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6 Replies Last post: Sep 9, 2009 2:31 AM by mblake4u

ovftool --nodisks still creates .ovf file with disk information posted: Aug 31, 2009 8:43 AM

mblake4u

9 posts since
Feb 15, 2009

Hi All,

I'm using ovftool with the --noDisks option, but there still seems to be disk information in the .ovf file (see attachments).

I'm trying to import the virtual appliance on a ESXI 3.5 update 2 server, using VM Converter 4.0.1.

When I try and import the virtual appliance, I get the following error:

FAILED: Unable to download the OVF file 'http: //xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/vm_ovf_backups/esxi-test-disk1.vmdk'.

I thought the --noDisks option would leave out any information relating to the disks - am I wrong?

Regards, Michael

Attachments:

untitled.JPG (59.1 K)
esxi-test.ovf (4.7 K)

Re: ovftool --nodisks still creates .ovf file with disk information

1. Sep 1, 2009 12:18 AM

in response to: mblake4u

klassenvmware

15 posts since
May 25, 2009

Hi Michael,

You are right. OVF Tool behavior with this option is non-intuitive. The original intention of this option was simply to download a raw OVF descriptor for inspection from, e.g., an ESX host an discarding the disks, but I can see that in this scenario it would be nice if it removed the references to the disk in the OVF descriptor itself. For now you will have to remove the references by hand yourself. There are two ways you can do it:

Either remove the element <File ovf:href="esxi-test-disk1.vmdk" ovf:id="file1" ovf:size="0"/> from the reference section and the attribute ovf:fileRef="file1" from the Disk element (this will import the OVF package without importing the data from the disk, but it will still create an empty disk),
Or, remove the elements <File ovf:href="esxi-test-disk1.vmdk" ovf:id="file1" ovf:size="0"/>, <Disk ovf:allocationUnits="1073741824" ovf:capacity="5" ovf:capacityAllocationUnits="byte * 2^30" ovf:diskId="vmdisk1" ovf:fileRef="file1" ovf:format="http://www.vmware.com/interfaces/specifications/vmdk.html#streamOptimized" ovf:populatedSize="0"/> and the element <Item>
<rasd:AddressOnParent>0</rasd:AddressOnParent>
<rasd:ElementName>disk1</rasd:ElementName>
<rasd:HostResource>ovf:/disk/vmdisk1</rasd:HostResource>
<rasd:InstanceID>7</rasd:InstanceID>
<rasd:Parent>3</rasd:Parent>
<rasd:ResourceType>17</rasd:ResourceType>
</Item> (this will import the OVF package without any reference to the disk).

Kristian

Re: ovftool --nodisks still creates .ovf file with disk information

2. Sep 4, 2009 6:44 AM

in response to: klassenvmware

mblake4u

9 posts since
Feb 15, 2009

Thanks Kristian for the advice. I edited the .ovf and made those changes, but I still can't import the .ovf with VM Converter - I get the same error as before.

Do you think converter requires a disk? I'm wondering what would happen if someone tried to do a P2V with a diskless server/workstation..

Is there anything else I can try?

Regards, Michael

Re: ovftool --nodisks still creates .ovf file with disk information

3. Sep 7, 2009 4:53 AM

in response to: mblake4u

klassenvmware

15 posts since
May 25, 2009

Hi Michael,

Have you tried to import the OVF package with OVF Tool? You should be able to use OVF Tool for that purpose. Depending on your setup you should be able to invoke ovftool <.ovf file> vi://<host name/ip>, and get what you want.

Kristian

Re: ovftool --nodisks still creates .ovf file with disk information

4. Sep 8, 2009 7:46 AM

in response to: klassenvmware

mblake4u

9 posts since
Feb 15, 2009

Hi Kristian,

Thanks for the recommendation. I've been having problems with using ovftool to import a .ovf to a ESXi host (3.5 update 2).

When I run the command as you advised I get the following output:

ovftool /esxi-test.ovf vi://111.111.111.111

Opening OVF source: /esxi-test.ovf
Please enter login information for target vi://111.111.111.111/
Username: root
Password: *************
Opening VI target: vi://root@111.111.111.111/
Error: No target datastore specified
Datastores found on target:
ESXi-vmdk-1
ESXi-vmdk-2
datastore1

So I run the command as follows but still get an error..

ovftool /esxi-test.ovf vi://111.111.111.111/ESXi-vmdk-1/

Opening OVF source: /esxi-test.ovf
Please enter login information for target vi://111.111.111.111/
Username: root
Password: *************
Error: Locator does not refer to an object: vi://root@111.111.111.111/ESXi-vmdk-1/

Can you make any suggestions?

Regards,

Michael

Re: ovftool --nodisks still creates .ovf file with disk information

5. Sep 8, 2009 11:41 AM

in response to: mblake4u

klassenvmware

15 posts since
May 25, 2009

Hi Michael,

You specify the datastore by using the option --datastore (or the shorthand -ds). Try ovftool --datastore=ESXi-vmdk-1 /esxi-test.ovf vi://111.111.111.111/ instead.