Unable to import Virtuabox VM onto Headless Server

Question

I have a Virtual Image on my Windows Machine. I want to transfer it to my Headless Debian Server. I've installed VirtualBox on the Debian machine.

On the windows machine I've exported the file as a ova file...on the Debian machine I've done:

tar -xf MyVM.ova & VBoxManage import -n MyVM32.ovf

But this doesn't list the VM when I run the command:

VBoxManage list vms

Any ideas how to achieve this?

# root@sdebian:~/.VirtualBox# VBoxManage import -n MyVM32.ovf
Oracle VM VirtualBox Command Line Management Interface Version 3.2.10_OSE (C)
2005-2010 Oracle Corporation All rights reserved.

0%...10%...20%...30%...40%...50%...60%...70%...80%...90%...100%
Interpreting /root/.VirtualBox/MyVM32.ovf... OK.
Disks:  vmdisk1 21474836480     -1     
http://www.vmware.com/specifications/vmdk.html#sparse  
MyVM32-disk1.vmdk     -1      -1 
Virtual system 0:  
0: Suggested OS type: "Ubuntu"
     (change with "--vsys 0 --ostype <type>"; use "list ostypes" to list all possible values)
1: Suggested VM name "MyVM32"
     (change with "--vsys 0 --vmname <name>")
2: Product (ignored): MyVM  
3: Number of CPUs: 1
     (change with "--vsys 0 --cpus <n>")
4: Guest memory: 1024 MB
     (change with "--vsys 0 --memory <MB>")
5: Sound card (appliance expects "ensoniq1371", can change on import)
     (disable with "--vsys 0 --unit 5 --ignore")
6: Network adapter: orig Bridged, config 5, extra type=Bridged
7: CD-ROM
     (disable with "--vsys 0 --unit 7 --ignore")
8: IDE controller, type PIIX4
     (disable with "--vsys 0 --unit 8 --ignore")
9: IDE controller, type PIIX4
     (disable with "--vsys 0 --unit 9 --ignore")
10: SATA controller, type AHCI
     (disable with "--vsys 0 --unit 10 --ignore")
11: Hard disk image: source image=MyVM32-disk1.vmdk, 
      target path=/root/.VirtualBox/HardDisks/MyVM32-disk1.vmdk,
      controller=10;channel=0
     (change controller with "--vsys 0 --unit 11 --controller <id>";
     disable with "--vsys 0 --unit 11 --ignore")
# VBoxManage list vms
Oracle VM VirtualBox Command Line Management Interface Version 3.2.10_OSE (C) 2005-2010
Oracle Corporation All rights reserved.

"MyVM" {fe5d1aad-2b74-4d07-ac0b-a606ea92c377}

did you check VirtualBox's log files? Could you share the relevant parts to provide more insight? Did you get any message upon running that VBoxManage command? — fuero, Feb 05 '13 at 16:02
Added the output of VBoxManage command. Which is the logs file? — xbanux, Feb 05 '13 at 16:13
You'll find `VBoxSVC.log` in /var/log then presumably. There should be others (`VBox.log`) that live in the VM home's `Logs` subdirectory. — fuero, Feb 05 '13 at 16:30
cant't finde VBoxSVC.log in /var/log. There's no folder for the imported VM — xbanux, Feb 05 '13 at 17:21

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 30 '15 at 14:47

Here's a vboxmanage manual on import section, they say to you do the import in two steps:

It is therefore recommended to first run the import subcommand with the --dry-run or -n option. This will then print a description of the appliance's contents to the screen how it would be imported into VirtualBox, together with the optional command-line options to influence the import behaviour.
```
VBoxManage import WindowsXp.ovf --dry-run
```

Like you did. Then, choose the devices to import ignore with:

You can combine several items for the same virtual system behind the same --vsys option. For example, to import a machine as described in the OVF, but without the sound card and without the USB controller, and with the disk image connected to the IDE controller instead of the SCSI controller, use this:
```
VBoxManage import WindowsXp.ovf --vsys 0 --unit 5 --ignore --unit 6 --ignore --unit 11 --controller 10
```

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited May 01 '13 at 13:39

0

Looks like you used the dry run option (-n, same as --dry-run)? Try importing it without '-n' switch.

edited May 01 '13 at 13:39

slm

7,355
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answered May 01 '13 at 12:47

Almer

101
1

Unable to import Virtuabox VM onto Headless Server

2 Answers2