Amazon EC2: how to convert an existing PV AMI to HVM

Question

Question:

How should I use the new AWS EC2 classes (r3, i2) with my existing AMI without recreating the whole system setup?

The new EC2 classes support only HVM based virtualization but I have only PVM AMI images.

Answer 1

Answer:

1. Start an Ubuntu HVM linux, any version, new

2. Start an Ubuntu / with my existing AMI / PVM linux, and install grub packages on them: apt-get install grub-pc grub-pc-bin grub-legacy-ec2 grub-gfxpayload-lists

3. Stop PVM linux

4. Detach root (/dev/sda1) partition at PVM linux

5. Attach PVM linux root partition to running HVM linux somewhere, e.g.: /dev/sdf

6. On HVM linux: mkdir -p /mnt/xvdf && mount /dev/xvdf /mnt/xvdf

7. rsync -avzXA /boot/ /mnt/xvdf/boot/

8. mount -o bind /dev /mnt/xvdf/dev && mount -o bind /dev/pts /mnt/xvdf/dev/pts && mount -o bind /proc /mnt/xvdf/proc && mount -o bind /sys /mnt/xvdf/sys

9. chroot /mnt/xvdf

10. grub-install --no-floppy --recheck --force /dev/xvdf

11. update-grub2

12. exit chroot: CTRL+D

13. stop HVM Linux

14. detach /dev/sda1 original root AND detach /dev/sdf PVM root

15. attach PVM root to HVM linux as /dev/sda1

16. Start HVM linux, voilà!

17. Create a new AMI image from the running HVM linux, it will be HVM virtualized.