Looking for tips on converting *ACTIVATED* VMware VMs to Hyper-V


hsehestedt

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I have this weird love/hate relationship with VMware Workstation Pro. I'm trying to permanently part ways with VMware and switch over to Hyper-V. Unfortunately, there is one big issue with that plan ...

I have 42 (!) VMware Workstation configs saved on my system that are all activated with Win 10 or Win 11. I've spent about 3 hours trying to convert some VMware VMs to Hyper-V and only managed to successfully convert one machine. Here is what I am doing:

I install Win 10 or Win 11 on a VMware Virtual Machine and ensure that it successfully activates. I then create a disk image backup of that VM and restore it to a Hyper-V machine. I run the troubleshooter to tell it that I have recently changed hardware. This fails saying that this operation is not valid for this type of machine. I suppose it is complaining about the fact that it is a VM and not a physical machine. I know that this works for a physical machine, but it seems to fail on VMs.

As I noted earlier, I did manage to get one VM to convert. I have no idea why that one worked vs the others which fail. Clearly, there must be some difference.

Anyone have any tips or suggestions?

I really want to get away from VMware Workstation, but not if I have to abandon 42 activated machines.

NOTE: Before anyone asks, I know that by telling you that I have 42 activated machines you are going to think that I somehow have illegitimate activations. I can ensure you that every one of these is a legally, legitimately activated VM!
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win11 Pro 23H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    Intel i7-11700K
    Motherboard
    ASUS Prime Z590-A
    Memory
    128GB Crucial Ballistix 3200MHz DRAM
    Graphics Card(s)
    No GPU - CPU graphics only (for now)
    Sound Card
    Realtek (on motherboard)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP Envy 32
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440
    Hard Drives
    1 x 1TB NVMe Gen 4 x 4 SSD
    1 x 2TB NVMe Gen 3 x 4 SSD
    2 x 512GB 2.5" SSDs
    2 x 8TB HD
    PSU
    Corsair HX850i
    Case
    Corsair iCue 5000X RGB
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black cooler + 10 case fans
    Keyboard
    CODE backlit mechanical keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1 Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Additional options installed:
    WiFi 6E PCIe adapter
    ASUS ThunderboltEX 4 PCIe adapter
  • Operating System
    Win11 Pro 23H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 2
    CPU
    Intel i7-1255U
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek® ALC3306-CG codec
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.3-inch IPS Display
    Screen Resolution
    WQXGA (2560 x 1600)
    Hard Drives
    2 TB 4 x 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 Power / Charging
    Mouse
    Buttonless Glass Precision Touchpad
    Keyboard
    Backlit, spill resistant keyboard
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    WiFi 6e / Bluetooth 5.1 / Facial Recognition / Fingerprint Sensor / ToF (Time of Flight) Human Presence Sensor
I really want to get away from VMware Workstation, but not if I have to abandon 42 activated machines.
This is the same issue as changing the hardware on a real machine, and should be possible tosolve using the same methods.

I'd first link your VMWare VM to your Microsoft account by switching from a local account sign-in to a Microsoft account (if you haven't already done so). Then move the installed Windows to a Hyper-V VM (using Reflect or similar). If it doean't activate at first sign in with your Microsoft account, then run the Activation Troubleshooter and tell it 'I've changed hardware'.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD
    Internet Speed
    50 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro (and all my Hyper-V VMs).

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 4GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Beta as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 4GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus the Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds as a native boot .vhdx.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Lattitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround. In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround. Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro (and all my Hyper-V VMs).

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 4GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Beta as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 4GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus the Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds as a native boot .vhdx.
Do you have unique product keys for all of the VMs? You could change the installed product key to the generic product key in the VMware VM. Then convert it to Hyper-V, then use the unique product key again to reactivate it.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Homebuilt
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 3800XT
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Crosshair VII Hero (WiFi)
    Memory
    32GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Education
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 7773
    CPU
    Intel i7-8550U
    Memory
    32GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia Geforce MX150
    Sound Card
    Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17"
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba 512GB NVMe SSD
    SK Hynix 512GB SATA SSD
    Internet Speed
    Fast!
Do you have unique product keys for all of the VMs? You could change the installed product key to the generic product key in the VMware VM. Then convert it to Hyper-V, then use the unique product key again to reactivate it.

That's how I would do it.

Another option is to switch to a Microsoft account on every VM, get the licence tied to a certain MS account. Then, simply install W11 on a Hyper-V VM, and use a saved license in your MS account.

Kari
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 PRO x64 Dev
    Manufacturer/Model
    Hyper-V Virtual Machine (host in System 2 specs)
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-8550U
    Memory
    6 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Microsoft Hyper-V Video
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Laptop display (17.1") & Samsung U28E590 (27.7")
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 PRO x64 Dev Channel
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP HP ProBook 470 G5
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-8550U
    Motherboard
    HP 837F KBC Version 02.3D.00
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel(R) UHD Graphics 620 & NVIDIA GeForce 930MX
    Sound Card
    Conexant ISST Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Laptop display (17.1") & Samsung U28E590 (27.7")
    Hard Drives
    128 GB SSD & 1 TB HDD
    Mouse
    Wireless Logitech MSX mouse
    Keyboard
    Wireless Logitech MK710 keyboard
    Internet Speed
    100 Mbps down, 20 Mbps up
    Browser
    Edge Chromium Dev Channel
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    2 * 3 TB USB HDD
    6 TB WD Mirror NAS
I have this weird love/hate relationship with VMware Workstation Pro. I'm trying to permanently part ways with VMware and switch over to Hyper-V. Unfortunately, there is one big issue with that plan ...

I have 42 (!) VMware Workstation configs saved on my system that are all activated with Win 10 or Win 11. I've spent about 3 hours trying to convert some VMware VMs to Hyper-V and only managed to successfully convert one machine. Here is what I am doing:

I install Win 10 or Win 11 on a VMware Virtual Machine and ensure that it successfully activates. I then create a disk image backup of that VM and restore it to a Hyper-V machine. I run the troubleshooter to tell it that I have recently changed hardware. This fails saying that this operation is not valid for this type of machine. I suppose it is complaining about the fact that it is a VM and not a physical machine. I know that this works for a physical machine, but it seems to fail on VMs.

As I noted earlier, I did manage to get one VM to convert. I have no idea why that one worked vs the others which fail. Clearly, there must be some difference.

Anyone have any tips or suggestions?

I really want to get away from VMware Workstation, but not if I have to abandon 42 activated machines.

NOTE: Before anyone asks, I know that by telling you that I have 42 activated machines you are going to think that I somehow have illegitimate activations. I can ensure you that every one of these is a legally, legitimately activated VM!
Hi there
Forget any "Conversion tools"
What I did was as follows -- I'm sure others might have simpler or easier methods - but this one worked for me.

Project prep : Boot the VM, and ensure you have Macrium (Free at least) and create the ISO for the stand alone recovery option. Have an external USB disk and a USB stick available.

1) attach a physical windows disk (USB device is good) to the VM and ensure it's formatted ntfs i.e Windows native format. Attach as a physical disk -- not as "VM disk space".

2) mount this disk with diskpart so it has a letter and is acessible to the VM

3) uninstall vmware tools (optional but probably a good idea)

3) Image the disk to the windows physical disk. The reason for doing this is that you don't want when creating your new VM to have the old VMWare disk I/O format etc.

4) attach a USB stick to the VM and make it bootable from the stand alone recovery iso with rufus etc.

5) shut down the vm from vmware etc.

6) create your new VM on the platform you want --- don't boot just yet.

7) attach the disk you created the macrium image from the old VM as a physical disk

8) set the initial boot to boot from the usb stick with the macrium stand alone recovery and boot it

9) from the Macrium command line (it's essentially winpe) using disk part create a small 100mb EFI partition on the VM disk and format the rest as a single partition. Assume letters S for the small EFI partition and W for the Windows partition (empty).

10) restore the Windows image to the windows partition .

11) now get back into the macrium command mode so you should e in something like x:\

12 ) install the windows bootloader :

cd: W:\windows\system32

w:

bcdboot w:\windows /s S: /f UEFI

13) shutdown the new VM

14) change the config to remove the physical windows disk, the USB device and to boot from the new vm disk.

15) depending on the vm platform you might need some windows hardware updates but Windows is pretty good at finding appropriate updates.

The problem I had was in getting a NIC to work to get some updates - however I attached a USB->wifi device to the VM to get the appropriate updates. If you can before dumping the VM image try and install a "proper" nic on the VM rather than rely on the VMWare "Virtual NIC's".


If this all goes pearshaped then as a last resort (you'll need a spare Windows system machine though), restore the VM to a physical Windows machine, use macrium to "fix boot problems" , then dump the new physical image to your VM -- this is a bit more long winded than the ist method.

Method 1 worked fine for me on KVM/QEMU -- and I've converted a couple of KVM/QEMU VM's to HYPER-V. (And the other way around so works both ways).I don't have a W11 VMware workststion VM to try this on though as I've given up essentially on VMWare workstation as its a lot inferior to HYPER-V and KVM/QEMU both of which are robust, efficient and FREE !!!!.

Cheers
jimbo
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows XP,7,10,11 Linux Arch Linux
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    2 X Intel i7

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