Unable to upload a VM from VMware Workstation to Esxi

[sukhvir]

I have been trying to upload a VM from VMware workstation to VMware ESXI server (Esxi 6.7 A01)

I edited the hardware compatibility of the VM to ESXI 6.5 and created a clone.

When trying to upload the VM to esxi server i get the following error:

Upload failed: Invalid configuration for device '0'.

How do I go about resolving this issue?

Sukhvir

[NicolasAlauzet]

Device 0 is related to vNIC.

Try removing the NIC in the source VM, or remove the assigment to the portgroup. That should do!

[sukhvir]

Hi Nicolas

i removed the network interface from the VM settings as can be seen in the screenshot. Still the same issue.

Should I be removing the nic in some other way?

Sukhvir

[NicolasAlauzet]

Check this step by step, and lets see if it works. If not, there are alternatives (I'll post bellow)

How to Upload VMware Workstation VM to ESXi Server

[sukhvir]

Nicolas,

That is the exact procedure I followed. I changed the hardware compatibility of the VM for ESXI 6.5. Once complete, I tried uploading the VM to the ESXI server as per the guide above, but when I click on the "finish" button on the upload dialogue box it presents the error above.

I also tried exposrting the VM as an OVF and importing it directly into the esxi server .. same error

sukhvir

[Nawals · Accepted solution]

Can you power on the clone vm and log in. Run below command to check ghost nic is there.

open cmd

Type : set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1

This steps to see hidden nic. If show nic you can un-install.

To view the hidden devices, navigate to My Computer > Properties > Hardware > Device Manager > View > Show Hidden Devices.

[NicolasAlauzet]

OK, try Nawals idea. And if it doesn't work, you can use VMware Converter as a workaround...

Download:

VMware vCenter Converter Standalone

How to: (use translate in the web browser - Best screenshots I've found are in a post in spanish)

Convertir una máquina virtual VMware Workstation en una ESXi con vCenter Converter | The Solving

[sukhvir]

Nawal,

That did it mate. Thanks very much. Even though i removed the NIC from the VM settings .. it was still present in the device manager. i removed it and now it is uploading.

[Nawals]

Great.

[ClogWog]

Easiest way to sort this issue is to change the VM's NIC from 'Bridged' to 'NAT' - works a treat.

[ppedron]

Same error Uploading from VMWare workstation to ESXi v6.5 server
"Upload failed: Invalid configuration fro device '0'."

Windows 2016 Std server built on VMWare Workstation 15.5.7
ESXi 6.5

Cloned the Server

Changed nic from Bridged to NAT - Upload to ESXi fails
Removed all hidden nics as suggested below - Upload to ESXi fails
Changed Compatibility mode to ESXi 6.5, Workstation 15.x, Workstation 12.x  (Trying Altered Current clone & create new clone) - Upload to ESXi fails
Even cloned the device w/o any nics specified - Upload to ESXi fails

Tried the VMware vCenter Converter Standalone Client 6.2.0 build-8466193
Sending the P2V to the ESXi Server and Diagnostic log returned
2021-08-11T10:57:48.803-06:00 error vmware-converter-worker[10204] [Originator@6876 sub=Default] CreateVm task failed: Invalid configuration for device '2'.
2021-08-11T10:57:48.803-06:00 error vmware-converter-worker[10204] [Originator@6876 sub=Default] TargetVmManagerImpl::CreateVM: Vm creation failed with fault 'vim.fault.InvalidDeviceSpec'/'Invalid configuration for device '2'.'

I then used https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/65205 fix modifying the vmx file
svga.vramSize = "268435456"
to
svga.vramSize = "134217728" > Saved vmx file
That was successful in the Converter

I then went to my original (non cloned version) in VMWare workstation
Still has bridged nic.
modified the svga.vramSize = "134217728" > Saved vmx file
With the vm powered down I went to Manage . Upload > to my ESXi and it was successful.

Error misleading?

[merovingianA51]

Don't know how you figured that out but I'm impressed!  Thanks very much, been banging my head on this one! 

[hg-shsmith]

In my case I had to uncheck "3d acceleration" on the display adapter. After that the upload was successful.

[burke967]

THIS - THANK YOU SO MUCH

[Mikrokernel]

After downgrade compatibility for vmware 6.5 from Workstation 16 I have reinstalled vmware tools and now it works

[kerwkai]

What could also have to do with this is the hardware compatibility. In my case I had set the compatibility to esxi 6.5 instead of 6.7 (we use esxi 6.7). This caused the error with device 0.

[ChrisGWarp]

Worked for me on WorkStation V16. Removed everything, set to ESX 6.5 (which is what it's going too), all failed.

But it took the resizing of the video ram to get it to work.