Issues with OS after VHD is up and running

[JohnnyF]

I have a WIN2K Server that is a Domain Controller that I want to convert to a VM so I can keep it running until I can get the whole domain over to 2008.

I was able to make a Restore Point and convert it to a pair of VHD files.  It took al loooooong time for the VM to finally come up.  I had issue with no mouse support but after messing with the keyboard and rebooting it again, I was eventually able to get the OS to come up.

My issue is that once I had it up, 90% of the services set to Automatic did not start.  All my data is there.  Even if I start the services manually the system still doesn't seem to have all its abilities working (file shares, IIS, etc.).  It just seems like it is in some weird state.  Once I started the services I did reboot and when it came back up, all the services were off again.  The Events log says the service Hung on Starting or service did not respond in a timely fashion.

So I am looking for anyone with any ideas as to what is happening.  Also, has anyone tried this process with WIN2K running Exchange 2000?

I will also try another suggestion here about not converting the image to a VHD but booting a VM with the Recovery CD (ISO) and then pointing to the image and trying to restore.

Also as noted here, make sure you know your local Admin password on the server, you will need it.

One other tip for a 2000 P2V, since the mouse won't work till the Integration services are installed, it can be a pain to get around the OS as it pops up windows about new hardware.  In one case I had a new hardware window lose focus and I could not get it back via the keyboard.  In that case send a CTRL_ALT_DEL to the desktop so the task manager comes up then tab over to the CANCEL button and hit the Space bar.  When the task manager closes it will return focus to the current window on the screen.

Good Luck People!

Message Edited by JohnnyF on 11-26-2008 01:43 PM

[AJT]

Try restoring from within the VM, find the BESR AD best practices document, follow the instructions for Windows 2000 Server DC migration.

[JohnnyF]

AJT, thanks for the input.  I am trying a restore from within a VM now but it is giving me an error about not being able to capture the network hardware, or something.  So I am working on it.  As far as instructions for a 2000 DC.  I found a short article on how to backup the AD using Windows Backup before you create the Point but it doesn't say if you need to acturally restore that backup or if it is "just in case".  There are also no other instructions so I am assuming the AD backup is the only difference between making a recovery point in 2000 and 2003.

Still plugging away on that VM restore procedure.

Thanks,

JohnnyF

[JohnnyF]

Not having much luck restoring from within a VM either.  It just keeps telling me "could not get network adaptor".  I have a known working virtual adaptor but when I tell the startup cd to get netowrk access it fails.

I just keep plugging away.  FYI

JohnnyF

[JohnnyF]

Well, after the 4th try I am onto something.  I can run the P2V conversion and make a VHD file.  Then I can run that VHD in Hyper-V and bring up the 2000 Server machine.  However, at that point I have no mouse support and I have get around with the keyboard only.  So it appears all the functions of the server are working and all services are running.  It takes a long time to boot but it does work.

Here is where I found it goes bad.  If I load the Integration services, then the mouse and video starts working correctly but the OS becomes a mess.  The system will boot but major services fail on startup.  RCP service, Server service and on and on.  15+ services fail and even if you take the time to restart them the system is still unusable as a server.  Then if you reboot, the services are off again.  The events show that the services are Not Responding when they start and then all the dependant services fail as well.

So the OS boots slow without a mouse but it runs if I DO NOT load the Integration services.

Anyone have any thoughts??

JohnnyF

FYI, I am running Hyper-V on Server 2008 STD.  I ran BESR8.5 to create the Restore Point and then converted it to a VHD with the Windows Mini Setup option.  Once out of 4 tries the mouse and video worked the first time but then I made the mistake of loading the Integration Services and the OS was messed up.

Message Edited by JohnnyF on 12-05-2008 07:08 PM

[David_F]

If you are still in a testing phase, see if it boots up considerably faster if by running it in a selective startup mode using a utility like MSCONFIG (though you would have to copy it from a XP/2K3 system) - shutting down everything except base essential OS related services and startup items. If it does, create a snapshot of this state, load the Integration services once again; do you have the same mess as a result? Secondly, re-convert opting not to run the mini-setup wizard; do you have better results?