Exported vApp won't start when imported to player/workstation

[JayhawkEric]

I've exported vApps and imported them to Workstation/Fusion/Player successfully in the past when we were on VCD 1.5.x but haven't had to do it since upgrading to 5.x.  We are currently on 5.1.2, vCenter 5.1, ESXi 5.1.

We've tried to export multiple different vApps (both chain length 1 and greater) with different hardware versions (7 and 😎 and SCSI controller versions.  We get the error message "Cannot open the disk for writing... Cannot open the disk 'C:\...\...\...vmdk' or one of the snapshot disks it depends on."  I just built a plain RHEL 6.4 with nothing on it, hardware version 8, latest tools, etc... and it fails as well.

I've looked at the log file, VMX file, and checked permissions on the VM folder with no luck. I've tested with Workstation 7, 8, and 9.

I've tried removing the hard drive from VM settings and then adding it back with no luck.  I've ran a repair on the VMDK via "vmware-vdiskmanager -R" but it tells me the VMDK is good.

If I import the VM into Workstation and then clone it to a new VM within workstation, the newly cloned VM works just fine.

Most of the users that need the export functionality do not have VMware workstation and shouldn't have to clone the VM again once imported.  Any help would be appreciated!!!

Eric

[JayhawkEric]

Also, if I clone the vApp VM using vCenter and then export it as an OVF I can import/run it successfully via Workstation/Fusion/Player.

[JCObermeier]

Hi Eric,
I hope you are doing well.

I just ran into the exact same issue, trying to use an exported vCD vApp in VMware Player.

I only wasted an hour though and then found your detailed and matching problem description.

Therefore, I am not crazy and it is just a VMware software issue, I guess the VMDK metadata of the vCD exported vApp is just not compatible with VMware Player.

@VMware: Please fix this.

I will go your described workaround way now, via vCenter export.

Cheers,

JC