Windows XP x64 virtual machine (VMWare ESX) using only 2 CPUs (out of 4)

This is a confusing thing to do.

It basically involves 4 systems: 1) System where you install the Standalone Converter (e.g. your laptop); 2) Physical System you want to convert; 3) ESXi (Virtual Infrastructure) System installed to a USB key and booted on a separate PC and wired up to 4) another System that is exposing an NFS share.

I think once you understand that from your laptop you initiate the process from the Converter client, select the Physical system to convert (SOURCE) and direct it to the ESXi System (DESTINATION) that has mounted the NFS share to STORE the converted (Virtual) machine it makes more sense. But yah, VMWare docs need to do a much better job of explaining it.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

The only serious complication may come from going from multicore (ie 2 or more) to single core. Windows 2000, XP, and 2003 (im not sure about vista, 2008 or 7) used a different kernel for multicore than they did for single core. That said, its probably just going to be some kind of performance penalty, rather than things blowing all the way up.

I would check to make sure that any critical applications didnt get processor affinity set as well - that could ruin your day. see here: http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/735180 or https://web.archive.org/web/1/http://articles.techrepublic%2ecom%2ecom/5100-10878_11-6168870.html

Edit: the same will be true of linux, however the SMP core issue is simply one of performance rather than full-stop issues. linux, on the other hand, is much easier to set processor affinity permanently. see http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/setting-processor-affinity-certain-task-or-process.html