This is my checklist for conversions of windows operation systems, along with best practices.
Its not a direct 1,2,3 step because some things are assumed known.
- Windows operating system: Recommended perform a hot migration with VMware Converter installed locally.
- Domain controller :: not recommend virtualizing : build a new one from scratch
- Database server: Exchange, SQL, etc : Stop application (Microsoft Exchange/SQL) and database services prior to conversion. (minimizes any chance of corrupted database tables or stale data)
- Disable the real-time antivirus scanning during the conversion.
- Uninstall Previous versions of vmware converter before installing a new one. Restart before installing newer version.
- TOE NIC: disable recommended : use netsh int tcp set global chimney=disabled
- Need 200 MB minimum of free disk space on its system volume.
- Run VMware Converter as a local administrator.
- ESX host: Connect to the server using its IP address instead of DNS host name. Host name of the ESX host may expose issues with DNS name resolution that can prevent the Converter from connecting.
- ESX host: Confirm source can access destination ESX host directly using ports 443 and 902, even if using VirtualCenter.
- Diagnostic partitions: Do not convert
- Unrecognized file systems. : Do not convert
- If you are experiencing cloning phase failures, do not choose to resize the partitions. (resize is much slower)
- Number of virtual network cards : Leave default NICs unaltered. Change after conversion has completed.
- VMware Tools: Deselect the option to install .
- Customization on the virtual machine: Deselect the option to perform
- virtual NICs: leave all NICs disconnected but present If you need to customize host name or IP.
- Other hardware : Remove any unnecessary devices such as USB controllers , COM ports or floppy drives
- Start the virtual machine in Safe Mode
- Unnecessary hardware programs : Remove hardware management tools like , raid, nic, etc.
- Devices or device drivers: : Remove any additional devices or device drivers that were used to support hardware on the physical server. Use either the Device Manager or Control Panel,
- To remove the hidden devices from the Windows OS use the instructions in the Microsoft KB article 315539.
- Event log: view the Event Log to clear any remaining device startup failure messages.
- CPU change: change the HAL in the virtual machine to uniprocessor if the source server is multi-CPU and the destination virtual machine is a single CPU vm.
- Install VMware Tools
- Customize the virtual machine's identity : if changing , VMware recommends using the Microsoft Sysprep .
- Can also do manually via changing host name, IP address, and other required unique identification.
- Reconnect any disconnected virtual NICs, as required.
- ESXi direct conversions: conversions jobs will fail if the number of disks on the source machine is more than nine . Perform conversions in multiple steps.
- Vcenter conversions: the number of source disks is limited to 23 for ESXi hosts.
- Source has SCSI and IDE disks: Converter only checks the first IDE disk in such configurations. : Converter is unable to detect the system volume if the system volume resides on a SCSI disk.
- Conversion fails if the datastore name contains the @ symbol
- Converter Standalone does not support cloning powered-on Windows Server 2008 sources with FAT/FAT32 volume file system
- Converting Windows Server 2008 images with more than one disk results in all disks being offline except the disk on which the operating system exists
- Do not run more than 20 concurrent conversion jobs.
Conversion Preparation : Windows OS and applications
Conversion Prep : Windows general
Conversion : Destination:
Conversion: Optimizing
Post: Conversion
Other notes:
Taken from ::
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