virt-manager/man/virt-convert.pod

=pod

=head1 NAME

virt-convert - convert virtual machines between formats

=head1 SYNOPSIS

B<virt-convert> [OPTION]... INPUT.VMX|INPUT-DIR [OUTPUT.XML|OUTPUT-DIR]

=head1 DESCRIPTION

B<virt-convert> is a command line tool for converting virtual machines
from one format to another. Pass in either a VM definition file (such
as VMWare vmx format) or a directory containing a VM. By default, a new
VM definition file, and converted disk images, will be placed in a new
output directory.

If an output directory is specified, it will be created if necessary,
and the output VM definition placed within, along with any disk images
as needed.

If an output VM definition file is specified, it will be created
alongside any disks in the same directory.

=head1 OPTIONS

Any of the options can be omitted, in which case B<virt-convert> will
use defaults when required. An input VM definition or containing directory
must be provided. By default, an output directory is generated based upon
the name of the VM. The default input format is VMWare vmx, and the
default output format is a libvirt "image" XML definition
(see L<virt-image(5)>).

=over 4

=item -h, --help

Show the help message and exit

=back

=head2 Conversion Options

=over 2

=item  -i format

Input format. Currently, C<vmx>, C<virt-image>, and C<ovf> are supported.

=item  -o format

Output format. Currently, C<vmx>  and C<virt-image> are supported.

=item  -D format

Output disk format, or C<none> if no conversion should be performed. See
L<qemu-img(1)>.

=back

=head2 Virtualization Type options

Options to override the default virtualization type choices.

=over 2

=item  -v, --hvm      Create  a fully virtualized guest image

Convert machine to a hvm/qemu based image (this is the default if paravirt
is not specified)

=item  -p, --paravirt      Create  a paravirtualized guest image

Convert machine to a paravirt xen based image

=back

=head2 General Options

General configuration parameters that apply to all types of guest installs.

=over 2

=item -a ARCH, --arch=ARCH

Architecture of the virtual machine (i686, x86_64, ppc). Defaults to
that of the host machine.

=item  --os-type=OS_TYPE

Optimize the guest configuration for a type of operating system (ex. 'linux',
'windows'). This will attempt to pick the most suitable ACPI & APIC settings,
optimally supported mouse drivers, virtio, and generally accommodate other
operating system quirks.  See L<virt-install(1)> for valid values.

=item --os-variant=OS_VARIANT

Further optimize the guest configuration for a specific operating system
variant (ex. 'fedora8', 'winxp'). This parameter is optional, and does not
require an C<--os-type> to be specified. See L<virt-install(1)> for valid
values.

=item  --noapic

Override the OS type / variant to disables the APIC setting for fully
virtualized guest.

=item  --noacpi

Override the OS type / variant to disables the ACPI setting for fully
virtualized guest.

=back

=head2 Miscellaneous Options

=over 2

=item -q, --quiet

Avoid verbose output.

=item -d, --debug

Print debugging information

=item --dry-run

Proceed through the conversion process, but don't convert disks or actually
write any converted files.

=back

=head1 EXAMPLES

Convert a paravirt guest from C<image.vmx>:

  # virt-convert --arch=i686 --paravirt image.vmx

Convert a 64-bit hvm guest:

  # virt-convert --arch=x86_64 vmx-appliance/ hvm-appliance/

=head1 AUTHOR

Written by Joey Boggs, John Levon, and Cole Robinson

See the AUTHORS file in the source distribution for the complete list
of credits.

=head1 BUGS

Please see http://virt-manager.org/page/BugReporting

=head1 COPYRIGHT

Copyright (C) 2006-2012 Red Hat, Inc, and various contributors.
This is free software. You may redistribute copies of it under the terms
of the GNU General Public License C<http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

=head1 SEE ALSO

L<virt-image(5)>, the project website C<http://virt-manager.org>

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