Importing VM from ESXi 5.1

[WaelS]

Hi
My installation is for home use and I am completely new to Proxmox. I have a Windows 8.1 machine with 2 virtual HDDs. I exported them to OVF which generated 4 files:
- Win8-DS1.mf
- Win8-DS1.ovf
- Win8-DS1-disk1.vmdk
- Win8-DS1-disk2.vmdk

From my windows machine, I created a folder Uploads on the root directory, then I used WinSCP to upload all of the above to the Uploads folder.
I then used the commands below to upload the files.

qm importdisk 100 Win8-DS1-disk1.vmdk local-lvm -format qcow2
qm importdisk 100 Win8-DS1-disk2.vmdk local-lvm -format qcow2

I then deleted the existing HDD from my newly created Proxmox VM with ID 100 and added those 2 virtual HDDs to it. I tried SCSI, SATA and IDE. None of them boots up. I even reversed which one is HDD0 and which is HDD1. I also made sure that the drives are setup in the boot order.

What am I missing? I figured I have to import something from the ovf file, but not sure if that is correct and how to do it.

Any help is appreciated. As I mentioned this is for home setup so I can't afford a subscription.
Thanks

PS: My setup was inspired by the link below

https://www.itsfullofstars.de/2019/...ontains the VM definition,the vm disk (vmdk).

 

[fluxX04]

Hi,

your are almost there
Upload your files you have got from VMware to the Proxmox host and run this command in the directory:
qm importovf 100 Win8-DS1.ovf local-lvm --format qcow2

This command creates a new VM with the ID 100 and imports the referenced vmdk disk from the .ovf file to your local-lvm storage as qcow2 format.

Windows needs additional drivers to use SCSI, so at the moment use SATA for your HDD.

Proxmox docs to migrate from VMware: https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Migration_of_servers_to_Proxmox_VE#VMware

Greetz

 

[Dominic]

Hi,

both importovf and importdisk should work. Roughly, importovf = (create VM + importdisk).

Remark: The parameter qcow2 on (thin) LVM storages will be ignored in importovf & importdisk. For (thin) LVM storages Proxmox VE only supports raw images.

Have you tried changing BIOS/UEFI for the VM already?
Could you please post your VM configuration?

qm config 100

 

[WaelS]

I tried the command that fluxX04 suggested, but I initially had issues, so I decided to delete the VM completely and use his command again with no VM. This time it worked and it mounted the drives automatically. Now when I try to start the machine, I get what looks like a Windows 10 logo in the beginning with the loading circle and everything and then it stops with the error "Can't connect to server".

I tried to change the bios from SeaBios to OVMF, but that didn't even start.
Dominic, I am not sure what you mean by changing the BIOS/UEFI. Do you mean what I just mentioned or actually go inside the proxmox bios configuration and make changes? If it was the latter I am not sure what to do.

I tried a third time and this time it launched Windows Automatic Repair and I got the attached screen.

Last login: Tue May 25 20:28:00 EDT 2021 on pts/0
Linux pve 5.4.106-1-pve #1 SMP PVE 5.4.106-1 (Fri, 19 Mar 2021 11:08:47 +0100) x86_64

The programs included with the Debian GNU/Linux system are free software;
the exact distribution terms for each program are described in the
individual files in /usr/share/doc/*/copyright.

Debian GNU/Linux comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY, to the extent
permitted by applicable law.
root@pve:~# qm config 100
boot: order=scsi0
cores: 1
memory: 8192
name: Windows81-DS1
scsi0: local-lvm:vm-100-disk-0
scsi1: local-lvm:vm-100-disk-1
smbios1: uuid=309425c8-2567-4e25-9240-c88f2647d2ca
vmgenid: 2cc790d3-54e0-4c35-b92b-0124b853548d

 

[fluxX04]

Hi,

this is mostly because you are using SCSI for your HDD and windows cannot boot - try to detach, re-add the HDD with SATA again or use the command
sed -i 's/scsi/sata/g' /etc/pve/qemu-server/100.conf - and start the VM again.
For SCSI you need the VirtIO drivers which you can install afterwards.

Greetz

 

[Dominic]

Changing Seabios/OVMF is what i meant
@fluxX04's command should work

 

[WaelS]

I detached, changed to SATA and restarted and I was able to see the login screen. I couldn't login, then I realized it didn't import my network card, so I added one. I still can't RDP into it, so I tried to login to windows from the console, but after 15-30 seconds, it crashes and turns off.
So at this point I get to the Windows login, but I can't actually login. The network icon in Windows seem to be there.