Migrate Windows vm from Vmware to Proxmox

pischta

New Member
Nov 9, 2022
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Hi,

I tried to export a Windows 2019 server vm, but it breaks, don't finishes. I tried to migrate it with Rescuezilla, but when I started it on Proxmox, I got BSOD. I think the problem is that the disk controller is different. On the source hypervisor I use LSI Logic SAS controller. I tried with all available SCSI controllers on Proxmox. I installed the virtio drivers before the imaging, but it didn't help. I don't use EFI neither on the source, nor on the target hypervisor. How can I migrate the vm correctly?
 
Hi,

I tried to export a Windows 2019 server vm, but it breaks, don't finishes. I tried to migrate it with Rescuezilla, but when I started it on Proxmox, I got BSOD. I think the problem is that the disk controller is different. On the source hypervisor I use LSI Logic SAS controller. I tried with all available SCSI controllers on Proxmox. I installed the virtio drivers before the imaging, but it didn't help. I don't use EFI neither on the source, nor on the target hypervisor. How can I migrate the vm correctly?

Its german but could help: https://www.thomas-krenn.com/de/wik...von_VMware_zu_Proxmox_VE?xtxsearchselecthit=1

Please post your vm-config. How did you manage the migration?
 
I write again because I have to migrate several vms, and I have problem with the next Windows 2019 vm. It started with sata controller, but I get bsod when I change the controller to virtio scsi. As I know the performance of the virtio scsi controller is much better than the sata controller, so I would like to change the vm's controller to virtio scsi.
The vm config now is:
agent: 1,fstrim_cloned_disks=1
boot: order=sata0
cores: 4
ide2: local:iso/rescuezilla-2.4.2-64bit.jammy.iso,media=cdrom,size=1174026K
memory: 16384
name: flora
net0: virtio=5A:9B:02:8F:D5:C9,bridge=vmbr0,firewall=1
onboot: 1
ostype: win10
sata0: cx400n2-zfs:112/vm-112-disk-0.qcow2,cache=writeback,size=100G
scsihw: virtio-scsi-single
smbios1: uuid=737d76c2-176a-49b5-a973-6eb99cdeba65
vmgenid: 4269728e-0b08-400e-8cac-426e4666ab60
 
@pischta have you tried using a scsi controller, adding a temporary virtio-scsi disk (temporary) and then boot windows? If this works, you need to install virtio-drivers then, reboot. I tried it the last time with:


Code:
# sets ovmf bios for VM 101
root@pve-01:~/VMS/JS-AD-01# qm set 101 --bios ovmf
update VM 101: -bios ovmf

# This changes all scsi disks to sata disks
root@pve-01:~/VMS/JS-AD-01# sed -i 's/scsi/sata/g' /etc/pve/qemu-server/101.conf

# Then change VMs controller from LSI 53C895A to VirtIO-SCSI (via UI)
# Add a temporary second disk, that uses virtio-scsi
# Boot Windows
# Install Drivers
# Shutdown Windows
# Detach temporary disk

# Switch all disks from sata to scsi
root@pve-01:/mnt/pve/cephfs# sed -i 's/sata/scsi/g' /etc/pve/qemu-server/101.conf

# Boot with your virtio-scsi windows boot-disk :-)
 
Last edited:
You can also install virtio-drivers on the Windows Server before launching the migration to Proxmox.

Those wont get included in the boot-process or what does this help for?
 
I've migrated several Windows 2019 VMs over from vmware to ProxMox and most booted up without issues. Strange behavior that 3 VMs out of so many refused to boot properly. For testing I switched them to OVMF (UEFI) and it booted up without issues. Strange part is they never been setup to use boot UEFI but it worked. Gotta love Windows.
 
Since I migrated more vms successfully, following the linked process, so I had problem with only one vm.