There is a tool "sfc.exe", could you start on your laptop to check the integrity of system files?
Re-run the conversion is also an option, try with file-level cloning... I can't see where the problem could be.
In fact any antivirus program etc. could prevent access to important system files, so try to disable it.
One wild idea: mount the resulting VMDK file as disk letter, copy your SOFTWARE* files over ones in VMDK, detach and try reconfig again.
Message was edited by: POCEH