Migrating Ubuntu 18.04 LTS from hyper-v to ESXi

Question

I'm trying to migrate a Ubuntu server 18.04 from hyper-v to VMWare VCenter 7.0.2. I found out after the fact that 18.04 is not supported by the VCenter converter 6.2. Is there anyway to successfully migrate this over from hyper-v? I tried running a repair of GRUB since that is the issue by the looks of it, but it does not work.

EDIT: Starwinds logs

4/7 8:51:12.819 43f4 Facility ???INFO: CV2V_ConverterApp::InitInstance: SetDllDirectory: C:\Program Files\StarWind Software\StarWind V2V Converter\lib
4/7 8:51:12.819 43f4 Facility ???INFO: CV2V_ConverterApp::InitInstance: File Version: 9.0.1.268
4/7 8:51:12.824 43f4 Facility ???INFO: CV2V_ConverterApp::InitInstance: Load language IDR_XML_ENGLISH
4/7 8:51:12.824 43f4 Facility ???INFO: CV2V_ConverterApp::InitInstance: Set current language English
4/7 8:51:12.827 43f4 Facility ???INFO: CPS_V2V_Converter::CPS_V2V_Converter: Version MajorVersion 10, MinorVersion 0, BuildNumber 19042
4/7 8:51:12.830 43f4 Facility ???INFO: WrapperHyperV::WrapperHyperV: LoadLibrary C:\Windows\system32\wbem\wmiutils.dll - c9c70000
4/7 8:51:12.831 43f4 Facility ???INFO: WrapperHyperV::WrapperHyperV: LoadLibrary C:\Windows\system32\wbem\wmiutils.dll - c9c70000
4/7 8:51:19.054 43f4 Facility ???INFO: ICPPage::OnWizardNext: SetActivePage - eHYPERVConnection
4/7 8:51:25.332 43f4 Facility ???INFO: WrapperHyperV::connect: Host - \\luciussextius\root\virtualization\v2
4/7 8:51:25.475 43f4 Facility ???INFO: WrapperHyperV::init_version: HyperV version: 6.3.9600
4/7 8:51:25.478 43f4 Facility ???INFO: ICPPage::OnWizardNext: SetActivePage - eInputVM
4/7 8:51:31.508 43f4 Facility ???INFO: ICPPage::OnWizardNext: SetActivePage - eLocationTo
4/7 8:51:33.492 43f4 Facility ???INFO: ICPPage::OnWizardNext: SetActivePage - eESXConnectionTo
4/7 8:51:50.747 43f4 Facility ???INFO: WrapperESXI::connect: m_url - https://10.16.0.99/sdk
4/7 8:51:50.805 43f4 Facility ???INFO: WrapperESXI::connect: fullName -  , key - 52e25633-51de-8f2c-4bdc-f1ea78518924
4/7 8:51:50.805 43f4 Facility ???INFO: ICPPage::OnWizardNext: SetActivePage - eVMSettingsESX
4/7 8:51:50.865 43f4 Facility ???INFO: VMConverter::ESXIConverter::GetHostListInfo: ESX version: 7.0.2
4/7 8:51:50.865 43f4 Facility ???INFO: VMConverter::ESXIConverter::GetHostListInfo: ESX version: 7.0.2
4/7 8:52:01.765 43f4 Facility ???INFO: ICPPage::OnWizardNext: SetActivePage - eConverting
4/7 8:52:01.779 51e8 Facility ???INFO: CPPConverting::Convert: InConvertType: 8, OutConvertType: 6
4/7 8:52:01.876 51e8 Facility ???INFO: VMConverter::ESXIConverter::CreateVM: createVM is false, 
4/7 8:52:01.876 51e8 Facility ???ERROR: CPPConverting::ConverterESX: Create VM error
4/7 8:52:01.882 51e8 Facility ???INFO: WrapperHyperV::connect: Host - \\luciussextius\root\virtualization\v2
4/7 8:52:01.949 51e8 Facility ???INFO: WrapperHyperV::init_version: HyperV version: 6.3.9600
4/7 8:52:01.952 51e8 Facility ???ERROR: CPPConverting::Convert: FAILED```

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 31 '22 at 10:13

3

You can try using StarWind V2V Converter to migrate you Ubuntu 18.04 VM. I have just tested conversion of newly deployed Ubuntu 18.04 on Hyper-V to ESXi. No issues so far. Might help: https://www.starwindsoftware.com/starwind-v2v-converter

answered Mar 31 '22 at 10:13

Stuka

5,445
14
13

Does the VM have to be shutdown to do the conversion? I did a test with it on and it failed. – TL_Arwen Mar 31 '22 at 16:47
2

You need to shutdown the VM to convert it. – Stuka Apr 01 '22 at 12:37
This didn't work. Wouldn't even attempt to convert it. I even merged all the check points. – TL_Arwen Apr 07 '22 at 16:28
1

Did you receive any error? I haven't faced any issue. – Stuka Apr 08 '22 at 10:06
See my edit above to see logs. – TL_Arwen Apr 08 '22 at 16:41
As far as I can see, it can't create VM. You can try converting VHDX of your VM to VMDK and then create new VM with this VMDK. – Stuka Apr 13 '22 at 10:25
I did try that as well. It failed. I'm going to have to just do this all from scratch and copy the data over. – TL_Arwen Apr 19 '22 at 18:47

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 30 '22 at 20:49

If the export from Hyper-V is an ova / ovf there should be no need for any extra converter.

Just make sure, you consolidate any existing snapshot, remove mounted devices, ISO etc. - Export the VM. And after successful export just import the new ovf / ova file.

If grub comes up, it means that the boot process was successful...for the first part, if it stops, any failure/error message would be needed to investigate.

But most of the time the problem is, that the fstab doesn't contain a UUID but just the /dev/sd name, which can be wrong because of new hardware settings or device order.

For example:
/dev/sda is the first detected disk of IDE/SATA/SCSI type. In this case, emulated(full virtualized) by the hypervisor.

/dev/vda is the first detected paravirtualizated disk driver. It is faster than emulated sdX devices if both are referred to the same disk, because there are less overhead in its operation compared to an emulated drive.

Migrating Ubuntu 18.04 LTS from hyper-v to ESXi

2 Answers2