Convert Hyper-V Gen1 to Gen2... is it easy?
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We have some virtual machines that were created using Gen1. We want to get those VM to Gen2 instead. The reason behind the change is IDE/SCSI resizing VM disk space. I read Microsoft's technet and learn that Gen1 utilize IDE, and is not capable of Shrinking the disk space. Only SCSI offer shrinking mechanism.
I found some powershell commands to do just that... but there are reports of errors as well. So I want to know if there is an easy way to convert Gen1 to Gen2... or better yet is there a way for Gen1 to shrink its size?
Ultimately we can create new VM and reconfigure everything from scratch (File Server).. only going to take us half a day if there is no easy way for conversion.
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For additional information: we have 1 VM running 2008 R2 and 2 VMs running 2012 R2.
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@LAH3385 said:
We have some virtual machines that were created using Gen1. We want to get those VM to Gen2 instead. The reason behind the change is IDE/SCSI resizing VM disk space. I read Microsoft's technet and learn that Gen1 utilize IDE, and is not capable of Shrinking the disk space. Only SCSI offer shrinking mechanism.
I found some powershell commands to do just that... but there are reports of errors as well. So I want to know if there is an easy way to convert Gen1 to Gen2... or better yet is there a way for Gen1 to shrink its size?
Ultimately we can create new VM and reconfigure everything from scratch (File Server).. only going to take us half a day if there is no easy way for conversion.
There is no support method to convert an existing Hyper-V VM from Type 1 to Type 2 directly. I have seen some of the same stuff and I would not waste the time trying it.
Remember that Server 2012 or newer is required for a Type 2. Server 2008 R2 will not boot in a Type 2 VM.
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There is a tool to do just this..... https://code.msdn.microsoft.com/windowsdesktop/Convert-VMGeneration-81ddafa2
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@DustinB3403 said:
There is a tool to do just this..... https://code.msdn.microsoft.com/windowsdesktop/Convert-VMGeneration-81ddafa2
That is not converting. That creates a new VM. It is 100% not a conversion.
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Not to be rude @JaredBusch but did you read it?
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@DustinB3403 said:
Not to be rude @JaredBusch but did you read it?
Yes, you on the other hand, apparently did not.
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@DustinB3403 said:
Not to be rude @JaredBusch but did you read it?
Judging from the screenshot on the post I have to say it doesn't not look like conversion, but cloning instead
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Semantics aside, cloning tool or "creating a new boot disk" you still get the same end result.
A version 2 VM.
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@DustinB3403 said:
Semantics aside, cloning tool or "creating a new boot disk" you still get the same end result.
A version 2 VM.
Glossing over shit is how people f[moderated] shit up.
If that is the only end result, then yes.
But the specific question was asked to "convert"Cloning means you are duplicating space used. Converting will generally not.
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Let's not get too technical.. My real question is the ability to expand/shrink on the fly/VM stay online. I know for a fact that Gen1 cannot do that.. thus the question about conversion.
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@LAH3385 said:
Let's not get too technical.. My real question is the ability to expand/shrink on the fly/VM stay online. I know for a fact that Gen1 cannot do that.. thus the question about conversion.
But do you have teh space for two copies during the operation? That's a key piece of why it is important.
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@scottalanmiller said:
@LAH3385 said:
Let's not get too technical.. My real question is the ability to expand/shrink on the fly/VM stay online. I know for a fact that Gen1 cannot do that.. thus the question about conversion.
But do you have teh space for two copies during the operation? That's a key piece of why it is important.
Good question... we are 60% of the disk at the moment... so that would be no. The space inside VM it self is 50% full.. Say 2TB disk space on hypervisor. the VM is uing 1.2TB. But the OS/Files is using only 600GB out of 1.2TB.
If the cloning means 100% identical then I will not have enough space. But if there is a way to shrink while cloning then it is a viable option. -
@LAH3385 said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@LAH3385 said:
Let's not get too technical.. My real question is the ability to expand/shrink on the fly/VM stay online. I know for a fact that Gen1 cannot do that.. thus the question about conversion.
But do you have teh space for two copies during the operation? That's a key piece of why it is important.
Good question... we are 60% of the disk at the moment... so that would be no.
See..... these things aren't details, they are super important.
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@LAH3385 said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@LAH3385 said:
Let's not get too technical.. My real question is the ability to expand/shrink on the fly/VM stay online. I know for a fact that Gen1 cannot do that.. thus the question about conversion.
But do you have teh space for two copies during the operation? That's a key piece of why it is important.
Good question... we are 60% of the disk at the moment... so that would be no. The space inside VM it self is 50% full.. Say 2TB disk space on hypervisor. the VM is uing 1.2TB. But the OS/Files is using only 600GB out of 1.2TB.
If the cloning means 100% identical then I will not have enough space. But if there is a way to shrink while cloning then it is a viable option.This also means you're using thick provisioning.
Perhaps you can copy the current VM disk to another VM disk, but one that is thin provisioned. Then it will only take up 600 GB on the disk, leaving you with 2 GB free space until you delete the old VM disk.
