AB&Recovery 11.5 & VMware Workstation issue
Hi,
first to say I hope I'm on the right forum, and hope that it's not double post.
I have an issue with Acronis Backup & Recovery 11.5 (AB&R from now on)& VMware Workstation 11.0. Later will get to it.
On one topic I have read how to do physical to virtual.
Best way is to create image of physical machine with AB&R. Copy that image to flash drive. In VMware create virtual machine with allocated space same as physical machine. Then boot VM from AB&R bootable media and restore image to VM's hdd and then apply Universal restore. (USB drive must be plugged into host before VM is being booted to VM/AB&R can see it).
I have tried it and it worked.
Now, it's easy when image is small, but what happens when image is quite large and can fit into flash drive??
Issue start from here.
I tried method described above for large image. I have had created image of physical's machine hdd - 160GB. Copied into host. Shared folder where image is. Created new VM, disk size 160GB. Booted VM from AB&R media. Choose Recover option, now I go to browse. On local folder I just can see my dvd drive, no hdd's. When I go to network receiving strange behaviour. On one occasion there is nothing to see. I turn off guest, turn off VM Workstation. Start VMW, boot VM, go to same procedure and now I can see in network option NFS (i think, correct me if I'm wrong, doing VM restore right now so can't see the option). Turn off everything, Turn on everything, go to network (same procedure as above, don't want to write it again), now I can see Workgroup. Click on it, there is another PC listed but not the host. Turn off, turn on, network - nothing. Turn off, turn on, network - workgroup visible, click on it, bam - here is host, click on it can see shared folder. Start restore (choose option to restore to physical), apply universal restore at the end, rebooted VM and guest OS is booted fine. Congratz.
Now, I want to do it again to be sure, mu procedure is correct. Deleted VM. Started again as described above, but problem with accessing to network - shared folder on host is here. After random turn off, turn on, I'm able to access it and do restore.
I'm thinking that:
1) I'm doing something wrong. But then why sometimes I can access to my origin folder with AB&R image on host and sometimes I can't?
2) AB&R have some difficulties to access host resources.
I'm running W7 x64 ultimate on host, rest of you know from post.
Sorry for long post, but was trying to describe problem as best as possible.
Best regards,
Jovan.

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Hi Colin,
thank you for your response.
In VM settings, in select a disk option, I choose first option --> Create a new virtual disk.
But I don't think that the issue. Issue is that AB&R booted from bootable media will not see/access to host. I can't figure it out why after random turn off/on it will access to network option an will show my host shared folder.
In host OS, W7, permissions are set to everybody with all access. It's set ok because I can access through network to that folder from another PC.
Jovan.
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I think your issue is a DNS error. Your machine cannot resolve the host name for access. I am including a link that may help in resolving your issue. I would try solution number 7 to start with and go from there.
http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles-tutorials/trouble/10-Ways-Tro…
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Hi Enchantech,
sorry for my late reply, but was busy on some projects. I have managed to resolve my problem (I think so). I have played with VMware network settings and noticed that when I put NAT for my option I can access every single time to my host via network folders option.
I have created, like 10 VM's, true have 2 physical PC's images created by AB&R. And as I said, I was able to access to my physical disc on my host.
One notice, on my host, physical disc is divided on 2 partitions, which one is shared with full access.
So now I have concluded that it was actually "VMwares issue", let's call it that.
If you know that any one have similar problem(s), point him to this post, or to contact me, I will be glad to share my knowledge with others.
Best regards,
Jovan.
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Will certainly provide this link to others if needed. Yes, turning on Network Address Translation (NAT) within VMware would make the difference, I had not thought of that so good find on your part.
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