Error when importing OVF from VMware

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bblackmoor
Posts: 11
Joined: 15. Apr 2019, 18:05

Error when importing OVF from VMware

Post by bblackmoor »

I exported a OVF (and associated files) from VMware Workstation Pro. I attempted to import it into VirtualBox ("Import Appliance...") and got the error I have seen other people report.

Code: Select all

Failed to import appliance F:\VMware_VMs\export\Windows 10 PCCW Global.ovf.

Error reading "F:\VMware_VMs\export\Windows 10 PCCW Global.ovf": Host resource of type "Other Storage Device (20)" is supported with SATA AHCI controllers only, line 47 (subtype:vmware.nvme.controller).

Result Code: VBOX_E_FILE_ERROR (0x80BB0004)
Component: ApplianceWrap
Interface: IAppliance {86a98347-7619-41aa-aece-b21ac5c1a7e6}
I then did what others have suggested, which is to edit the MF file, replacing "ElementName" with "Caption", and "vmware.sata.ahci" with "AHCI". I then updated the SHA256 value of the OVF in the MF file.

I got the exact same error.

I have attached the VBoxSVC.log file, although from what I can see, it just says the same error.

Do anyone have any suggestions? Thank you.
VBoxSVC.zip
VBoxSVC.log
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bblackmoor
Posts: 11
Joined: 15. Apr 2019, 18:05

Re: Error when importing OVF from VMware

Post by bblackmoor »

Looking through the OVF file, I found a section that referred to "vmware.nvme.controller". Thinking this might be a similar case to the AHCI entry, I changed that to "NVMe". I then got this error:

Code: Select all

Failed to import appliance F:\VMware_VMs\export\Windows 10 PCCW Global.ovf.

Error reading "F:\VMware_VMs\export\Windows 10 PCCW Global.ovf": Host resource of type "Other Storage Device (20)" is supported with SATA AHCI controllers only, line 47 (subtype:NVMe).

Result Code: VBOX_E_FILE_ERROR (0x80BB0004)
Component: ApplianceWrap
Interface: IAppliance {86a98347-7619-41aa-aece-b21ac5c1a7e6}
That section, by the way, looks like this:

Code: Select all

      <Item>
        <rasd:Address>0</rasd:Address>
        <rasd:Description>NVME Controller</rasd:Description>
        <rasd:Caption>nvmeController0</rasd:Caption>
        <rasd:InstanceID>3</rasd:InstanceID>
        <rasd:ResourceSubType>vmware.nvme.controller</rasd:ResourceSubType>
        <rasd:ResourceType>20</rasd:ResourceType>
      </Item>
Apparently VirtualBox does not like NVMe as ResourceType 20. Looking at this... https://www.vmware.com/pdf/ovf_spec_draft.pdf ... I see no other ResourceType for a non-IDE controller, so I tried deleting the NVMe section, updated the parent ID of the hard drive to point to the AHCI controller (which I don't expect to actually work, but I am just trying anything at this point), and recalculated the SHA256 value.

That appeared to work. The "Import" summary displayed, and VirtualBox began the process of converting the VMDK file to a VDI file. When it finished, I started up the VM... and got FATAL: INT18: BOOT FAILURE. Which I expected.

I then edited the settings on the VM, adding a NVMe controller (why can I add one but not import one? I have no idea.), and moving the VDI file from the SATA/AHCI controller to the NVMe controller. I started up the VM... and got FATAL: Could not read from the boot medium! System halted.

Any suggestions?
Martin
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Re: Error when importing OVF from VMware

Post by Martin »

Some time ago I saw a similar problem while trying to move a VM from vSphere 7 back to 6.7.
Do you have the possibility to change the VMware VM before exporting?
In my case I just changed the virtual controller and disk attachment to LSI Logic SAS.
Maybe this would help also in your case. LSILogicSAS is also supported in VirtualBox.
fth0
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Re: Error when importing OVF from VMware

Post by fth0 »

As stated in 5.1. Hard Disk Controllers:
VirtualBox User Manual wrote:Warning: Booting from drives attached using NVMe is only supported when EFI is used as the BIOS lacks the appropriate driver.
bblackmoor
Posts: 11
Joined: 15. Apr 2019, 18:05

Re: Error when importing OVF from VMware

Post by bblackmoor »

Martin wrote:Some time ago I saw a similar problem while trying to move a VM from vSphere 7 back to 6.7.
Do you have the possibility to change the VMware VM before exporting?
I had the same idea. I found this video, which describes changing the controller type in VMware (https://youtu.be/LubYRrhNNZc), and I'm currently in the process of exporting the SATA-fied VM to OVF again.
bblackmoor
Posts: 11
Joined: 15. Apr 2019, 18:05

Re: Error when importing OVF from VMware

Post by bblackmoor »

The VMware VM started and ran fine after SATA-fication, and it imported into VirtualBox without errors, but when trying to run it, I get FATAL: INT18: BOOT FAILURE.

Ah, well. At this point I think it will be less time and trouble to rebuild the VirtualBox machine from scratch. Unless someone has a suggestion I haven't tried, that's what I'll do.
fth0
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Re: Error when importing OVF from VMware

Post by fth0 »

Please provide a (zipped) VBox.log file from a VM run with the INT18 message. IIRC, this message indicates that no boot drive is available, in contrast to a boot disk missing.
bblackmoor
Posts: 11
Joined: 15. Apr 2019, 18:05

Re: Error when importing OVF from VMware

Post by bblackmoor »

fth0 wrote:Please provide a (zipped) VBox.log file from a VM run with the INT18 message. IIRC, this message indicates that no boot drive is available, in contrast to a boot disk missing.
Okeedoke. I don't see anything helpful in it, but maybe you will. Thanks for offering to look into it.
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scottgus1
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Primary OS: MS Windows 10
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Re: Error when importing OVF from VMware

Post by scottgus1 »

Try that again, please, that's the global VboxSVC.log, not the VM's vbox.log that fth0 needs.
bblackmoor
Posts: 11
Joined: 15. Apr 2019, 18:05

Re: Error when importing OVF from VMware

Post by bblackmoor »

scottgus1 wrote:Try that again, please, that's the global VboxSVC.log, not the VM's vbox.log that fth0 needs.
Ah, okay. Here you go. This one is a lot more complicated. Nothing here jumps out at me, but I don't really know what I am looking for. Thanks.
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fth0
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Re: Error when importing OVF from VMware

Post by fth0 »

In the VM configuration, the SATA/AHCI controller has 30 ports, and the virtual hard disk is attached to AHCI port 1. This is somewhat unusual, but the unused AHCI port 0 seems to create no problem:

The VirtualBox legacy BIOS has successfully read the 1st sector from the virtual hard disk, which contains the MBR. The Windows 10 MBR code (Windows™ 7, 8/8.1 or 10 MBR) checks if any of the partition table entries is marked as bootable, and if none is bootable, it executes INT 18.

If the virtual hard disk is partitioned with GPT instead of MBR, the GPT protective partition table entry in the GPT Protective MBR will not be marked as bootable. VirtualBox can only boot GPT partitioned disks from within its (U)EFI BIOS => System > Motherboard > Enable EFI.
bblackmoor
Posts: 11
Joined: 15. Apr 2019, 18:05

Re: Error when importing OVF from VMware

Post by bblackmoor »

fth0 wrote:In the VM configuration, the SATA/AHCI controller has 30 ports, and the virtual hard disk is attached to AHCI port 1. This is somewhat unusual, but the unused AHCI port 0 seems to create no problem:

The VirtualBox legacy BIOS has successfully read the 1st sector from the virtual hard disk, which contains the MBR. The Windows 10 MBR code (Windows™ 7, 8/8.1 or 10 MBR) checks if any of the partition table entries is marked as bootable, and if none is bootable, it executes INT 18.

If the virtual hard disk is partitioned with GPT instead of MBR, the GPT protective partition table entry in the GPT Protective MBR will not be marked as bootable. VirtualBox can only boot GPT partitioned disks from within its (U)EFI BIOS => System > Motherboard > Enable EFI.
Wow! That made it work! Thank you for your effort and expertise. :)
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