Hello
What is the easiest way to move VMs ( that I used with VM workstation 6) to esx4.1 host?
my vsphere client is HP laptop connected to router, which has connections to esx host.

what am trying now is right click on datastore and copying files, but its very slow and time consuming. Any comments? Thanks.

Manny

AMD Athlon II X4 620 Processor / M4A78T-E Motherboard, AM3 processor.
- 8 GB RAM
- WD Caviar Green WD10EARS 1TB 5400 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s
- Intel PWLA8391GT 10/ 100/ 1000Mbps PCI PRO/1000 GT

I finished copying, but am not able to view the vm under virtual machines tab. So this is incorrect. Ay comments?

Workstation and ESXi do not share a compatable virtual disk format. That said, we can mostlikely just convert the copy you've made so don't delete it just yet.

For most VM conversions I use VMware Converter. It's a free download from VMware.

For the existing copy you've made I would do this.
1) Create a new VM on the ESXi host.
2) Edit the VM and delete the virtual hard drive (choose the option to delete the disk file).
3) Access the tech support console on the host (SSH is fine as well).
4) Use the vmkfstools command to copy the virtual disk that you copied to the host. The format will be vmkfstools -i /sourcepath/source.vmdk /destinationpath/destination.vmdk

The source path will be something like /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/<folder>/. For the destination path use /vmfs/volumes/<your datastore>/<your newly created VM folder>

5) If it copies OK, then edit the VM and add a new virtual disk. Use the option to select an existing disk file..
6) Boot up the VM.

Hello Dave
I have more than one VMDKs in source path.

Windows XP Professional.vmdk
Windows XP Professional-0001.vmdk
Windows XP Professional-0002.vmdk.

I believe you meant the first one, Windows XP Professional.vmdk. Will it copy all other vmdks, if I specify this only one?

Dave
Both methods works without problems. i should have used the thin option using -d? I think it created thick disks by default.

Anyways, lessons learned. Thanks.

Can you please answer my question that I posted in whitebox section?

Thanks in advance.

Looks like the source VM has snapshots on it. You'll want to commit the snapshots and then recopy it (preferably with VMware Converter). VMware Converter might work with the snapshots in place if you need to keep them. I've never tested that nor looked into that scenario.

I should have checked it earlier before I posted it. Yes, the source VM has snapshots

Method-1: use vmware converter
Method-2: using vmfkstools

using method-1, I got the latest snapshot, which is good, But I lost all other snapshots. (when I goto snapshot manager, I see nothing)Question 1: How can I tell vmware converter to respect all snapshots and bring it to esx.

using Method-2, I got the vmdk, what I choose. So when i choose "Windows XP Professional.vmdk" from the list below

Windows XP Professional.vmdk
Windows XP Professional-0001.vmdk
Windows XP Professional-0002.vmdk.

I got the OLDEST snapshot, which I dont need at all.