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Rad Community Technical Discussion Boards (Computer Hardware + PC Software) >> Norton Ghost 15, 14, 12, 10, 9, + Norton Save + Restore (NS+R) >> Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
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Message started by Brian on Jul 19th, 2007 at 12:47am

Title: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by Brian on Jul 19th, 2007 at 12:47am
Has anyone got this to work? I created a .vmdk file from a .v2i file. That's what it's supposed to do. But this file won't open in VMPlayer. VMPlayer requires a .vmx which is not present.

I tried the Microsoft equivalent prog a few weeks ago. I can't remember the file types but something similar happened.


Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by Pleonasm on Jul 19th, 2007 at 11:45am
Brian, concerning the physical-to-virtual (P2V) conversion for VMware, I find it odd that the feature exists in Norton Ghost 12 at all.  Isn’t it the case that VMware can open a .SV2I file directly?  If that is accurate, then a P2V conversion from .V2I to .VMX is unnecessary - right?

Lookin’ forward to hearing more about your experiments in this realm.

P.S.:      Note that Backup Exec System Recovery Desktop 7.0 also has the V2P capability - i.e., the ability to convert a virtual machine to .V2I files that can be restored onto physical hardware.  Sounds quite intriguing!

Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by Brian on Jul 19th, 2007 at 2:18pm

Pleonasm wrote on Jul 19th, 2007 at 11:45am:
Isn’t it the case that VMware can open a .SV2I file directly?  

Pleonasm,

That's correct. But I can't get it to work either. It errors out very early in the process.

Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by Dan Goodell on Jul 19th, 2007 at 11:33pm
"I created a .vmdk file from a .v2i file. That's what it's supposed to do. But this file won't open in VMPlayer. VMPlayer requires a .vmx which is not present."

Brian,

As you may know, a vmdk is a virtual hard disk, while a vmx is the config file for the virtual machine itself.  A vmdk without a vmx is like a hard disk without a computer--and just about as useful.  The vmx is what VMware Player needs to launch, but there won't be one if all you're doing is directly converting a virtual hard disk.

I believe there should always be at least two vmdk files--one is the config file and the other is the actual virtual disk contents.  When you do the conversion, do you end up with the pair, or is there just one vmdk file?

As for the vmx file, that's the way VMware crippled Player: you cannot create or alter a virtual machine.  That means you'll need something other than Player to create the vmx in which to use your new vmdk.

The usual remedy is to create a new vmx in something like VMware Server and attach the vmdk as part of its configuration, and then you can play that vmx in Player.  (For those who don't know, you don't have to create a new vmdk when you create a vmx--you can use an existing vmdk.)

Since the vmx is a simple text file, another workaround might be to duplicate the vmx from another virtual machine and use notepad to change the name of the vmdk it should use.

Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by Brian on Jul 19th, 2007 at 11:58pm

Dan Goodell wrote on Jul 19th, 2007 at 11:33pm:
When you do the conversion, do you end up with the pair, or is there just one vmdk file?

Dan,

Just a single vmdk file. Well, Ghost 12 hasn't done us any favors if that file won't work. I'll try your vmx edit.


Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by Brian on Jul 20th, 2007 at 2:06am
No luck. I also tried the free VMware Server. I'll wait until someone discovers whether Ghost 12 really makes something that works easily.

Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by Dan Goodell on Jul 20th, 2007 at 2:25am
Just a single vmdk file. Well, Ghost 12 hasn't done us any favors if that file won't work. I'll try your vmx edit."

Well, editing a vmx file won't help if you don't have a valid vmdk for it to use.  I don't know if a vmdk can be valid without its descriptor file, so if Ghost creates only a single file, it may be worthless.

For illustration, the virtual disk I created for my Ubuntu vm consists of three files: ubuntu.vmdk, ubuntu-s001.vmdk, and ubuntu-s002.vmdk.  The latter two are the contents of the disk, while the first is a text file with the following lines:
    # Disk DescriptorFile
    version=1
    CID=5c70fd2d
    parentCID=ffffffff
    createType="twoGbMaxExtentSparse"

    # Extent description
    RW 4192256 SPARSE "Ubuntu-s001.vmdk"
    RW 2099200 SPARSE "Ubuntu-s002.vmdk"

    # The Disk Data Base
    #DDB

    ddb.virtualHWVersion = "4"
    ddb.geometry.cylinders = "6241"
    ddb.geometry.heads = "16"
    ddb.geometry.sectors = "63"
    ddb.adapterType = "ide"
    ddb.toolsVersion = "6530"


Like a partition table descriptor describes an actual partition, this vmdk descriptor file describes the actual virtual disk (which I chose to split across two files because of its size).  The ubuntu.vmdk descriptor file is what is specified in the vmx file as the hard disk the vm is to use.  I don't know if it's possible to use a raw vmdk without its descriptor file.

(Lest we're giving anyone the wrong impression, we should remind lurkers that we're only discussing Ghost 12's supposed ability to directly convert a v2i file to vmdk.  One should keep in mind that Ghost 12 can always be used the old-fashioned way: create a vm with a blank vmdk, then boot the vm from the Ghost CD, and restore the v2i image to the vmdk, just like a real hard disk.)

Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by mustang on Jul 20th, 2007 at 8:20am
Brian, I suggest you use the Microsoft format for the conversion to a virtual disk (vhd). VirtualPC 2004 and 2007 can now be downloaded for free from Microsoft. Then use VirtualPC to set up a new VM using the existing converted hard disk.

BTW, I followed the prcedure through using VMware Workstation 6.0 to create a new VM using the converted vmdk disk from Backup Exec System Recovery 7.0 Desktop Edition. It worked for a WinXP image. Upon first boot it ran the Microsoft Sysprep mini-setup. Of course, WinXP requires re-activation within 3 days.


Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by Pleonasm on Jul 20th, 2007 at 1:26pm
Brian, based upon your tests, it appears that a user needs a full copy of VMware Workstation ($189) and not just VMware Player ($0) in order to open a Norton Ghost 9/10/12 recovery point as a virtual machine.  I seem to recall, however, that several months ago you were successful in doing exactly this with a Norton Ghost 10 recovery point and the VMware Player - am I mistaken?  Has something changed with VMware Player and/or Norton Ghost 12?

The VMware Converter product (included with VMware Workstation 6.0) may be one solution to the problem -- see VMware Converter User’s Manual.

By the way, the free Microsoft VirtualPC tool can’t host a 64-bit operating system, whereas VMware Workstation has this capability.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dan, have you actually tested the procedure of restoring a Norton Ghost 12 recovery point onto a VMware virtual machine?  In theory, it should work - but does it?  Any words of wisdom on issues/considerations?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Mustang, I am curious:  have you tested the virtual-to-physical (V2P) capabilities of Backup Exec System Recovery 7.0 Desktop Edition?

Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by Brian on Jul 20th, 2007 at 3:24pm
All,

No matter what I do, I see this error message in VMware Player. "The Virtual disk was created as a SCSI disk with SCSI geometries. It cannot be used as an IDE disk."

Mustang,

I tried Microsoft VirtualPC a month or two ago and had no success. I have Backup Exec System Recovery 7.0 Desktop Edition but it produces the same error as Ghost 12. How did you do it?

Pleonasm,

That wasn't me with the Ghost 10 recovery point.


Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by mustang on Jul 20th, 2007 at 4:12pm
Brian,

I tested with VPC2004. It was simple.

1. Start the console.
2. Hit the New button and Next.
3. Choose "Use default settings to create a virtual machine (select a hard disk later.)" and Next.
4. Name the machine and Next.
5. Finish.

In the settings window highlight Hard Disk 1.
Hit the virtual hard disk file button and browse to your convered hard disk.
Start the VM.
First boot will run sysprep mini-setup.

With VMware Workstation it was a little more difficult. You need to create a new VM using the "Custom" option. This will allow you to select an existing virtual hard disk later in the process. When you are given the choice of SCSI adapters, choose the LSI Logic not the BusLogic adapter. This is what Symantec used in the conversion process. I only found this out after the first try. There was no way of knowing what type of disk or adapter was being used as the conversion was happening. This agrees with your results that the converted disk is SCSI. When you get to the hard disk selection, choose to use the existing converted disk.

The VMware Converter will not be of any help here. All it is doing is part of the conversion job Backup Exec does. In fact I tried to use it and it produced an error saying it did not recognize the format. It could be that my converter is out of date and is only able to handle the Ghost 10 format.

Pleonasm,

I have not tested V2P with Backup Exec System Recovery 7.0, but will look into that and post back if I have any success.

Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by mustang on Jul 20th, 2007 at 4:31pm
Pleonasm,

I don't see the capability to convert a VM to .V2I files. If you mean installing Backup Exec in a VM then running a backup and restoring that backup to a physical machine, I'm not willing to try that. Symantec is very stingy with the activations. If you mean something else, please explain further.

Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by Pleonasm on Jul 20th, 2007 at 5:50pm
Mustang, with respect to a virtual-to-physical conversion:


Quote:
{Backup Exec System Recovery} Leverages the power of virtualization, enabling seamless physical to virtual (P2V) and virtual to physical (V2P) conversions to VMware® ESX Server, VMware Server (formerly GSX Server), VMware Workstation, and Microsoft® Virtual Server disk formats.
Source:  Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery

Unfortunately, I don't see any reference to V2P conversions in the Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery User's Guide.

So, what does Symantec have in mind when they talk about V2P?

Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by Pleonasm on Jul 20th, 2007 at 5:55pm
Mustang, please see Virtual Machine to Physical Machine Migration.

Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by Pleonasm on Jul 20th, 2007 at 6:00pm
Brian, I had in mind your VMware experience as reported this thread (Reply #3).

Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by mustang on Jul 20th, 2007 at 7:03pm
Pleonasm,

Looks like the only way is to install Backup Exec in the VM. There are two limitations at work here. First, there is no way to run a backup from the Recovery Environment. Second, Backup Exec needs to see that it was installed in the image for the Restore Anyware feature to work. When I first got the product, I tried to test the Restore Anyware feature using a previously created Ghost 12 image. The option was not present. I had to create a new image with Backup Exec and that unlocked the Restore Anyware feature.

Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by Brian on Jul 20th, 2007 at 11:38pm

mustang wrote on Jul 20th, 2007 at 4:12pm:
Start the VM.
First boot will run sysprep mini-setup.

Mustang, just after starting VM, on the second page I think, there was "Reboot and Select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device". Am I thick?

Pleonasm, your memory is better than mine.

Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by Dan Goodell on Jul 21st, 2007 at 12:35am
"Dan, have you actually tested the procedure of restoring a Norton Ghost 12 recovery point onto a VMware virtual machine?"

Well, actually no.  (As you may recall, I don't use Ghost 9-12.)  However, I have done restores from images of real partitions to existing virtual disks (both VMware and VPC) with Ghost 2003, Drive Image 2002, BootIt-NG, Savepart, and even Ghost 9 (which I tried just to prove it would work).  IIRC, I've seen others on the vmware and vpc newsgroups who have also restored images using Ghost 9, Ghost 10, and True Image.  Everything is pretty straightforward and uneventful--it all works like it's designed to.

I would expect Ghost 12 to work just as easily, and haven't heard any evidence to the contrary.  From inside the virtual machine, everything is pretty plain-jane, so I can't imagine anything that would give Ghost 12 trouble.  It would be kind of ironic if Ghost 12 is somehow less functional than all the older stuff, wouldn't it?



Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by mustang on Jul 21st, 2007 at 5:40am
Brian,

I don't know exactly what you did, but it sounds like a MBR issue. Try booting the VM with a Win98 startup disk and use fdisk /mbr.

Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by Brian on Jul 21st, 2007 at 6:43am
Mustang,

I tried fdisk /mbr but received the same error as above after ctrl/alt/del.

It may be due to the way I imaged. I'm multi-booting with two WinXPs. I imaged the second WinXP from the first while the second was a hidden partition. This is OK if you want to restore the image but may not be OK for a Virtual Disk. I'll redo the whole project on one of the kids' computers that have a single OS.

Any progress with making a BartPE plugin for BESR?

Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by Brian on Jul 21st, 2007 at 4:07pm
Mustang,

I dreamt about the MBR last night and awoke with the answer. The "partition" is not active. So I set it active with a BootMagic floppy and then WinXP loaded. Thanks for your help and inspiration.

I withdraw my criticism of Ghost 12 not being able to create a functional Virtual Disk. The problem was wetware.

Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by mustang on Jul 21st, 2007 at 5:57pm
Brian,

Good to hear you got it working.

As for a BartPE plugin for BESR, I doubt you'll ever see one that can create backups. This is a great program, but Symantec's refusal to allow backups from the recovery environment is a serious limitation. This is one area where Acronis has the edge. On the other hand, basing the recovery environment on WinPE 2.0 and providing a built in means of adding Windows drivers blows Acronis out of the water.

Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by Brian on Jul 22nd, 2007 at 1:58am

mustang wrote on Jul 20th, 2007 at 7:03pm:
I had to create a new image with Backup Exec and that unlocked the Restore Anyware feature.

Mustang,

I haven't yet tried Restore Anyware. Were you happy with the way it worked? Any problems?

Title: Re: Convert to Virtual Disk in Ghost 12
Post by mustang on Jul 22nd, 2007 at 4:58am
Brian,

I only tested Restore Anyware once when I first got BESR. That was a long time ago as I pre-ordered the program and had it when it first shipped. As I recall, it worked fine but I don't remember the details.

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