How to reset UUID of vCenter Virtual Machine when vCenter license expired

 

Problem:

Issue when the old vCenter license expired and you want to create a new vCenter with EVAL license and it should use the same UUID.

Steps:

1.Note down the Datacenter tree details of Folder,cluster names,Resource pools names and ESXi IPs of the current VC

2.Power of the current Expired VC

3.Download the .VMX file of the old vCenter where license expired.

     and note down the below details of from the .VMX file.

     VCHOST.vmx file can found by browsing the datastore and the VC VM name:

4.Install the new vCenter server with same hostname and IP address on the ESXi server

5.Power of the new vCenter VM from ESXi

6.Download the new vCenter VM .vmx file from esxi datastore browse->Files

7.Edit the .vmx file and replace the below details from the old expired VCs .vmx file:

uuid.bios = "23 44 d0 1a e1 fd 75 15-5d e3 2b bc 79 a9 87 6d"

vc.uuid = "04 f0 71 4a 88 b4 c7 ba-4f 30 2r 40 97 64 d2 89"

8.After saving the changes upload the edit .vmx file to same location of datastore(the VCs folder)

9.Now power on the vCenter VM. while power on VM answer the question: Select "I move it"

Now the new vCenter VM will be using the same UUID.