VM server..Baffled!

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Hi,
Have VMWare server setup with 1 x XP Pro, 1 x 2003 server sitting on XP pro machine with a couple of questions if I may?

Can I simply "clone" the virtual XP image to create a 2nd virtual xp machine, likewise the 2003 image to save all the install time?

Can I migrate all machines over to an external USB HDD without having to install all above again?

Thanx

G

 

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there is an option to clone machine within the settings. or you can just copy and paste onto the ext hdd if you like, but just make sure you have not got vmware open when you are copying...

hope this helps.

 

Thanc mr.cheeks.
Did search for the clone setting with no joy, will need to looks again!if I simply copy/paste the virtual files to the usb drive then redirect in settings would that do the job for the migration?

Again thanx

 

yes.... well it did in virtual pc, im assuming the same in vmware...

 

Im sure i addressed this somewhere else recently, im currently using some free wireless in a hotel waiting for my cab so dont have too much time to dig it up

you can move vms to an external hard disk with no problem, one of vmwares plus points is server portability, hardware independant, storage independant! thats half the power

copying the directories and making new vms from them works to a point
you must remember to sysprep the new images, or place the first in a sysprepped state first and then duplicate it

check my blog out, the very first (or maybe second) post was about doing exactly this (Title is VMware Fast Food)

 

Sorted, great info on your site Phoenix..

Have followed your advice, run sysprep in shutdown mode, copied directory of XP machine but when I go into the dierctory to rename files I have several of each filetype. I changed them, accordingly but it errors when trying to open the virtual machine so wondering which files I edit?

8,664 nvram
20,826 vmware-0.log
23,041 vmware-1.log
25,262 vmware-2.log
21,044 vmware.log
261,947,392 Windows XP Professional-000002.vmdk
8,589,934,592 Windows XP Professional-flat.vmdk
268,435,456 windows xp professional-Snapshot1.vmem
17,903,500 windows xp professional-Snapshot1.vmsn
362 Windows XP Professional.vmdk
488 Windows XP Professional.vmsd
914 Windows XP Professional.vmx

Hope you can help again...

G

 

Hi Phoenix,
Forget the above post, wiped the vitual disks reinstalled XP and done it again with some success although the "cloned" XP hasnt prmpted me for the Key even though I did check the "regenerate" option in Sysprep.

It seems to be running OK, maybe I will leave and see what happens when I join them to my LAB domain..

Thanx anyway, much appreciated, much to learn!

G

PS - Do you know why they both have different subnets by default? I take it I can change this via DHCP to enable them to talk to the domain?

 

Me again,
Excuse my stupidity! I now have my home LAB setup with VMWare server, diagram attached [dont laugh! ]

Can someone tell me what ethernet setting I need for all VMs to allow the XP clients to join the domain? I cant seem to join the XP machines to the domain as they cant find the server, in fact they cant even ping the server. This is so easy with standalone machines/domains but I cant seem to grasp VMWare!

If not, can I simply create a standalone domain with just the server & 2 XP machines obtaining IP from the DHCP server? I'm not too bothered about them having internet access which is via the host machine, but each time I disable the wireless NIC on the host I get network errors on the VM cards?

Am I making any sense, I've turned to the whisky in my desperation!
G

 

Hi mate
nice diagram

make sure all your virtual machines are using Bridged Networking
this should get them all started

the fact you cant ping is a bit odd
make sure that the 2k3 box doesnt have the firewall enabled or anything
if there all having bridged networking then the problem is very unlikely to be with the vmware networking and more likely just an oversight on a network address set up somewhere!

 

Hmm! What version of Visio are you using, 2000 doesnt seem to have the same icons as you use?

Thanx for your answer, I will fire it up in the morning and check the NICs again? To be honest mate I just wanna get this up & running so I can crack on with the studying before summer arrives and the sun/wine takes me away!

Can I use the 2003DC & 2 XPs independantly of the host XP machine & the wireless router?

Appreciate your time, it must test your patience..

G

G

 

yes mate, but without routing you would lose the internet access

if you set all three to 'host only' they will only be pingable from the host machine and will (by default) have some 192.168.x.x address range


I use Visio 2007, but my diagrams that you are mentioning were done in 2003
2000 and 2002 i didnt like all that much

 

Thats what you would use Host Only for mate

Host would be on the 10.x range
all VMs would be on 192.168.x range

the Host will have an additional virtual network card installed with the 192.168.x range so it can ping the vms
but no other device on the 10.x range can see them

Theres also a VMware Networking guide part 1 on my blog, hope thats of some use

 

I could be wrong, but I don't think your DNS is correct from looking at that diagram. The DNS address for VM_DC1 is set to the address of your router (which is obviously handling DNS for your internet connection). I think the IP for the DNS on VM_DC1 should be 10.10.10.10 and then set the DNS server on VM_DC1 to forward to the address of your router.

 

Argggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh
I'm going bezerk trying to figure this out even after reading endless stuff about VMWare and the excellent description on your blog phoenix, I am still missing something!

Situation now..
Host - 192.168.45.123 [LAN NIC]

VM all machines set to "Host Only", I have changed VMnet1 to 192.168.168.0 and DHCP is enabled.

VM_XP1 192.168.168.10 [STATIC]
VM_DC1 192.168.168.2 [STATIC] / DNS & DHCP active

I can ping both machines from each other using DNS name & IPs yet I cant join client to domain as it cant find record?

In a last ditch attempt to restoremy sanity here is the message received when attempoting to join the domain VNET

The domain name vnet might be a NetBIOS domain name. If this is the case, verify that the domain name is properly registered with WINS.
If you are certain that the name is not a NetBIOS domain name, then the following information can help you troubleshoot your DNS configuration.
The following error occurred when DNS was queried for the service location (SRV) resource record used to locate a domain controller for domain vnet:

The error was: "This operation returned because the timeout period expired."
(error code 0x000005B4 ERROR_TIMEOUT)
The query was for the SRV record for _ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.vnet

The DNS servers used by this computer for name resolution are not responding. This computer is configured to use DNS servers with the following IP addresses:
192.168.168.2

Verify that this computer is connected to the network, that these are the correct DNS server IP addresses, and that at least one of the DNS servers is running.

Also heres the NIC setup on VM_XP1 & VM_DC1

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : vm_xp1
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : VMware Accelerated AMD PCNet Adapter

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0C-29-68-82-50
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.168.10
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.168.2
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.168.2


Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : vm_dc1
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : VNET.CO.UK
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : VNET.CO.UK CO.UK

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : VMware Accelerated AMD PCNet Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0C-29-36-69-39
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.168.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.168.2
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.168.2

All looks OK to me?