Import VM from 5.0.30 into VM 4.2.4?

[MightyMowz]

I'm seeing an import file error, when trying to import a VM (ova file) I created and exported from VirtualBox version 5.0.30. The checksum of the file is correct for the ova file (checked on both hosts). So, I believe the ova to be legit. I am trying to import into an older version of VirtualBox that is on the other host, it being 4.2.4. Is this an issue? Do i have to upgrade VirtualBox to version 5 on the the host I'm trying to import on to?? Anybody? Thank you.

[socratis]

I am trying to import into an older version of VirtualBox that is on the other host, it being 4.2.4. Is this an issue?

I don't know, you tell me... Did you have an issue? An error? Failure? Or is this a preparatory question?

• VirtualBox 4.2.4  : 2012-10-26
  VirtualBox 5.0.30 : 2016-11-23

That's a little bit over 4 years of VirtualBox development. I'm not sure if backporting to such an old version will work. If you can upgrade, by all means please do. Even better if you go with the latest and greatest 5.1.16 (as of this writing).

[MightyMowz]

Let me post a reply of what I have found. I get a "Seeking within the archive failed(VERR_TAR_CHKSUM_MISMATCH)" error when trying to import my 5.0.30 ova into VirtualBox 4.2.4. As I stated, my checksum of the file matches exact, so this is misleading. I believe that it is NOT backwards compatible. I'll update when I upgrade my other host box to 5 and try the import again.

[MightyMowz]

Certainly yes, the one host we have is quite a bit out of date (given what a member has told me, 4.2.4 being 4 years earlier than 5.x). I guess the next question is can I forward port a 5.0.30 to the newest 5.1.x?? Or, upgrade the host box to match the virtualbox (5.0.30) that created the ova.

[socratis]

Those are hypothetical questions and as such I'll give you a hypothetical answer; why don't you update all of them to the same version? Either the latest or the 5.0.30 (which is the one before the last in the 5.0.x series)?

[MightyMowz]

Not so hypothetical when dealing with locked down systems. We just can't update whatever we want, when we want. Unfortunately. I can on my test boxes, which is how I'm able to test the export of the 5.x to the 4.x. I have since also updated to the latest 5.1.16 on my test host box, that I have control of. And not hypothetically speaking, I have found that I can import the 5.0.30 ova onto the newer 5.1.16. This is for anyone who may have created a vm and must export it to another host, and the host may not contain the same virtualbox system. Ideally, yes, it would make sense to have them all at the same version. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen in the real world (or at least, in a controlled customer real world).

[socratis]

Not so hypothetical when dealing with locked down systems. We just can't update whatever we want, when we want.

I don't use, nor am I in front of your systems. So, yes, for me the following is a hypothetical question:

"what would happen if I update (or not) to another (maybe compatible) version and try to import something from another version".

Hypothetical because I'm definitely not going to try and recreate your setup, as to answer with a degree of certainty. So, I have to make a hypothesis as to whether it's going to work or not.

To remove the hypothesis out of a theory, you perform an experiment. If you can. You could, you did, you got the answer!

Thanks for sharing the outcome.

[MightyMowz]

Sorry if I took it the wrong way, been a long week. I understand where you're coming from. Thanks for weighing in on the subject though. Did make me think about the newer release moving forward. And yes, at least now, I know it may help someone else that may be stuck in this same situation. Thanks again.

[socratis]

No problemo.
Here's something that just occurred to me. If you already have a test machine, why don't you test the whole thing there? You export if from version A, uninstall version A, install version B, try to import previously exported OVA into version B! Note the incompatibilities (if any), rinse and repeat until you get a proper recipe, which then you apply to your "locked down" system with the minimum potential of ruining it...