Option to export to OVA file gone in 6.5?

[srwsol]

Hi folks:

I backup my VMs to OVA files (I'm got the essentials bundle and only a couple of hosts so I can do this manually), which I've typically done with the C client.  However, I created a new VM the other day and set it up as hardware version 13, meaning that it can't be managed with the C client any longer.  After I got it all configured I tried to export it to an OVA file with the vcenter server appliance 6.5 flash client, but I find that there is no option to create an OVA file.  Also, when I try to export to an OVF file, I don't get any choices of where the file is to be saved.  All I see are some tasks running saying exporting OVF template and OVF package that are stuck on 0 percent, and nothing else happens.

Am I missing something here, or is this whole OVF / OVA export thing completely broken other than via the C client?

srwsol

[Troy_Clavell]

maybe the below thread will be helpful

Importing OVA into VCSA 6.5 fails - The operation failed for an unknown reason

[JMachieJr]

Did you ever find a resolution to your issue?

[ManChild00 · Accepted solution]

I had the same problem even now in March 2019 with a 6.5 installation.  Here is how I resolved it:  Used a surprisingly easy Power CLI command

1- Install current version of VMware vSphere Power CLI
2- Shut down the VM you need to export
2- Connect the Power CLI app to your vCenter (when the power CLI launches it tells you the command to run to connect it to a vCenter FQDN)
3- Run this: >Export-VApp -Destination "C:\Directory" -VM "Name-of-vm-In-vCenter" -Format Ova

That's it, and I had a nice 14 Gig OVA file to use about 30 min later.