Best Practice Tips - P2V with SCVMM 2008 and Windows 2000

Although not a definitive list, I have compiled a list of what I consider to be a best practice approach after carrying out a number of P2V conversions where the source computer was running Windows 2000 SP4:

  • Obtain the administrator password for the source computer
  • Scan the source computer using System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 Configuration Analyzer (VMMCA) to ensure that the source computer meets the “minimum requirements”
  • Create an empty log file for WinPE logging on the root of C:\ named scvmm_enable_winpe_tracing.txt
  • Obtain a copy of any required third party drivers and upload the drivers to the SCVMM server
  • Ensure that you have a slipstreamed Windows 2000 SP4 ISO or optionally consider copying the contents of that ISO up to the source computer
  • If using an ISO ensure that the Hardware Profile for then target virtual machine has a minimum of two optical drives
  • Validate the SCVMM server block list and add any services and drivers that you want disabled after the P2V conversion. The block list can be found at C:\Program Files\Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008\VMMData\BlockList.xml
  • After conversion, on first boot of the virtual machine, cancel the Windows driver installation and insert the Integration Services media from the Hyper-V console. Connect to the virtual machine and install the Integration Services
  • When prompted for the slipstreamed Windows 2000 SP4 source media, either point the install at the optical drive or to the local folder where the Windows 2000 SP4 media can be found. The virtual machine will prompt to update the HAL and will reboot
  • After the virtual machine reboots, ensure that all the VMBus drivers are installed via Device Manager. Reboot the virtual machine again
  • After the virtual machine restarts, check all system events, and ensure any unwanted services and drivers have been disabled. Remove any unnecessary software e.g. vendors hardware monitoring agents
  • Change the virtual machine to an ACPI Uni-Processor PC and reboot

 

 

Patrick Lownds

Published 15 May 2009 22:01 by Patrick
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