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Convert Physical machine to Virtual machine

Have a Physical machine that we want to clone into a VM to use in a test environment, The physical machine will stay in service, can this be done and have the virtual machine be renamed?

Dirk Strauss

Yes, you can create a VM from a physical machine. I did it once many years back using VMWare. Today there are really a lot of options available to you. Have a look at How to convert a physical server to a Hyper-V VM
Also have a look at Create a Virtual Machine Clone of Your Existing Windows Hard Drive

If you want a free alternative, look at using VirtualBox.

Leadtheway

ASKER

yeah i know how to p2v a physical machine, but usually that is under the premise that the physical machine is going to be replaced, I still need to keep this in production while using the clone in test. So i'd need to change the name etc if its allowable. Not sure if taking off domain and readding with generate new SID

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

Yes, it can be converted to a VM.

P2V can be done for VMware vSphere and Hyper-V.

All you have to do, is change the name of the VM, give it a new MAC Address and IP Address and your DONE! Add to domain!

(do this after the P2V, and make sure it's not on the network, otherwise you'll break the Original!)

You do not need to change the SID! Adding to the DOMAIN will create a new Domain SID for your CLONE. This is a DOMAIN SID, and not a Machine SID, the Machine SID will remain the same as the original, but will not interfere with the original!

What function does this server currently perform, because changing name, removing from domain, may cause issues with current......software applications.

Some articles I've written to help you...

for VMware...

HOW TO: FAQ VMware P2V Troubleshooting

HOW TO: P2V, V2V for FREE - VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 6.1

for Hyper-V

HOW TO: P2V, V2V for FREE to Hyper-V - Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter 3.1

HOW TO: Convert a physical server or virtual server (P2V/V2V) to Microsoft Hyper-V using Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter 3.1

HOW TO: Migrate physical, virtual and cloud based workloads with real-time replication to VMware vSphere (ESXi) using Double-Take MOVE

HOW TO: Perform a Physical to Virtual (P2V) Conversion the easy way from a computer backup (image).

Leadtheway

ASKER

its a user workstation that we need to test application on in our test environment, when it creates the virtual machine doesn't it get a new MAC since it will be a vmware mac id? so i can put the NIC in a different vlan, put in workgroup, then change back to the correct vlan and add to domain while changing the name.. ?

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

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