We know that SCVMM can convert physical machines into virtual machines with all work necessary to make this transitioned machine still boot and function correctly. This is a great feature that customers use daily. This work is done usually while the server is still running as an Online P2V. If you have ever stopped to think about how the P2V process works (or read the TechNet article explaining) then you know that the first part of the process is simply a volume shadow service (VSS) snapshot made of disks. This is the same technology used by Windows backup and most third party storage software.

The trick is to capture a state in time while the machine is running. For most systems this is a great solution. For some, this poses questions. SQL, Exchange and Domain Controllers write to databases at a high rate. By the time the snapshot is made quite a bit may have changed in the database. Also, as good as the technology is, this is pushing the limits of functionality. SQL and Exchange systems benefit from acquiescing the SQL or Exchange service prior to P2V (or any backup). This reduces disk writes and ensures database integrity.

Domain Controllers are another matter. If there is more than one in the domain there is replication between them. If the state of one is captured while it is processing Active Directory transactions, then brought online as a VM later, the VM and physical versions of this DC may be different. Additionally, there is the concern of USN journal wrapping during the snapshot process. Then again, online P2V of DC’s works well on a daily basis for many people. The alternative is to perform the conversion offline, an Offline P2V. What is the right choice?

Do you want the new VM created from the DC to function correctly and have no issues with the rest of your Active Directory domain? Yes? Good choice. Perform the P2V Offline. Now I refer you to an article written by Sander Berkouwer. This covers the entire process better than I have seen put together before. Nice pictures too. The article describes online and offline conversions, and the implications of Online P2V of Domain Controllers. Then it walks you through the process while addressing four very solid recommendations. Enjoy the article. Keep it as reference.

Thanks to Sander for allowing me to link to his work!

Active Directory in Hyper-V environments, Part 6
http://blogs.dirteam.com/blogs/sanderberkouwer/archive/2009/10/27/active-directory-in-hyper-v-environments-part-6.aspx

TechNet article referenced…

TechNet - P2V: Converting Physical Computers to Virtual Machines in VMM
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc764232.aspx

jonjor

Physical to Virtual (P2V) conversion is one of the most popular features of SCVMM. And, there are many articles written to make the process easy to understand, or to resolve common problems. Last week I worked with an company that had converted around three hundred systems (nice!). Two systems were giving them a headache, so they reached out to Microsoft Support. Since they had successfully converted so many systems already, I knew the problem was almost certainly NOT with the SCVMM server or any Destination Hosts (managed Hyper-V systems) they had been using. What does this leave? The two P2V Source machine (ones to be converted). In the end this proved true.

When there is not already a great track record (if at all) of successful P2V jobs for SCVMM, then you need to look at SCVMM and the Hosts. That is what follows.

Identify and Resolve

Information below may resolve your problem based on whether the symptoms match up with yours. The most important thing to check is the job itself that failed in SCVMM. What step was being performed on the ‘Details’ tab when it failed? What DID work prior to this step? Compare this to the full P2V process as it is laid out in TechNet… with pictures!

P2V: Converting Physical Computers to Virtual Machines in VMM

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc764232.aspx 

The ‘Summary’ tab is also useful, but I can’t place enough emphasis on the ‘Details’ tab. What was logically going on? Think it through.

Questions to Ask Yourself

First, do you have all updates installed on the SCVMM Server and Hosts? Difficult to know… Follow this link to a simple solution… then proceed. http://tiny.cc/vmmupdate (It’s safe, I wrote it.)

1. Have you ever performed a successful P2V with this installation of SCVMM?
   1. If so, what is different about this conversion?
   2. If not, try another P2V source, and a different Destination Host as a test.
2. What is the exact OS with service pack of the Source machine (one you are trying to capture)?
   1. Do these meet basic requirements as listed on the TechNet article above?
3. What is the Destination system (Hyper-V system that the converted system is being placed on)? See below…
   1. Scenario #1: A different machine running Hyper-V?
   2. Scenario #2: The SCVMM server itself? (This means you have Hyper-V installed on the SCVMM Server)

>>> Identify your scenario from the section to follow! <<<

Possible Quick Fix

Pick which scenario matches your environment, and then follow the two test steps. I need to know what step, if any, below fails. Pick your scenario as it matches the illustrations above.

Scenario #1

1. Create a small temporary VM and deploy it directly to the Destination Host.
2. Create this with a blank hard drive
3. Change the hard drive size to 2GB as you go through the wizard
4. Do not change anything else in the wizard (No OS will actually be installed for this test)
5. Deploy this temporary VM to the exact same disk or LUN the Source machine image was being placed on in the failed job

Did this complete successfully? If not, exactly what failed?

1. If ‘Scenario #1’ succeeded, perform this quick move.
2. In the SCVMM Admin Console select the new temporary VM you deployed
3. Right click this VM and select ‘Store in Library’
4. Place this VM in the default SCVMM Library share anywhere (must be a share on the SCVMM Server)

Did this complete successfully? If not, exactly what failed?

Scenario #2

1. Create a small temporary VM and deploy it directly to the SCVMM itself.
2. Create this with a blank hard drive
3. Change the hard drive size to 2GB as you go through the wizard
4. Do not change anything else in the wizard
5. Deploy this temporary VM to the exact same disk or LUN where the Source machine image was being placed on the SCVMM Server in the failed job

Did this complete successfully? If not, exactly what failed?

1. If ‘Scenario #2’ succeeded, perform this quick move.
2. In the SCVMM Admin Console select the new temporary VM you deployed
3. Right click this VM and select ‘Store in Library’
4. Place this VM in the default SCVMM Library share anywhere (must be a share on the SCVMM Server)

Did this complete successfully? If not, exactly what failed?

Possible Reasons for the failure

Depending on results from the above tests, one of these may be applicable.

Possible Resolution #1

If any of the test scenarios above fail…

In this event, follow the steps in the article below to remove the Destination Host from SCVMM, clean up certificates on both machines, then add the Host back and verify certificates. Explanatory article on removing a Host provided.

> Article to follow:

P2V fails with Error 2912 0x80072F0C with System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 or System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2385280

> Shameless plug… Article with same steps as above, but more detail.

P2V fails with Error 2912 0x80072F0C

http://blogs.technet.com/b/jonjor/archive/2010/09/07/p2v-and-other-jobs-fail-with-error-2912-0x8007xxxx.aspx

> If you need help removing a Host:

How to Remove a Host

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc956121.aspx

Possible Resolution #2

If none of the test scenarios above failed…

1. Delete any failed P2V virtual machines still listed in the Admin Console
2. Start a new P2V job using the same steps you have in the past
3. Watch the steps of the job as it runs. Once past the BITS transfer portion take a look at the new VM that is being created.
   1. Open Hyper-V Manager and connect to the Destination Host where the converted image is being placed
   2. The new VM will already show up in the list of virtual machines in the Hyper-V console. Simply click the new VM once normally
   3. Notice at the bottom of the screen that a thumbnail is available
   4. Double click this thumbnail to view the virtual machine as it is being created by SCVMM
4. Do NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES INTERACT WITH THE VM AS IT IS BEING CREATED. Do not click in the watch window. Simply watch it
5. The VM will turn on, then shut down after a while. This may repeat.
6. You may see the system sitting at a prompt waiting to log on for a long time. DO NOT LOG ONTO THE VIRTUAL MACHINE! It will shut down on its own.
7. In the SCVMM Admin Console, what is the name of the job step being performed?
8. Compare this to what you see in Hyper-V. This may help you determine what SCVMM is attempting to do that is going wrong. Address the issue you see in SCVMM, or perform research based on what you see.

NOTE: If you interfere with the P2V process in the Hyper-V window whatsoever and the job fails it is because something you modified affected what SCVMM expected.

jonjor