Migrate VMs with boot firmware set to UEFI from VMware ESXi 5.5 to AVH | Nutanix Community
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I have a large number of VMs created with the boot firmware set to EFI.



As I understand it, AHV cannot convert "out of the box"



The options I have been told include the following:-




  • Use VMware Convertor to perform a virtual to virtual VM conversion to change the boot firmware back to BIOS
  • Use an import tool to bring in the VMDK files over and run a CLI command to accept the UEFI setup


Does this sound right? Is there an easier way?



Can new VMs under AHV be created with UEFI ?
Please do not use vmware converter to convert from vmware to AHV there are some issues in doing so.



We have a portal doc on how to migrate from esxi to AHV

https://portal.nutanix.com/#/page/docs/details?targetId=Web-Console-Guide-Prism-v51:man-cluster-conversion-esxi-to-ahv-t.html



Currently it's not supported to migrate esxi UEFI enabled VMs to AHV directly.

https://portal.nutanix.com/#/page/docs/details?targetId=AMF-Guide-AOS-v50:vmm-vm-migration-prereqs-windows-c.html



In AHV to create a UEFI vm add the following to a VM before installing the OS

acli vm.update vm_id uefi_boot=True
jjoder wrote:Please do not use vmware converter to convert from vmware to AHV there are some issues in doing so.



We have a portal doc on how to migrate from esxi to AHV

https://portal.nutanix.com/#/page/docs/details?targetId=Web-Console-Guide-Prism-v51:man-cluster-conversion-esxi-to-ahv-t.html



Currently it's not supported to migrate esxi UEFI enabled VMs to AHV directly.

https://portal.nutanix.com/#/page/docs/details?targetId=AMF-Guide-AOS-v50:vmm-vm-migration-prereqs-windows-c.html



In AHV to create a UEFI vm add the following to a VM before installing the OS

acli vm.update vm_id uefi_boot=True

Thanks for the information.



Just a couple of things:-



I saw the reference that says the following:-



For AOS 4.6.1 and later, you can migrate VMs that use UEFI to start (boot).


  • Generation 2 (Gen 2) Windows VMs in Hyper-V


To start a UEFI-enabled guest VM, configure each VM with the aCLI option uefi_boot=True. The following option requires supported versions of AHV (version 20160127 and later) and AOS (version 4.6.1 and later).

For example:

acli vm.update vm_id uefi_boot=True As I am running Esxi 5.5 I guess the above does not apply. Is that right?

If so, short of rebuilding the VMs, can I import the VMDK files somehow?



I also read the system requirements for the Nutanix Guess Tools. Whilst not officially supported, can I use this for my WIndows XP and Server 2003 VMs?
Icebun



Yes. You can import VMDK into AHV and then create a VM with that. Please refer below document.



https://portal.nutanix.com/#/page/docs/details?targetId=Web-Console-Guide-Prism-v51:wc-image-configure-acropolis-wc-t.html
Yes you can import VMDKs. There is an issue for UEFI on VMware to AHV. If the vm isn't using UEFI then the whole vm will convert fine.



The UEFI in the doc is only supported from Hyper-v to AHV not VMware. If you have other VM's that aren't using UEFI then you can import those without an issue. The main key would to be to install VirtIO driver before moving the VM over.



We also have this KB with more details steps

https://portal.nutanix.com/#/page/kbs/details?targetId=kA032000000TTgPCAW



This guide

https://portal.nutanix.com/#/page/docs/details?targetId=Migration-Guide-AOS-v51:Migration-Guide-AOS-v51



Here is a list of support VM types on AHV

https://portal.nutanix.com/#/page/docs/details?targetId=AHV-Admin-Guide-v51:vmm-vm-driver-types-r.html



There are some blogs on how to get Windows 2003 to work but not offically supported.



As for NGT the OS needs to be 64 bit and Windows 2008 R2/Windows 7 or later is only supported.



This is due that Microsoft doesn't support Windows 2003 and XP anymore.
Just an update.



Testing out a 3rd pary solution that will allow me to change the disk format from GPT to MBR. As a consequence, I can then change the boot firmware back to BIOS from EFI in VMware.



Can someone confirm this conversion only needs to take place on the disk when the boot partiton resides? So in other words where a VM has two or more disks that are GPT based, only the one contain the operating system needs to be modified.



Is that correct?
HI,

There is no need to use vmware convertor

1.transfer vmdk to nutanix cluster using winscp

2.convert vmdk to raw

3.create vm with network adaptor

4.update vm for uefi-boot

5.add disk and use "clone from adsf file" and specify the raw disk

6.start the vm.

**try to migrate using a test vm .if success then migrate rest actual vm

Hope this will be useful.The above mentioned are for Hyperv.should be same for esxi
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