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

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

Follow these to convert an Existing PV AMI to HVM:

1. Create an Ubuntu HVM linux, any version, new
2. Create an Ubuntu / with my existing AMI / PVM linux, and install grub packages on the console:                                                                                                                              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 the HVM linux console: 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. Then, detach /dev/sda1 original root AND after that detach /dev/sdf PVM root
15. attach PVM root to HVM linux as /dev/sda1
16. Start HVM linux

Finally, create a new AMI image from the running HVM linux, and it will be HVM virtualized.