VMware – migrating virtual disk from GSX to ESX

Here are the steps for importing a GSX VM to ESX:

1) Here’s how to convert the vmdk file into 2gb chunks:

vmware-vdiskmanager -r sourceDisk.vmdk -t 0 targetDisk.vmdk

2) Share the folder of the new targetDisk with Windows.

3) Make temp directory and mount Windows shared folder on the ESX server:

a) mkdir /mnt/tempwindowsmountpoint

b) mount -t smbfs -o username //gsxserver/sharename /mnt/tempwindowsmountpoint

4) Import vmdk

vmkfstools -i /mnt/tempwindowsmountpoint/targetDisk.vmdk /vmfs/vmfs/newtargetDisk.vmdk

5) Create new VM in ESX and point to the newtargetDisk.vmdk

6) Start up new VM.

Regards,

Alton