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Physical to virtual machine

  • 27-03-2009 4:10pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,212 ✭✭✭✭


    Can it be done? If so, how?

    We have a couple of older development machines (Win 2k and Win 2K3) that are rarely used, but consuming loads of electricity.

    So I am thinking of cloning them to virtual machines, so they can be powered on when needed.

    (I do realise I can simply power off the physical machines and power them back on when needed, but I reckon this would be an interesting project)


Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,300 ✭✭✭CiaranC


    http://www.vmware.com/products/converter/

    Platespin have a nice tool too


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,606 ✭✭✭Jumpy


    What Virtual system do you use? VMware?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,694 ✭✭✭Dingatron


    Good question that. I'm looking at attempting something similar for an old w2k server I have. Need to create a vcd of it and I found makevm http://www.sysdevsoftware.com/soft/makevm.php but haven't looked into it enough yet. What about ghosting it and installing it in a newly created virtual machine? Not sure if that's a runner. I'd be interested to hear peoples experiences.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,517 ✭✭✭axer


    You can do that with Microsoft's Virtual PC I believe.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,089 ✭✭✭✭_Kaiser_


    We did this recently using Microsoft's System Centre suite to migrate a box to Hyper-V under Server 2008.

    Went painlessly. Mostly just going through the wizard.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 721 ✭✭✭stakey


    I'll second Kaiser2000, Hyper-V and SCVMM (System Centre Virtual Machine Manager) will have you consolidating your physicals to virtual very easily.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,212 ✭✭✭✭Tom Dunne


    Jumpy wrote: »
    What Virtual system do you use? VMware?

    MS Virtual Server.
    axer wrote: »
    You can do that with Microsoft's Virtual PC I believe.

    Yeah, eventually found something on that. But your Virtual Server install needs to be on Enterprise Edition of W2K3 or higher. We, cheapskates that we are, are on Standard Edition.
    stakey wrote: »
    I'll second Kaiser2000, Hyper-V and SCVMM (System Centre Virtual Machine Manager) will have you consolidating your physicals to virtual very easily.

    I'll give it a look so, thanks.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,813 ✭✭✭BaconZombie


    For the 2K box's tried VMWare Converter first since it's free, but if you run into problems Platespin works 99% of the time with not problem but you do have to pay for it.
    CiaranC wrote: »
    http://www.vmware.com/products/converter/

    Platespin have a nice tool too


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 546 ✭✭✭abakan


    Norton ghost has an option to let you convert the drive to a virtual drive so u can load it into VMWare etc


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 93,604 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Add drivers needed for the virtual PC's to the real PC's
    Check that the HAL levels are compatible and edit Boot.ini if necessary to point to the appropiate HAL file
    Backup the PC's with Ntbackup do a full ASR if possible
    install a clean install on windows in the virtual machine with all drivers needed and patch to the same service pack level as the real machines
    restore the ntbackup and choose the option to not overwrite newer files


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 355 ✭✭francosp


    I use Sun's xVM Virtualbox

    http://www.virtualbox.org/


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2 Bit 64


    Could be done by:
    1) "Snapshot" image of the system (http://www.drivesnapshot.de/en/)
    2) Create a new MS Virtual PC;
    3) Boot your Virtual PC from a Bart-PE CD and restore an image to the virtual PC;


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