Streamline Your Virtual Migration with VMware Converter

VMware Converter offers a user-friendly solution for converting physical machines into virtual environments, enhancing manageability and flexibility in your IT infrastructure.
VMware Converter is a free tool developed by VMware, Inc. that allows users to migrate their existing physical systems to a virtual environment. This tool is particularly useful for organizations that wish to consolidate their hardware resources and reduce their data center footprint.
With VMware Converter, users can easily convert physical machines running Windows and Linux operating systems as well as third-party image formats such as backups or disk images into virtual machines that can be run on VMware vSphere or other virtualization platforms. The process of converting physical machines to virtual machines is known as P2V (physical to virtual) conversion.
VMware Converter provides a simple and intuitive wizard-based interface that guides users through the entire P2V process. The tool also provides advanced options such as the ability to customize virtual hardware configurations, select which volumes and disks are included in the conversion, and choose which network adapters to install in the virtual machine.
The resulting virtual machine is an exact replica of the original physical system, complete with all installed applications, data, and settings. This allows users to seamlessly transition from their physical environment to a virtual one without having to reconfigure their systems or reinstall software.
In addition to P2V conversion, VMware Converter also supports V2V (virtual to virtual) conversions, allowing users to migrate between different virtualization platforms. The tool also provides support for converting cloud-based virtual machines back to on-premises environments.
- VMware Converter is free for personal and commercial use
- The tool supports both Windows and Linux operating systems
- The tool provides a simple and intuitive wizard-based interface
- Advanced options are available for customizing the virtual machine configuration
- The resulting virtual machine is an exact replica of the original physical system
- VMware Converter supports P2V and V2V conversions and cloud-to-on-premises migrations
VMware Converter is a useful tool for organizations looking to migrate their physical systems to a virtual environment. Its user-friendly interface and advanced customization options make the P2V process easy to manage, while its support for V2V conversions and cloud-to-on-premises migrations ensures maximum flexibility.
Overview
VMware Converter is a Freeware software in the category System Utilities developed by VMware, Inc..
The latest version of VMware Converter is 5.0, released on 09/07/2011. It was initially added to our database on 10/29/2007.
VMware Converter runs on the following operating systems: Windows.
Users of VMware Converter gave it a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
Pros
- Easy-to-use interface for converting physical machines into virtual machines
- Supports a wide range of operating systems and source physical machines
- Ability to customize conversion settings like disk size and CPU allocation
- Can perform multiple conversions simultaneously, saving time and increasing efficiency
- Offers options for scheduling conversions to run at specific times
Cons
- May experience compatibility issues with certain hardware configurations or operating systems
- Requires a certain level of technical expertise to configure advanced settings correctly
- The free version has limitations compared to the paid version, such as lack of support for some features like incremental cloning
- Can be resource-intensive during the conversion process, affecting system performance
FAQ
What is VMware Converter?
VMware Converter is a tool that allows you to convert physical machines or virtual machines from other platforms to a virtual machine format compatible with VMware products.
What platforms does VMware Converter support?
VMware Converter supports converting physical machines running Windows or Linux operating systems, as well as converting virtual machines from various virtualization platforms including Hyper-V and KVM.
Is VMware Converter free to use?
Yes, VMware Converter is available as a free download and can be used without any additional cost.
What types of conversions can be performed with VMware Converter?
VMware Converter supports three main types of conversions: physical to virtual (P2V), virtual to virtual (V2V), and virtual to physical (V2P) conversions.
Can VMware Converter perform live migrations?
Yes, VMware Converter supports live migrations where the source machine remains online during the conversion process, allowing for minimal downtime.
What virtual machine formats does VMware Converter support?
VMware Converter can convert to a variety of VMware virtual machine formats, including the VMX file format used by VMware Workstation, Fusion, and ESXi.
Does VMware Converter support batch conversions?
Yes, VMware Converter allows you to perform batch conversions, enabling you to convert multiple machines simultaneously or in a scheduled manner.
Can VMware Converter clone existing virtual machines?
Yes, VMware Converter includes the ability to clone existing virtual machines within the same vCenter Server or between different vCenter Servers.
What is the recommended hardware and software for running VMware Converter?
VMware provides documentation with detailed hardware and software requirements for running VMware Converter, you can refer to the official documentation for the most up-to-date information.
Is technical support available for VMware Converter?
Yes, VMware offers technical support for VMware Converter through various support channels including documentation, knowledge base articles, and community forums.

Boris Weber
I am an editor at UpdateStar. I started as a support engineer, and am now specialized in writing about general software topics from a usability and performance angle among others. I telecommute from UpdateStar’s Berlin office, when I am not working remote as a digital nomad for UpdateStar. When I'm not analyzing the latest software updates, you can find me exploring new cities, immersing myself in local cultures, and discovering innovative tech trends across the globe.
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