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How to convert a TBI image to a VMDK or VHD file

Posted: Sat May 18, 2013 2:17 pm
by yoyo
Sorry for asking this. I saw there where already similar topics but those ones didn't gave me the right answers to get it to work over here.
And I don't want to hijack someone else's topic.

I want to run my TBI images in VMWare Player. So I want to convert them to VMDK or VHD.

I have BootIt BM, Image for DOS and TeraByte OS Deployment Tool Suite Pro...

I understood from the manual that you could use the copyp2v.tbs with Image for DOS to do the trick. But it doesn't.
The manual says : "Use this helpful script to automate converting a physical machine to a virtual machine. Also requires Image for Windows, Image for DOS, or Image for Linux be installed or available in the current directory along with OSDTOOL.TBS."
Here it asks for imagew.exe which is Image for Windows... and then it won't continue any further...
I tried to rename image.exe to imagew.exe but that didn't work... :D

So I tried to execute Image for DOS in BootIt BM and tried the Restore to Virtual Drive option.
(although the way I read it, it only restores into a virtual Drive. Not converting it to a Virtual Drive.)
But When I have to select the target I can only select the C drive which is BIBM and is only 8MB with only 1MB of free space...
I'm lost...

Any help would be appreciated.
How do I convert a TBI image to a VMDK or VHD file..?

Re: How to convert a TBI image to a VMDK or VHD file

Posted: Sat May 18, 2013 3:08 pm
by Eric
If you use copyp2v.tbs under Windows, then it will ask for "Image for Windows", so this one must be installed in the system where the script is running.
Under BIBM, you cannot create vhd/vmdk file with IFD (neither copyp2v), because the drive where the vhd/vmdk file will resides in, must be accessible directly from the OS. So must be C:, or D:...

Re: How to convert a TBI image to a VMDK or VHD file

Posted: Sat May 18, 2013 3:56 pm
by Eric
You can also use "Image for Linux", because everything is already in the boot disk, and the copyp2v script is directly accessible from the desktop.
Just that you would have to first mount the drive where the vhd/vmdk will be.

Re: How to convert a TBI image to a VMDK or VHD file

Posted: Sun May 19, 2013 5:41 pm
by yoyo
Hmmm...

So I can't run the script under windows.
I can't restore to a virtual disk in Image for Dos in BIBM.

But it should work if I make a DOS bootdisk... Right..?
There I have Image for DOS, the script and access to most of my disks...

I'll try when I have the time.

Re: How to convert a TBI image to a VMDK or VHD file

Posted: Mon May 20, 2013 7:22 am
by Eric
From DOS, it will work also.
But you will need that the drive where the vhd/vmdk will be, be accessible and writeable from DOS itself (so with a drive letter C: or D:...).
I suppose that this drive is in NTFS. From base, DOS can only access FAT32 drive. So you have two option:
- find the driver so you can access and write to NTFS partition from DOS.
- create a temporary FAT32 partition to create the VHD/VMDK file. But then you will be limited to a file of 4GiB (limite imposed by FAT32).

This problem is only for the vhd file, not the TBI image file. "Image for Dos" can access all type of drives to read the TBI files. But it can only access VHD files within drives already accessible from the OS.

Re: How to convert a TBI image to a VMDK or VHD file

Posted: Sun May 26, 2013 2:07 am
by yoyo
Hmmm...

Maybe it's easier to mount the TBI file with TBIMount and copy the files into an empty and mounted VMDK or VHD file...
With system and hidden files made visible.
;)

Re: How to convert a TBI image to a VMDK or VHD file

Posted: Sun May 26, 2013 2:15 pm
by Eric
Don't know if it's easiest because you have:
- to ensure that the boot sector of the partition inside the vhd file fits the system (Win XP, or Win7 or Win8...) that you want to instal,
- to ensure that you copy the files keeping there SFN (Short File Name),
- then, after the copy, you will have to check/modify the boot files of the system (boot.ini, or BCD files...), and you may need to assign the system drive letter,
- then you can run copyp2v to make your system bootable (clean and install drivers, install correct hal). May not be needed.