Convert sata to IDE/VIRTIO

[Kamyk]

Hello,

I have a lot of VM's with Linux systems on them. Somebody created SATA like a disk and i have problem with migrate it from one node to other. With IDE/VIRTIO i don't have that problem.

How can i change SATA to IDE for example without reinstall system?

Thank you for help and answer.

Best,
Rafal - Kamyk

 

[m.ardito]

you just have to "reconnect" the existing disks. through the web gui or perhaps editing the config files.
Then each VM must be stopped and started (not just restarted).

Marco

 

[Kamyk]

What do you mean reconnect? I can only remove it, but i will lost all data there. How can i change it in linux env.?

Best,
Rafal

 

[m.ardito]

no, if you simply remove a connected disk it will be listed as "unused".
only removing an "unused" disk really destroys data.
you can "edit" the unused disk and reconnect changing channel type and number, as well as other settings.

note: if you're testing, backup the vm (with all disks) first.

Marco

 

[Kamyk]

Sorry for that questions: but how can i do it? In Proxmox GUI i can go to VM and next Hardwer. And click on disk and i have only: Add / Remove / Edit / Resize / Move / Throttle. If i use Remove i will remove disk. There is nothing like Unused.

Best,
Rafal

 

[m.ardito]

no, if you click "remove" the disk will not be "destroyed", it will be listed below, as "unused", as I said above.

perhaps that label button could be changed to "detach" or "disconnect", when an used disk is selected, as this is what it does.
and perhaps it should be "destroy" on a "detached" (unused) disk, just to be more clear...

[edit]
when you click "remove" on a used disk you get a confirm request saying "Are you sure you want to remove entry 'Hard Disk (ide0)'"
when you click "remove" on an unused disk you get a confirm request saying "Are you sure you want to remove entry 'Unused Disk 0' This will permanently erase all image data."

Marco

 

[m.ardito]

anyway, for completeness's sake I just tested:

in the vm conf file, say /etc/pve/qemu-server/700.conf

you can simply change the channel type and save, eg: from

virtio0: storagename:vm-700-disk-1,size=32G

to

ide0: storagename:vm-700-disk-1,size=32G

and after stop+start it works, but remember to change boot disk info there or in the web gui!
because the boot order is specified through channel type+order, like

bootdisk: virtio0

in the example above change this line also to

bootdisk: ide0

otherwise your vm could be unable to boot.

Marco

 

[jmar83]

"no, if you simply remove a connected disk it will be listed as "unused".
only removing an "unused" disk really destroys data.
you can "edit" the unused disk and reconnect changing channel type and number, as well as other settings."


That is COMPLETELY wrong!! I've disconnected (remove a used disk) which will results a unused disk will be leaved.

A "re-connecting" of that unused disk with a new controller type (sata, virtio, scsi) will result in a blue screen or system recovery (depends from the used option of controller type) in my Windows Server 2008 R2.

Now i need to reinstall because of that!!!!

The proxmox version i use is Virtual Environment 4.4-1/eb2d6f1e and a linux 4.8.0 kernel.

Regards,
Jan

 

[jmar83]

Reverting to the original state (IDE) does also not solve the problem... Windows system recovery is what i get!

Regards, Jan

 

[dietmar]

That is COMPLETELY wrong!!

No, this is true. But if you re-add the disk using another controller some OS runs into troubles (for some unknown reason).

 

[jmar83]

OK, so maybe it's partially wrong!

But why does reverting to IDE (that was original and working before!) not solve the problem anymore? The problem still persists after reverting to IDE.

Regards, Jan

 

[alexskysilk]

The most likely explanation is that you've tried to "repair" the windows installation; typically when you get the inaccessible boot device error no harm is caused to the underlying file system, and switching it back to ide would work. In any event, snapshots are your friends.

If you're able to boot using ide, the simplest way to get virtio functionality in your Windows install is to add a dummy virtio disk, install the drivers, and that should be it.

 

[LnxBil]

Now i need to reinstall because of that!!!!

Why have you tried that on a production system without a snapshot or even a backup? That's really careless.
We're living in a almost fully virtual life here, just install or clone machine just for your tests.

 

[jmar83]

Yes - but snapshots are NOT the solution for my question/problem!

There wasn't any important data on that VM, and to leave it by IDE was no option. So i had no choice. The only one way was just to reinstall...

Another question: How can i use a signature in this forum?

Regards, Jan

 

[LnxBil]

Yes - but snapshots are NOT the solution for my question/problem!

Yes, I know. But you stated another problem (Windows does not boot anymore) that would have been prevented by a snapshot or backup.

Another question: How can i use a signature in this forum?

As far as I understand it: only by buying a subscription.

 

[jmar83]

Thank you for your feedback!

Regards, Jan

 

[alex purser]

well i can safely say im none the wiser having read the above - although one thing i will certainly be doing while i work this out for myself is taking a cold backup of my guest vm! ;-)