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How to Create a New Virtual Machine from a Server in Essentials

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Applies To: System Center Essentials 2010

Requirements for Virtual Machines Created on Physical Servers

System Center Essentials 2010 enables you to create virtual machines from existing physical servers, also known as P2V conversion. In order to create a virtual machine from a physical server in Essentials 2010, the physical server must have one of the following operating systems installed.

Supported Operating Systems

  • Windows 7 (x86 and x64)

  • Windows Web Server 2008 R2

  • Windows Web Server 2008

  • Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard, Enterprise, or Datacenter Edition (x64)

  • Windows Server 2008 Standard, Enterprise, or Datacenter Edition (x86 and x64)

  • Windows Vista with Service Pack 1 (SP1) and above (x86 and x64)

  • Windows Small Business Server 2003

  • Windows Server 2003 Web Edition

  • Windows Server 2003 Standard, Enterprise or Datacenter Edition with Service Pack 2 (SP2) and above (x86 and x64)

  • Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 3 (SP3) and above (x86 and x64)

To create a new virtual machine from a physical server

  1. In the Essentials console, click the Computers button, click Computer Groups, and then click All Windows Servers.

  2. In the Tasks pane, click Convert to Virtual Machine.

  3. When the Copy Server wizard starts, read the information in Before you begin, and then click Next to continue.

  4. You are prompted to enter a user name, password, and domain to connect to the physical host server. Click the Test button to check the credentials, and then click Next to continue.

  5. A progress bar is displayed while Essentials retrieves the source details for the host server. Upon completion, configuration properties for the selected computer are displayed. Click the Change Properties button to make changes to the default configuration properties. Click OK when you are finished changing properties in order to return to the wizard.

  6. Click Next after configuring the properties of the host server. Essentials will search for computers that have sufficient resources to host the virtual machine that you want to run.

  7. In the list of available computers, select the one you want to use as a host for the virtual machine, and then click Next.

  8. On the Virtual Machine Identity page, type in a name for the virtual machine, type an optional description, select the host location for virtual machines files (for example, C:\Program Files\System Center Essentials\VM), and then click Next.

  9. On the Summary page, confirm the new virtual machine details, and then click Create.

    Warning

    The source computer will be shut down automatically when you click Create.

  10. A progress bar is displayed while Essentials creates the virtual machine. Upon completion, you are notified that the new virtual machine was successfully created. Clear the check box if you do not want to start the new virtual machine when the wizard closes, and then click Close to exit the wizard.

    Important

    If Essentials cannot create a virtual machine, you receive an error message that provides steps to correct the issue. After the issue has been resolved, click Retry to scan the computer again.

See Also

Tasks

How to Configure a Virtual Machine for Management in Essentials