Sharing a VM between Fusion and vmware server

[suleyman]

I would like to be able to move all my VM files from my MBP to my desktop server which is more powerful. When I am done with the work over the weekend, I'd like to put it back on the MacBook and take it to the office to work on it at work too. So discounting the time it would take to copy files (rsync) from computer to computer, would that work well?

Thanks

[tmorales2000]

Anyone figure this out yet? I have several VMs created with VMware Fusion 2.0.6 (virtual hardware version = 7) and I'd like to move them to a physical Windows PC and run them in VMware Server 2.0.2.

When I attempt to add any of them to VMware Server's inventory, VMware crashes.

VMware Server 2.0.2 purports to support virtual hardware version = 7 VMs so what's the deal? Is there something special I need to do to the VMs in Fusion before they can be transferred?

First, I rename the directory to get rid of the .vmwarevm extension. I then go into Terminal and do this to strip off the useless metadata that'll just create bogus, annoying filenames in Windows:

xattr -d com.vmware.backupReenabled *

Are VMs in fact not portable between VMware Fusion and VMware Server?

[admin]

When I attempt to add any of them to VMware Server's inventory, VMware crashes.

There is a known bug in VMware Server where it can't handle virtual machines with a thinprint setting (something Fusion does by default). Disabling printing passthrough and/or deleting the thinprint serial device in Fusion before moving the virtual machine over to Server should make things work.

I rename the directory to get rid of the .vmwarevm extension.

Not strictly necessary (it'll still work fine), though I'm guessing it's your personal preference to not see the extension on your PC.

[admin]

I would like to be able to move all my VM files from my MBP to my desktop server which is more powerful. When I am done with the work over the weekend, I'd like to put it back on the MacBook and take it to the office to work on it at work too. So discounting the time it would take to copy files (rsync) from computer to computer, would that work well?

Yes, this should work fine, with the caveats that you have to have matching versions of Fusion and Server and the already covered point about thinprint.

One possibility to avoid rsync times is to keep your virtual machines on a FAT-formatted external drive.

[continuum]

never use Converter to convert Fusion VMs to VMserver VMs - the results may be horrible - just had such a case and it really is ugly work to fix it.

Also make sure the VMs do not have any snapshots or autoprotect snapshots before you move them




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VMX-parameters- VMware-liveCD - VM-Sickbay

[suleyman]

This would be a deal breaker. Since I like my auto roll-back snapshots. :smileygrin:

[continuum]

You like Autoprotect ? - weird - really weird - I hate it !http://sanbarrow.com/gifs/whip2.gif!




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VMX-parameters- VMware-liveCD - VM-Sickbay

[suleyman]

Actually I hate it when it interrupts my work also But I like the idea of going back in time when I screw up. I alternate between hourly and daily snapshots depending on what I am working on.

[continuum]

Autoprotect is nothing but a snapshot-timer. If you are clever you take snapshots when YOU find it is the right time to take one.




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VMX-parameters- VMware-liveCD - VM-Sickbay

[suleyman]

Actually it is a terrible timer at that. When you do hourly snapshots, it is never hourly! I don't know what its logic is. Anyway, I think I am "clever", at least above average but I just try to minimize what I have to think about and do myself.

[WoodyZ]

Actually it is a terrible timer at that. When you do hourly snapshots, it is never hourly! I don't know what its logic is.

I agree and VMware's implementation of Autoprotec is pathetic at best especially in light of the fact it doesn't work properly all of the time anyway and from what I've see causes more problems the if fixes. Franky I think the majority of users, regardless of how clever or not, do not know how to properly use Snapshots and or Autoprotect and I mainly fault VMware for not providing adequate documentation at both the user level and behind the scenes from a diagnostic perspective to repair various issues that surround these features.

Also the timer is not as real time goes by but IIRC as the activity time within the VM goes by. In other words if the VM is running but idle and in the background the timer is not counting or some such measure like that.