Abstract: A conversion system for converting a source disk image supporting a first hardware configuration into a target disk image supporting a second and different hardware configuration. The conversion system includes a first server that mounts the source disk image as a target disk drive, a repository that stores information and files useful for supporting the second hardware configuration, a rules library that facilitates conversion of hardware specific attributes in accordance with an external introspection process (EIP), and a conversion engine executed on the first server and interfaced with the repository and the rules library. The conversion engine performs the EIP by examining the source disk image on the target disk drive to determine modifications to convert to the target disk image.