Converting SBS08 to VMware

The first thing I focus on after a P2V migration is to remove all of the old hardware objects from device manager. to do this follow these directions.....

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/315539

Once you set device manager to show non-present devices look for cpu and network cards that are greyed out. Unistall or delete these devices.

Once you have removed the phantom devices you should reboot and then attempt to install VMWare tools again. Properly set your static IP address at this time.

MooseSupport

1. don't know what this has to do with the virtual server after conversion.

2. there should be a network interface installed and detected, even if it's the E1000.

The E1000 will install but will not seem to work with DNS and takes forever to come up.

can you give us some more information, error codes etc

It's possible networking is broken in the OS.

What do you want to concentrate on VMXNET3 interface, this is what you should be using

Normally you have to run all your wizards on the server again after the conversion, as the bindings of all the services to the new virtual NIC's will be different.

If you always got the same IP for your NIC even though you didn't use a static address, it has been given to you via your DHCP server (probably your router). Most DHCP servers allow you to reserve IP addresses for specific MAC addresses. So just check what virtual MAC address your NIC has, then reserve your old IP address on your DHCP server for it.

Thank you all for the responses...the strange thing is on the Dell Physical Server is the NIC.

It is a Broadcom and when I select properties on the card it is set to DHCP.  If I change to static and apply everything seems to work but when I go back into properties it is at DHCP again.  The IP is correct but the settings say DHCP.

We are providing DHCP off the SBS08 server and there are exclusions but no reservations.  

This is very strange...has anyone seen this?  I think this is the main issue with the P2V.

In a VM you will be using virtual hardware. So there is no Broadcom network interface.

I've requested that this question be deleted for the following reason:

I am not getting any responses that I feel warrant points - I need to do some more research before posting on this topic.

then post back, and Ask further questions, rather than just deleting the question.

After doing some more testing I believe that there might be an issue with the Windows SBS08 O/S and the network card that is currently in the system.  I am looking at adding a different network card and then seeing if I can assign a static to the new card in the system.  If that works then I am confident that the P2V will work.

The virtual machine uses a virtual network card, the physical server hardware is not available in the virtual machine, so will not be an issue.

When you convert from Physical to Virtual, the new server, users ALL NEW HARDWARE! nothing remains or us used from he old physical computer.

Andrew,

I will try and do better to explain this...I do have experience with a few of the P2V conversions so it is not completely new to me and I am sure I have a lot to learn.  With that in mind...

1) On the current physical server - I can not set the NIC to a static - when I do it reverts back to DHCP with in a few minutes.  There is no DHCP reservation but it does retain the correct IP address for the server.  This is not normal.

2) When I do the P2V and remove the old hardware...NIC, etc...and install the e1000 as the virtual NIC it is behaving in a very erratic fashion.  Sometimes it loses it settings as well.  It will say OK to the static settings but then after running a for a few minutes (in testing) it loses a setting, might be the DNS, might be the gateway.

So based on this I am guessing/theory that there is something wrong in the registry / OS area of the SBS08 server.

Would you agree or do you think I am missing something?

Thanks for your help.

1. I would agree, and any odd issues with a physical server, it is possible this fault will occur in the virtual machine.

However, the network interface is completely re-created in the virtual machine, so networking is effectively factory reset.

2. I would never use an E1000 interface, this is legacy, make sure VMware Tools is installed and use the VMXNET3 interface.

But as per 1. above if your source VM is faulty, so could the virtual.

Try resetting the network stack.

Ok, I will give that a try - unfortunately the P2V takes about 18 hours to run and I have to do it over a weekend...and they don't want to be down over 24 hours so my window is always tight...thus trying a few test before starting again.

I have even started building a test VM and want to try doing a system state restore with AD, etc... vs. a complete P2V.

Thank you - will keep you posted.

Use the Sync Option, and you can try it out!

i does not matter how long the operation takes, when you have a VM copy, you can test it....just disconnect the virtual nic from the network,

Andrew,

I have not tried that - is that something in the VMware Converter?

Yes....

see my EE Article

HOW TO:  Synchronize changes when completing a P2V or V2V with VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 5.1

Sweet - Thank you!

Andew,

A couple of last questions as I am looking at the sync process.

1) Can I run the converter on a workstation and select remote powered on vs. installing on the server...that is how I normally do the conversion.

2) Can I start the conversion at any time and let it run even when they are working during the 18 hour window?

3) How much will this effect performance of the server being converted since it is a live server?

4) I should make sure the converted VM has the NIC to not power on, is that correct or not to convert it?

Thanks again for your help - gives me hope with the testing and moving the server to a VM.

Andrew was a great help and provided a solution that I believe will work.