VMware for pc migration

I have not looked much into virtualisation other than for security reasons. I am familiar with Sandboxie and Returnil, read many threads about Shadowdefender, so understand the basic principle in running some dubious programs or surfing to less than reputable website in a virtual environment. It seems to me that most if not all of the threads here deal with this feature.

Is anyone here using VMware or similar programs for backup/migration purposes? Having talked to a friend, he seemed to say that you can run your whole system in a virtual mode and then safe this as folders. When you have to migrate to a different host (new os, different hardware) you just tranfer these folders, start a virtual machine and are back in business. This seems to me a very easy way to deal with migration issues. What are the disadvantages to using images (requiring Hardware Independant Restore functions ) ?

 

I was under the impression that you cannot do it, because when migrating to a new computer, it will have different hardware (the VM will see the new hardware), so you will need to install drivers and such which might mess things up.

But I suppose thats the same problem as disk imaging software?

I'm curious about both methods

 

The way my friend explained this to me is that you run VMware on some host system - it does not matter whether it's Xp, 7, windows, mac or linux. You install the VMware application and inside this application you run your actual system. So is your original system was created on XP and you have the virtual copy folders of this system, you can later run XP on a Mac or Linux in a virtual environment.

 

That will work with Unix/Linux VMs. You can copy them to different machines, running different OSs, and convert among VMware, VirtualBox, etc. But it won't work with Windows VMs, unless you first do just the right surgery and hand waving. I doubt that it would work with Mac VMs, either.

 

Not sure - might have to try it when I have some time but the website seems to say it can do so:

http://www.vmware.com/products/player/

 

Short question... longer answer

Yes, and essentially Correct, some minor adjustments might need to be made running an old VM in a new environment.
That is what VMs are about.

Creating & Moving VMs is not a true 'migration' ie to different HW to use as a primary system.

That is essentially correct: The VM will run on any HW that has enough capacity: CPU, RAM and disc space.
Such as XP VM inside W7.
XP in Linux
Linux in XP or W7
Running a Mac VM on winbox is also possible

All easy with VMWare.

Running VMs in a Mac requires different software.



If you want to migrate your primary system to new HW ie HIR, then Storage craft and Terabyte are good options.

ShadowProtect® Desktop™ provides the following benefits:
Rapid recovery from bare metal, to dissimilar hardware or to and from virtual environments.
ShadowProtect® Desktop
http://www.storagecraft.com/shadow_protect_desktop.php
How to perform a Hardware Independent Restore
http://www.storagecraft.com/support/kb/article/154
Very inyuitive and reliable tools.

Terabyte Tools
Use the included sample scripts and documentation for installing Windows drivers in your image deployment (restore) scripts to support hardware independent restores for different hardware.
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/tbosdt.htm
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/kb/article.php?id=435
Slightly more complex , but very very robust.
If you want to use the terabyte tools: get the bundle: practise :you wont regret it

Genuinely expert users of both options are on this forum

Options Here:
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=290875
Long thread here:
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=264223

Migrating to new HW is not always straight forward.

If you want to run a legacy environment then get the VMWare apps and you can have as many copies of your VMs as your system will handle.
The VMs can be stored and booted on partitions of primary disc ( just to keep things clean ), network drives, external drives, servers etc, some speed adjustments might be expected depending on connections.

Dont bother with Windows Virtual PC, not a -heh- 'patch' on VMWare.

VMWare Workstation has been a great buy for me, intuitive, reliable, great support; still hardly touched the sides.

Virtual box is very good.

Creating a VM from current set-up is another chapter: google "physical to virtual", but its still easy with various tools.

It's easy to start ... there are lots of threads here ... when you 'get it', you'll wonder why you waited so long.

 

I also tried on UNIX based system and the copy-paste of the folder worked just fine. =)

I also had a mac and used Parallel desktop to install windows xp and I copied and pasted the windows xp to another system (for a friend) just to try and it works! Amazingly all software licenses stayed the same and work as an exact copy of it.