Create a VM from Bare Metal

I would like to convert a Windows 2016 server to a virtual machine. I inherited this desktop server and I would prefer not to risk installing or do anything directly on the server.

Is there a way to create a Parallels VM from the windows 2016 bare-metal and or full backups windows server backup?

I have a number of these servers I would like to virtualize and run on Parallels professional.
Anybody tried this or have any suggestions?

 

Hi, you can migrate your PC to VM
Also in Parallels Desktop 15 there is new option: connection of the external physical disks to a virtual machine as internal disks. This functionality allows you to:
Install Windows or another OS to this disk.
Boot to the OS installed on that disk.
Use non-native Boot Camp installations (e.g. restore using WinClone).
Please let us know if it's not that case.

 

Hi Maria, I am aware of parallels transporter, that was not the question!
What I was asking is there a way of creating a VM from a Windows backup (a full bare-metal backup).
I don't want to have to install anything on the server or restart it.

 

Hi Dale4, it is possible to do what you want easily, the question is the only disk space.
The idea is to add to VM plain virtual disk. This kind of disk created when "Expanding Disk" check box was not checked during virtual disk creation.
So, you need to add to VM a large plain disk of a required size. Then you need to make a 'dd' of you raw disk to a virtual disk image.
Later you can convert this plain disc to compressed one. Also do not forget so set virtual disk "location" field according to disk interface used
in bare-metal Windows.

 

Fantastic, Thank you I will give it a go