Computron, our Dutch Channel One Partner, has provided a free solution for importing Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 machines into Virtual Iron. In order to do this, you need a working Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 (which is a free download) and your Virtual Iron installation properly configured.

To import, follow these steps:

1. If you are using SCSI in MS Virtual Server, shutdown the virtual machine otherwise go to step 4

2. Edit the configuration, Attach the VHD(s) to IDE (primary channel(x) e.g.)

3. Start the virtual machine

4. From the Device Manager, open up the "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers" section. (On a typical system there will be three entries under this - the controller itself, and then the primary/secondary IDE channels.)

5. Double-click on the entry for the controller, and change the driver to the generic default Microsoft "Standard Dual-Channel PCI IDE Controller". (Double click on the IDE controller icon in the Device Manager. Click on the "Driver" tab. Click on "Update Driver". Click next. Click "display list of the known drivers for this device so that I choose a specific driver" button. Click next). This avoids the INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE BSOD

6. Do not restart yet

7. Uninstall the virtual machine additions (add/remove programs)

8. Shutdown the virtual machine

9. Create the virtual machine in Virtual Iron with the same hardware options as in MS Virtual Server.

10. Import the VHD(s) into Virtual Iron, start the virtual machine, the machine will be SLOW, it can take several minutes to boot the virtual machine the first time**

11. Initial driver install will start, reboot after the installation finishes.

12. After the reboot, install the Virtual Iron tools, this will update your drivers, this will restore performance, it might be necessary to reboot your virtual machine several times.

13. Have fun!

** If you use dynamically expanding virtual hard disks in Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 they will be converted to fixed disks in Virtual Iron. Run the diskfiller program inside the virtual machine to expand the VHD(s) to the desired size before importing them in Virtual Iron.

Discuss this solution in our forums.