How to convert a physical machine into a virtual machine image for use in MS Virtual Server or Hyper-V?

Question

I would like to use alternatives to System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008, in other words, any free tools?

Answer 1

Before SCVMM, Microsoft's solution was a Virtual Server Migration Tool . This requires Windows Server 2003 Automated Deployment Services, which in turn can only be installed on Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition. It is about as far from a free tool as you can get. It works only with Service Pack 1 (SP1) and not with Service Pack 2 (unless ADS has been updated since the last update), and you need to get all the fixes that you applied to the physical system.

ADS is limited to four partitions per physical disk because it cannot create extended partitions. If your physical system has more than four partitions, you have a problem.

Once you run it, it really works.

Many disk copying tools, such as Ghost or True Image, can now create .vhd files from the physical system.

Answer 2

Google "Pysical to virtual conversion" or P2V. Several solutions are available. Unfortunately, it sounds as if not many of them have succeeded in the Microsoft solution.

Try the following: 1. Download and install the VMWare converter and follow the instructions to convert the physical machine. 2. Download the VMWare utility for VHD conversion from VMToolkit.com and convert the image.

This did not work for me when I tried it last week, but I think it is because the disk I converted used PGP.

Answer 3

Use VMWare, it's not free, but you can get a decent 30-day trial, which should be enough to make your conversions. VMWare also has other great benefits if you are willing to pay for the product.

Answer 4

First, back up the physical system for the image and convert it to a virtual disk that can be used directly on the virtual machine.

See the article .