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pbernardoss
Contributor
Contributor

ESXi 6.0 U2 - "Failed to deploy VM: postNFCData failed." - when importing a OVA template via ESXi Host Client 1.5.0.

Hi,

I'm trying to import a OVA template using the Host Client version 1.5.0. I can install the VM using ISO files, but, I have no success when I'm trying to import a template. I'm receiving this error message: Failed to deploy VM: postNFCData failed.

Not sure if I'm missing something.

Thanks,

16 Replies
LucianoPatrão

Hi,

Were did you get this OVA template? Was it exported from a VM to a OVA?? If yes are you sure that did not had an ISO attached in the Virtual CDROM when was exported??

Luciano Patrão

VCP-DCV, VCAP-DCV Design 2023, VCP-Cloud 2023
vExpert vSAN, NSX, Cloud Provider, Veeam Vanguard
Solutions Architect - Tech Lead for VMware / Virtual Backups

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Blog: https://www.provirtualzone.com | Twitter: @Luciano_PT
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melaniestew
Contributor
Contributor

I'm seeing the same exact error Failed to deploy VM: postNFCData failed when attempting to deploy the GitHub Enterprise 2.6.4 appliance on ESXi 6.0 U2.. google shows nothing except this forum. How disappointing.

Wondering what exactly postNFCData is trying to do when it is failing? Obviously NFC (Network File Copy) is not completing, but why Smiley Sad ???

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melaniestew
Contributor
Contributor

Also I would like to add that all disks on this system are INTERNAL SAS & SATA so the disk file copy should not be traversing the network, but the local datastores.


This is really looking more and more like a bug, I have had the same exact problem on two different ESXi 6U2 implementations, in two separate environments.

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madnote
Contributor
Contributor

I had this same issue and just for kicks I chose Thin Provisioning instead of Thick and I was able to install an appliance. This was one of the only threads on this error so I thought I would share my experience.

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elesueur
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Hi all,

We fixed an issue in the recently released host client version 1.9.1 that could cause a large OVA to fail to deploy. The VIB is available here: http://labs.vmware.com/flings/esxi-embedded-host-client

Would any of you be able to try that and confirm if the issue is resolved?

I'd also be interested to know which browser/OS you're using.

I apologise for the long delay in finding this.

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itsemc2
Contributor
Contributor

I was trying to deploy an OVA as well from a Ubuntu 16.04 workstation.  The browser I was using was Chrome and it would fail out.

The fix for me was to use Firefox instead of Chrome. ! 

nitekon1
Contributor
Contributor

Tried on CentOS 6.8 in both Firefox and Chrome, still fails.  Tried using version v1.10.1.

Used OVFTool instead.

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jg3lc
Contributor
Contributor

I tried this .vib and it did not seem to work for me.   Used current Firefox on OSX Sierra.

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shuklanirdesh
Contributor
Contributor

Switching to Firefox helped to resolve such issue. Still experiencing the issue while using Chrome browser.

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elesueur
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Hi everyone,

I think I have some insight into this failure now. For VMs that have been exported with ovftool using the --compress argument, the Host Client is unable to deploy them because the ESXi host expects the uncompressed disk images to be uploaded, and we have, unfortunately, no good way to un-gzip those disk images using the web browser at the moment.

For now, you will have to use ovftool to import VMs with compressed disk images.

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DataBitz
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Just hit this when trying to deploy an F5 VE appliance into my lab.

This is the syntax I used with OVFtool, maybe useful for anyone else in this situation.

ovftool -dm=thin -ds=Datastore1 -n=BIGIP-12.1.2.0.0.249.ALL-scsi --net:External="VM Network" --net:HA="Isolated Network" --net:Internal="VM Network" --net:Management="Isolated Network" "BIGIP-12.1.2.0.0.249.ALL-scsi.ova" vi://root@esx1.lab.local

WriteMike
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks for the command DataBitz. That worked perfectly for me.

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cemsen
Contributor
Contributor

had the same issue whilst deploying BigIp VE on ESXi 6.5. Thank you for the solution DataBitz!

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Danizh007
Contributor
Contributor

Hello Luciano,

I am facing same issue and found that there is one Linux file attached to the VM I exported from VM Workstation the file is Linux and 60 MB while as the machine I exported is 256 GB. How can I deal with this do i need to detach the Linux file from the machine and start new export?

Thanks,

Danish

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CODJ
Contributor
Contributor

Had the same problem in 6.5 for Cisco WebEx Meeting Server 3.0.  Posting here because I was looking all over for a solution and ended up finding this page. 

Did the following:

1).  vCenter deployment failed so I used a host instead.  First had to disconnect the host from vCenter:

         

From ssh session:

/etc/init.d/vpxa stop

/etc/init.d/hostd restart

2). Download and install ovftool from VMware

3). Used the following commands to get it to deploy:

         

ovftool --acceptAllEulas -dm=thin -ds=Nimble-AF5000-UCS1-Voice -n=webex30 --net:"Network Adapter 1"="VM Network" --net:"Network Adapter 2"="VM Network" "cisco-webex-meetings-server-3.0.1.27.C-AE.ova" vi://root@ucs-1-esxi-01.mycompany.com

ovftool --acceptAllEulas -dm=<how you want that disk thin, lazyzero, etc> -ds=<datastore you want to deploy to> -n=<name you'd like for the new VM> --net:<find the network adapter name in the ovf file>=<network in vsphere you want to use> --net:<do this again for multiple adapters> <source file name and location> vi://<hostname or IP (You will be prompted for password)>

https://www.vmware.com/support/developer/ovf/ovf420/ovftool-420-userguide.pdf

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CinciTech
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Just a note to anyone in the future facing this issue (because this is the first hit on Google when you search for "Failed to deploy VM: postNFCData failed").  I was attempting to deploy an OVF from Turnkeylinux.org onto a host running ESXi 6.7.0U1, from an RDS session connected to a VM running Windows Server 2016.  I have long known Windows to be really picky/finicky about downloaded files.  When you download a file from the internet, (not all files, mind you, but EXE, MSI, ISO, and OVA definitely), a property is set that marks the file as "blocked", and sometimes (but not always!) Windows just refuses to let you do anything with the file, whereas other times it will allow the blocked file to be used, and many times it asks if you want to run this file from an untrustworthy source, with a little checkbox to not ask again for this file.  I suspect it has to do with several variables, such as how your system is configured to handle UAC, and what program is executing the file (Chrome vs Firefox,etc).  This was my issue, or at least, this is what I changed and it made it work for me.

Right-click your OVA, go to properties, and at the lower-right of the properties popup there  is a space where it says the file is blocked.  On Server 2016 you get a checkbox to unblock it, Windows 7 displays a button.  Unblock your file, click Apply and/or OK, and try 'er again.

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