How To Convert VMware VMDK to VHD Virtualbox Files?
Summary: In this article, we will be covering the easiest approach to convert VMware VMDK to VHD VirtualBox. Along with how the conversion process works and what to do when the VMDK files are not functioning well.
Most companies all around the planet using virtualization. Because it empowers enterprises to increase the utilization of their hardware. There are so many virtualization software obtainable within the market, but two of the most widespread Virtual software are Microsoft VMware and Hyper-V.
Both programs have their own specs and specialties, and they do not support each other. VMware software works using VMDK file format to store virtual disk data, whereas Microsoft Hyper-V uses VHD or hyper-v vhd format. So, at several points, there appear circumstances when you might need to convert the VMDK file to Virtualbox VHD file format.
Understanding VMDK and VHD Formats
What is a VMDK file?
VMware machines generate Virtual Machine Disk files (VMDK), a format that acts as a virtual hard drive for storing all the data of a virtual machine. These files are widely used in VMware products such as VMware Player, VMware Workstation, VMware ESXi, and VMware Fusion. Modern VMware environments support VMDK files with a maximum size of up to 62TB (on VMFS6). However earlier versions had a 2TB limit. By using VMDK files, users can create fully functional virtual machines that mimic physical computer environments, complete with the ability to store large amounts of data and back up critical information.
What is VHD?
A VHD (Virtual Hard Disk) file is a virtual disk format originally developed by Connectix for virtualization purposes. After Microsoft acquired Connectix in 2003, the VHD format was made publicly accessible in 2005 under the Microsoft Open Specification Promise, enabling third-party use. A VHD operates as a virtual disk, functioning like a physical hard drive to install operating systems, create files and folders, or serve as a backup medium. The volume of a VHD can either be fixed or dynamically expanded, allowing flexibility in disk management. Note that the maximum size of a VHD file is 2TB, while the newer VHDX format supports up to 64TB
Need to Convert VMDK to VHD Virtualbox
Several reasons are required to convert VMDK to a VHD file.
- For instance, if you want to move from the VMware environment to Microsoft Hyper-V, then you need to transform VMDK files into VHD. Also, if you’re practicing Azure cloud service, then to move VMware data to the cloud, you have to convert the VMDK file to VHD.
- Everyone finds it more straightforward to handle everything on Windows Server, as they don’t need any further training for it. Windows Server comes with Microsoft Hyper-V as an in-built feature, so there is no need not to have to pay any additional expenses like a VMware machine.
- Some users desire to convert VMDK files to VHD file format to protect their data from any type of data loss or to keep it as a backup. Similarly, a lot of doubts submitted on Microsoft discussion forums correlated to how to turn VMDK files to VHD without any error or data failure.
Ways to convert VMware VMDK to VHD (Virtual Hard Disk) File
There are various third-party explications that empower you to transform VMDK to VHD, but each software has a price. So, to overcome the third-party software charge, Microsoft provides a free virtual machine converter to convert VMware to Virtualbox using PowerShell commands. We have expanded on some additional useful insights about the Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter software.
Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter
It is an autonomic software for IT specialists or solution providers who want to develop themselves from Virtual Machine Disks to Microsoft’s Hyper-V hosts and Azure. People who crave to change physical computers and hard disks to Hyper-V hosts can also use this service.
It is compatible with Windows PowerShell which enables you to automate exchanges and connect them with data center computerization workflows. As you can recognize it is the newest variant of Virtual Machine Converter which involves online translation of physical machines to virtual hard disks. Presently, let’s have a look at the working method of this tool.
- Download & Install Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter on your machine.
- Next, after installing the Microsoft Conversion kit, begin PowerShell and use the hereinafter cmdlet to introduce the following module:
Import-Module “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter\mvmcCmdlet.psd1”- Once the module is introduced, you can use the below cmdlet to convert VMDK to VHD virtualbox files.
PS C:\>ConvertTo-MvmcVirtualHardDisk -SourceLiteralPath E:\SERVERNAME\SERVERNAME.vmdk -VhdType DynamicHardDisk -VhdFormat vhdx -destination E:\VHD\- Once the VMDK file is changed to VHD, build a new VM in Hyper-V manager and choose an existent disk.
You can visit this Microsoft Docs to learn more about Powershell and learn how to import it to Azure.
Transforming genuine and regular VMDK files to VHD is simple, but if the VMDK files are corrupted, then it’s not easy to save them in VHD format. However, there are free ways to repair corrupted VMDK files. But, there is no assurance that you will be capable of converting VMDK files with hand-operated processes indeed after fixing them. So, to fix the VMDK issues, use a VMDK recovery software that gives impeccable VMware recovery of VMDK files – Vdiskrecovery VMDK Recovery Software.
Final Line
Converting VMDK to VHD becomes a requirement. When the VMDK files get corrupted or when you want to convert VMware to Virtualbox. However, the process of converting VMDK to VHD Virtualbox is not simple with contaminated VMDK files. So, you’ll have to fix corrupt VMDK files with Vdiskrecovery VMDK Recovery. In this article, we have explained how you can transform VMDK into a VHD file.
