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How to Use Stand-alone Media with the Configuration Manager P2V Migration Toolkit

 

Updated: January 1, 2012

Applies To: System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1

Use the information in this topic to run the stand-alone media that is used to migrate to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager when using the Configuration Manager P2V Migration Toolkit. The stand-alone media prepares the server for a side-by-side migration from Configuration Manager 2007 to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager.

The Stand-alone Media Migration Process and the Rehost Wizard

When you use the stand-alone media to boot the server, the Rehost Wizard starts.

The Rehost Wizard collects the information needed by the task sequence on the stand-alone media. This information is used in the migration process. The task sequence is a way of automating a set of tasks and completing the tasks sequentially. In this case these tasks prepare a single server for a side-by-side migration.

When you boot the server from the stand-alone media, and answer the questions in the Rehost Wizard, a task sequence runs. The task sequence performs the following actions:

  • Images your existing Configuration Manager 2007 site server

  • Saves it to a location that you specify as a virtual hard disk (VHD)

  • Installs the Windows Server 2008 R2 operating system

  • Activates Hyper-V

  • Creates a virtual machine (VM)

  • Attaches the VHD

The diagram below illustrates the process.

Workflow for rehost scenario

When the whole process is finished, you can install System Center 2012 Configuration Manager on that physical computer. Since the Configuration Manager 2007 installation is isolated inside a VM, after you install System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, you will be able to run both versions of Configuration Manager simultaneously. At this point you can do a side-by-side migration from Configuration Manager 2007 to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager.

Before You Start

  • If you received .iso files instead of media, you must create the stand-alone media yourself by burning the .iso files onto a CD, DVD, or USB memory stick media.

  • Ensure that you back up the server before running the stand-alone media.

  • Perform disk maintenance (disk defragmentation and cleanup) on the server hard disks to reduce the time needed for the automated physical-to-virtual conversion process.

Information that You Need for the Rehost Wizard

The Rehost Wizard collects information that is needed by the task sequence that runs from the stand-alone media. This section provides a list of information to have ready before starting the stand-alone media and running the Rehost Wizard.

Be ready to provide the following information.

  • A new name for the physical computer, the name of the computer’s domain or workgroup, and, if the computer is domain-joined, you need the credentials with permission to join the computer to the domain.

    Important

    Do not reuse the original name for the physical computer or there will be naming conflicts with the VM.

  • The drive where you want the task sequence to install Windows Server 2008 R2.

  • The drives that you want the task sequence to image for the VHD. Ensure that you know all drives that contain files related to the Configuration Manager 2007 installation, including the current operating system drive, the boot drive, and drives containing Configuration Manager data.

  • The location where you want the task sequence to save the VHD. If this location is on a network drive, you will need the network credentials with permission to create the file and to save the file in that location.

  • A friendly name for the VM that is easy to recognize in Hyper-V, the amount of memory to allocate for the VM, and the virtual network name.

To start the stand-alone media

  1. Boot the server from the stand-alone media. The Rehost Wizard starts. On the Welcome page, click Next.

  2. If no errors are displayed on the Preflight Checks page, click Next.

    Note

    The wizard runs a series of prerequisites checks in the background that ensure that your system meets the basic requirements for migration. If an error is displayed on the Preflight Checks page, you must fix it before proceeding.

  3. On the New Computer Details page, specify the following settings, and then click Next.

    - In the **Computer name** box, enter a name for the new computer.

  <div class="alert">


  > [!IMPORTANT]
  > <P>Ensure that the new computer name that you enter for the physical computer is not the same as the original so that when the wizard rehosts the site server in a virtual machine (VM), you will not have a name collision with the virtual instance.</P>


  </div>

- In **Network Details**, enter the domain or workgroup that the computer will join.

- If the computer will be joined to a domain, in **Domain Join Credentials**, provide a user name and password with permission to join a computer to this domain.

  4. On the Administrator Information page, specify the following settings, and then click Next.

    - In **Administrator Password**, type the local administrator password, and then type it again to confirm.

- In **Administrator User Accounts**, enter one or more user accounts, separated by semi-colons, that you want the task sequence to add to the Local Administrators Group.

  5. On the Target Drive page, select the drive where you want the task sequence to install Windows Server 2008 R2, and then click Next.

    Warning

    All data on the drive is deleted when the operating system is installed.

  6. On the Drives to Virtualize page, ensure that you select the following drives, and then click Next.

    - All drives where files related to Configuration Manager 2007 reside

- The drive where the current operating system is installed

- The boot drive

  7. On the VHD File Location page, specify the following settings, and then click Next.

    Important

    Ensure that there is enough disk space to save the VHD in the location you specify.

    - In **VHD File Location**, click **Browse** to specify the location where you want the wizard to save the VHD. Create a new folder for the VHD, and then click **Save**.

  <div class="alert">


  > [!WARNING]
  > <P>Do not save the VHD to a drive you selected to virtualize or to the drive you selected for the operating system.</P>


  </div>

- In **File Save Credentials**, enter the user or service credentials with permissions to create and save the VHD to the location that you specified.

  8. On the Virtual Machine Information page, specify the following settings, and then click Next.

    - In the **Name** box, type a friendly name that you will recognize when you start the VM in Hyper-V.

- Select the amount of memory for this VM from the **Memory** drop-down list.

- In **Virtual Network**, type a name in the **Virtual network name** box, and make a selection from the **Network card** drop-down list.

  9. Complete the wizard.

When you click Finish the task sequence on the stand-alone media starts. Depending on the speed of your network and the size of the VHD, this process might take several hours.

To validate that the task sequence completed, check that your server has the following configuration:

  • The physical computer is running Windows Server 2008 R2

  • The Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V role is turned on

  • Hyper-V is managing a new virtual machine (VM) that has the friendly computer name you gave it in the Rehost Wizard

  • The VM is hosting your Configuration Manager 2007 installation

Troubleshooting

Use this section for information that can help you troubleshoot issues.

Rehost Path Issue: The Rehost Wizard Fails to Connect to the Network Save Location for the VHD

Problem: If the connection fails to the VHD save location you specified on the network, on an external hard drive, or on another device, then the device drivers for the save location might be missing from the Windows PE boot image that was used to create your stand-alone media.

Solution: Identify the missing device drivers. To identify the device drivers you need for connecting to the remote VHD save location, run the following command: ipconfig /all 

Provide this information to the person who created the stand-alone media and request new stand-alone media where the Windows PE boot image includes the needed device drivers.

Here is the general process to create new stand-alone media using Configuration Manager P2V Migration Toolkit.

  1. Add the device drivers that are needed to the Windows PE boot image. For information about adding device drivers to an offline Windows PE image, see Add Device Drivers on an Offline Windows PE Image.

  2. Start Configuration Manager P2V Migration Toolkit and create new stand-alone media by using the instructions in How to Create Task Sequence Stand-alone Media for the Rehost Path of the Configuration Manager P2V Toolkit.

Rehost Path Issue: The Task Sequence Fails Before It Installs Windows Server 2008 R2

Problem: Depending on the size your Configuration Manager 2007 installation, the process of capturing the image might take hours or even days. If the task sequence times out or fails after it captures the image of the site server and before it installs Windows Server 2008 R2, you might see problems that require manual intervention.

Solution: The task sequence has not installed Windows Server 2008 R2 so your Configuration Manager 2007 site server information is preserved. Find the VHD that the task sequence saved to the location you specified, rename the VHD, and then rerun the stand-alone media.

Rehost Path Issue: The Task Sequence Fails During the Installation of Windows Server 2008 R2

Problem: Depending on the size your Configuration Manager 2007 installation, the process of capturing the image might take hours or even days. If the task sequence times out or fails after it captures the image of the site server and during the installation of Windows Server 2008 R2, you might see problems that require manual intervention.

Solution: Ensure that the VHD was created and saved to the location you specified. Manually install and configure Windows Server 2008 R2. Log in to Windows Server 2008 R2 and enable the Hyper-V role. Open Hyper-V Manager, create a VM to host the site server, copy the VHD from the saved location to the server, and then attach the VHD to the VM.

Rehost Path Issue: The Task Sequence Fails During VHD Restore

Problem: If the task sequence fails during the process of restoring the VHD from its saved location to the local server, you must complete the remaining steps of the task sequence manually.

Solution: Log in to Windows Server 2008 R2 and enable the Hyper-V role. Open Hyper-V Manager, create a VM to host the site server, copy the VHD from the saved location to the server, and then attach the VHD to the VM you created.

Next Steps

Take some time to confirm that your rehosted Configuration Manager 2007 is working as you expect, and then install System Center 2012 Configuration Manager on the physical computer or in a new VM that you create.

At this point in the process, your server is configured and ready for a side-by-side migration. For more information about migration, including instructions for a side-by-side migration, see Migrating from Configuration Manager 2007 to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager.