1)
and is not compatible with the legacy Xenserver 6.0??

Or could this be because the guest VM is using a newer version of xstools that is not compatible with Xenserver 6.0?

Many Thanks
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Dirk Kotte
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markbenham

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Hi dkote

When I try to boot up the guest VM, I receive a blue screen:

STOP: 0x0000007B

It then boots up with with 2 options:

a. Launch Startup Repair
b. Start Windows Normally

When I select option b, it starts up with the same error as stated. If I launch Startup Repair
I can get to the command prompt.

Is there a way of removing the XenServer tools (new xstools) using the command prompt?

Many Thanks
Not to butt in on a perfectly good answer, but wouldn't it be easier to upgrade the XenServer from 6.0 to 6.1 than to go through all the hoops of fixing up your W2K8 server to run in the different environment?

Think a little farther down the line... once you roll back the XenTools, you have a VM Server that presents DIFFERENT HARDWARE to the W2K8 guest server... which means Microsoft's AntiPiracy checking is going to nip you in the heels and insist that you re-license your server (well, re-authenticate your license, anyway). Your luck there is questionable -- if you tell MS you changed hardware, they're quite likely to tell you that you must purchase a new license (and new CALs)...

Instead, with just a little updating, get your XenServers on the same release and your XenTools likewise on the same level... and enjoy moving W2Kx servers from place to place at your heart's content!

I hope this helps....

Dan
IT4SOHO
Hi Dan,

Thanks for your response and you are a correct on this front and like you I have thought about that. However my issue (which is not related to this question) is that I have several other server VM's that are currently live and working fine on Xenserver 6.0 upgrading to Xenserver 6.1 at this stage of the process is not going to be an option. It is just to risky for my environment at present.

My other thought is to remove XenServer tools from the VM when mounted on XenServer 6.1 first, then export/import it to Xenserver 6.0 and then install the older version of Xenserver tools on this guest VM.

I will try and give this a bash and report back on the results. In the meantime if there are other solutions, I'd be happy to hear them.

Many Thanks
Mark (a guess),

Assuming the W2k8 server was installed in XenServer 6.1 with the newer XenTools already in place, the hardware profile for the Win server is going to HAVE to change to get back to XenServer 6.0... so assuming you have no choice in sending the server to an older host, I might suggest that you step back, realize that regardless of the path, you're going to have Windows Pains, and just bite-the-bullet...

In other words, if you MUST take the W2k8 server to the lesser host, just repair your install with the one you're already working on. (Your BSOD is being caused by the absence of the expected hardware -- with a server repair, you'll detect the correct hardware, and your server should be able to be "resuscitated", albeit with likely MS licensing issues as I mentioned previously.

Good Luck!

Dan
IT4SOHO
I assume the host hardware is identical?

Also, try using XenConvert to import the machine.
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The reason is because I've tried it first hand and it had worked