clone server 2000 into virtualbox

[mjs_mjs]

hi,

I need to move a DC into virtual box. I would like to clone the server in first to make sure it's OK before turning the physical server off. I'm not worried about the performance hit as I'm going from a 500MHz box with 256 RAM to a 2.4Ghz with 2GB RAM and moving from IDE drives to SATA drives. the question i have is - how should i go about cloning the server? Anyone else done this?

cheers

[EduTech]

Your probably best looking at Vmware Converter: VMware vCenter Converter, Convert Physical Machines to Virtual Machines

I did successfully do this with our 2003 DC's at the start of my Virtual Machine Migration Project, and it did work but i am not 100% sure if you need to be carfull as it is a DC.. not sure how it handles the convert.

Try it, but make sure when you follow the convert wizard you tell it to NOT turn on the machine after completion.

This will turn it into a VMDX, you can open these using the new version of virtualbox but you have to delete some files and stuff and then repair them using the original CD. so i would not recommend you do this with that kind of server.

What i woud do, is convert it and use VMWare Server 1.5 / 2.0 instead rather then virtualbox. (VMWare Server is Free Also)

James.

[cookie_monster]

Or XenConvert i've used it and it works well.

Citrix XenConvert 2.0.1 Released! - The Official Citrix Blog - BrianMadden.com

[EduTech]

Or XenConvert i've used it and it works well.

Citrix XenConvert 2.0.1 Released! - The Official Citrix Blog - BrianMadden.com

Oops yeah forgot about that one, i used that recently also and had no problems with it.. also i like the Xen Server stuff so if you are looking for a good way to host all your servers virtually for free that i would also consider this.

I have not seen away for you to do it with VirtualBox yet if i am honest not as easy as the 2 above, although with the new version of virtualbox live migration is included and with a solaris / open solaris host this should also work quite well.

James.