Move from 6.0 to 8.0.2 with snapshots

[vduvernet]

Hello,

It seems I'm stuck in a common problem without a simple solution.

I have a quite old ESXi 6 server (x86 architecture) without vCenter.

I'm moving to a new ESXi 8 server (fanless from Protectli, x64 architecture) with vCenter.

I used Iperius Backup to replicate from 6->8 for my 2 VM with success. But the third one contains snapshots I want to keep. I tried multiple backup solutions in trial mode but none of them was able to do the job. Oo.

So I used the old way : Filezilla to copy all files on my computer and then copy to the new server. I can edit some parameters of VM (like the Network Adapter) without any problem.

But when I start the VM I have an error about disks :

"Échec - Impossible d'énumérer tous les disques.

Erreurs

• Impossible d'énumérer tous les disques.
• La fonction spécifiée n'est pas prise en charge par cette version"

Does anyone know how to solve this problem ?

Thanks,

Vincent

[a_p_]

The issue is most likely related to the snapshots' file format.
I assume that the existing snapshots are VMFSsparse (delta.vmdk) files, whereas current ESXi versions only support the newer SEsparse (sesparse.vmdk) format.

AFAIK only a migration will convert snapshots from the old to the new file format. However, vCenter Server 8.0 does not support ESXi 6.0, so you either need to have a (temporary) vSphere 7.0 environment for a two-step migration, or - if the old hardware is supported - upgrade the old host to at least ESXi 6.7.

André

[vduvernet]

Hello,

yes you're right. I have xxx-delta.vmdk and xxxx-ctk.vmdk

My old server cannot be upgraded to a newer version but I think I can find an ESXi 7 server for temporary migration.

What steps do you advice to do the migration from 6 to 7 and 7 to 8 ?

I think it will be something like : FTP from esxi6 to my PC to get all files (delta.vmdk old format). Then my PC to esxi7 datastore. then convert to new format (but how to do it ?) and then Filezilla to retreive on my PC again and then send to esxi 8 ?

[a_p_]

The conversion will be done by migrating the VM trough vCenter Server.

So what you'll need is an ESXi 7.0 host with a VMFS-6 datastore, and a vCenter Server managing it.
Once the migration is done, you can then attach the 7.0 host ot the 8.0 vCenter, and migrate the VM to this one.

André

[vduvernet]

hello,

I have some trouble with my temporary server and ESXi7 (I don't wan't to break my old Esxi6 and the new Esxi8).

Google report a way to bypass unsupported CPU but the server freeze during install :

How to run VMware ESXI 7.0 on hardware with unsupported CPUs - Flemming's Blog (flemmingss.com)

I was able to install de 6.7 version event with unsupported CPU. Is it enough for 2 step migration 6 -> 6.7 -> 8 or I have to find a way to have a fully 7.0 esxi ?

Thanks 🙂

[a_p_]

What should work, is to copy the VM's files to an ESXi 6.7 host with a VMFS5 datastore.
Then add the host to your vCenter Server 8.0, and migrate the VM to a new datastore.

André