VMware Converter is a free VMware utility which helps to convert your Windows and Linux physical and virtual machines to VMware virtual machines without any downtime, can also be used to reconfigure VMs (Resizing a VMDK, convert VMDK Thin or Thick, upgrade virtual machine Hardware version compatibility, etc.).


Note: Before to start be sure that:

  • Do not edit any data on source machine during conversion
  • Disable file sharing and other software who write on disk on the source machine
  • Be sure that the Windows version is supported
  • Be sure that VMware Converter Standalone have access to the Source/target network 
  • Disable Antivirus/Firewall on the source machine
  • Use a local Administrator account on the source machine
  • In case of Windows Domain Controller and AD temporary disable services used in Domain
  • Run a Converting job per time


#1 Login to SynetoOS click on Datastores and create a New Datastore with workload type needed and give a name



#2 Download Vmware Converter from here, and Install VMware Converter in a windows host, local or remote (in this tutorial we use a local physical machine)



#3 Click on Convert Machine and select in Source System the Source Type "Powered on" and "This local machine", click next



#4 Fill in Destination System the Destination type and all VMware Infrastructure server details and click next


#5 Click Ignore to the certificate warning pop-up to continue 



#6 After connection to the VMware host chose a name for the new VM you are creating and click next



#7 in Datastore select the datastore previously created on SynetoOS, where you want to send the VM and change the Virtual machine version if needed and press next



#8 Here a recap of all configuration that will be reported on the Hypervisor


#9 If you need to change setting (eg. Thin or Thick Disk) you can click on Destination Layout and edit as you need and press next



#10 Review all configuration and press finish to start Converting.



#11 Wait the process ending



#12 After the "Completed" state appear on VMware Converter, you can now power-off the physical machine and start the new VM on ESXi