Migrating from VMware to VirtualBox (Part 1): Oracle Enterprise Linux (The Fat Bloke Sings)

https://blogs.oracle.com/fatbloke/entry/moving_a_vmware_vm_to

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Migrating from VMware to VirtualBox (Part 1): Oracle E terprise Linux

By Fat Bloke on Feb 09, 2010 There are a growing number of people asking the question: how do you move a VMware virtual machine to VirtualBox. So it is about time the Fat Bloke rolled up his sleeves and showed us ow. (BTW you can click on screenshots below to magnify) People typically want to do this because they have spent time installing a guest OS together with a software stack and they don't really want to go thru all this again. But moving a vm from o e virtualization platform to another is analogous in the real world to unplugging a hard drive(s) from one computer and plugging it into a different manufacturer's computer. You may find that the guest operating system gets upset when it boots up and sees virtual hardware which is different than it was expecting. Different guest operating systems react differently to this situation (Linux is typically more accommodating than Windows in this respect). In fact some guest operating systems get so upset, they may BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) on you.

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09-05-2013 16:51

Migrating from VMware to VirtualBox (Part 1): Oracle Enterprise Linux (The Fat Bloke Sings)

https://blogs.oracle.com/fatbloke/entry/moving_a_vmware_vm_to

Secondly, some of the software that you have installed hardware.

he OS, such as VMware Tools, may also be relying on specific virtual

So the Fat Bloke's First Rule of VM Migration is: Don't, if you can help it. If you can create a new vm from scratch on the new virtualization platform, you probably should. That way the guest OS installs the right drivers for your particular virtual hardware, and you are not left with orphaned software which needs a specific virtualization layer. That said, there are still going to be people looking to avoid a complete reinstallation and willing to live dangerously, so let's discuss what is possible. Note that because different guests b o differently we're going to focus on one guest OS in this blog: Oracle Enterprise Linux, and we'll move it from VMware Workstation 7 to VirtualBox 3.1. Here is our start state, the vm running in VMware Workstation 7 on Windows 7:

Step 1 - Preparing to Migrate

It's a good idea to take a copy of the vm that we're trying to migrate just in case you make a mess of things. With VMware Workstation you can clone a vm to do this or copy the machine in some other way such as copying files.

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Migrating from VMware to VirtualBox (Part 1): Oracle Enterprise Linux (The Fat Bloke Sings)

https://blogs.oracle.com/fatbloke/entry/moving_a_vmware_vm_to

To prepare for migration we're going to remove virtual zation platform-specific components: 1. Remove VMware tools 2. Reset the Display and Input device configuration 3. Remove incompatible devices The Fat Bloke's Second Rule of VM Migration is that it is easier to unpick platform-specific software on the native virtualization platform. So let's start up the vm under VMware to prepare for migration

Removing VMware Tools

This is easy enough:
vmware-uninstall-tools.pl

and you should see something like this:

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Migrating from VMware to VirtualBox (Part 1): Oracle Enterprise Linux (The Fat Bloke Sings)

https://blogs.oracle.com/fatbloke/entry/moving_a_vmware_vm_to

Resetting the Display Device and Input Devices

When Oracle Linux was first installed the display was et as a VMware display adaptor and input devices as a VMware keyboard and mouse. By the time we're finished this won't be the ca let's prepare for that by moving aside the the OEL X.org conf file like this:
mv /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.vmware

This file will get recreated later when we run on the irtualBox platform. Now let's shutdown the guest.

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Migrating from VMware to VirtualBox (Part 1): Oracle Enterprise Linux (The Fat Bloke Sings)

https://blogs.oracle.com/fatbloke/entry/moving_a_vmware_vm_to

Remove Incompatible Devices

The VMware soundcard device is different from the one that VirtualBox exposes so let's remove this device from the vm configuration in the VMware Settings dialog:

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09-05-2013 16:51

Migrating from VMware to VirtualBox (Part 1): Oracle Enterprise Linux (The Fat Bloke Sings)

https://blogs.oracle.com/fatbloke/entry/moving_a_vmware_vm_to

Step 2 - Exporting the Virtual Machine

A Virtual Machine consists of : configuration information (in VMware a .vmx file) virtual hard drive(s) which the guest is installed on. Mware, typically .vmdk files)

An emerging standard for encapsulating this information to allow vm's to be transported more easily is the OVF or Open Virtualization Format. So in theory you should be able to Export this vm from VMware Workstation and Import into VirtualBox. Sadly, the VMware conversion wizard (File...Import or Export...) doesn't support Oracle Enterprise Linux as a guest:

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09-05-2013 16:51

Migrating from VMware to VirtualBox (Part 1): Oracle Enterprise Linux (The Fat Bloke Sings)

https://blogs.oracle.com/fatbloke/entry/moving_a_vmware_vm_to

But there is a command line ovftool that can be downlo So in a Windows command.exe window you can run:
cd C:\\Users\\fatbloke\\Documents\\Virtual Machines\\C "\\Program Files\\VMware\\VMware OVF Tool"\\ovftool.ex

from VMware's site.

ne of Oracle Enterprise Linux "Clone of Oracle Enterprise Linux.vmx" OEL.ovf

And eventually you end up with 3 files: 1. OEL.ovf - configuration information 2. OEL-disk1 - compressed disk format file 3. OEL.mf - digital signatures (SHA1) of the other files. We can now move these to the destination system for import by VirtualBox.

Step 3 - Importing into VirtualBox

You can import an ovf file into VirtualBox from the graphical user interface or the command-line.

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Migrating from VMware to VirtualBox (Part 1): Oracle Enterprise Linux (The Fat Bloke Sings)

https://blogs.oracle.com/fatbloke/entry/moving_a_vmware_vm_to

Importing this takes a while as the compressed disk is converted to a usable format, but your should end up with a new entry in your vm list in VirtualBox like this:

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09-05-2013 16:51

Migrating from VMware to VirtualBox (Part 1): Oracle Enterprise Linux (The Fat Bloke Sings)

https://blogs.oracle.com/fatbloke/entry/moving_a_vmware_vm_to

Now the moment of truth, Start it up...and we should ee Oracle Enterprise Linux boot up under VirtualBox

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Migrating from VMware to VirtualBox (Part 1): Oracle Enterprise Linux (The Fat Bloke Sings)

https://blogs.oracle.com/fatbloke/entry/moving_a_vmware_vm_to

Step 4 - Install the VirtualBox Guest Additions

Finally don't forget to install the VirtualBox Guest Additions which is the mirror image operation to removing the VMware Tools.

Once you have mounted the Guest Additions iso image yo can run install them from the mounted directory using the command:
sh VBoxLinuxAdditions-x86.run

Like this:

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09-05-2013 16:51

Migrating from VMware to VirtualBox (Part 1): Oracle Enterprise Linux (The Fat Bloke Sings)

https://blogs.oracle.com/fatbloke/entry/moving_a_vmware_vm_to

And after a restart of the guest you are all set to go. Migration is complete!

Epilogue (Advanced users only)

There is an alternative to step 2 and 3 above for people who know what they are doing. After performing Step 1 you could simply take the VMware disk image (.vmdk) and plug this into a manually configured VirtualBox vm. This effectively relies on the user to create an appro riately similar vm instead of relying on the ovf export and import (Steps 2 and 3 above) process. Note that the default disk controller used by VMware is an LSI SCSI controller, so when manually creating a VirtualBox vm you need to configure it appropriately.

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Migrating from VMware to VirtualBox (Part 1): Oracle Enterprise Linux (The Fat Bloke Sings)

https://blogs.oracle.com/fatbloke/entry/moving_a_vmware_vm_to

You still need Step 4 for optimal performance and ease of use. And don't forget the tip about Speeding up Linux Guests too. Good Luck! - FB Category: VirtualBox Tags: enterprise linux oracle ovf virtualbox virtualization vmware Permanent link to this entry Audio in 64-bit... | Main | Virtualization Produ... Comments: [Trackback] RT @oracletechnet: Migrating from VMware t VirtualBox: Oracle Enterprise Linux (Via The Fat Bloke Sings) http://bit.ly /dlW4gn

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Migrating from VMware to VirtualBox (Part 1): Oracle Enterprise Linux (The Fat Bloke Sings)

https://blogs.oracle.com/fatbloke/entry/moving_a_vmware_vm_to

Posted by shakamca on February 09, 2010 at 08:31 AM GMT # [Trackback] This post was mentioned on Twitter by orac The Fat Bloke Sings) http://bit.ly/dlW4gn hnet: Migrating from VMware to VirtualBox: Oracle Enterprise Linux (Via

Posted by uberVU - social comments on February 09, 2010 at 08:31 AM GMT # I'm running into an issue with the guest additions iso not being able to be used. Error says something to the effect of not being able to mount the CD/DVD drive and so forth. Sorry for the lack of specifics but this occurred previously today after you visited my site and I was called into work right afterwards. Didn't have the time to recreate it just yet thus, the lack of specifics mentioned above. I tried burning the .iso to a CD as well as mounting it and it still won't work for some reason. Ideas? Posted by ScottW on February 09, 2010 at 04:30 PM GMT # Scott, As your issue is off-topic for this blog, could you post it over at http://forums.virtualbox.org Cheers, -FB Posted by Fat Bloke on February 10, 2010 at 02:39 AM GMT # Sure, I can do that I suppose. Sorry about the goof. Posted by ScottW on February 10, 2010 at 04:13 AM GMT # Hello! Unfortunately, for my command "\\Program Files\\VMware\\VMware OVF Tool"\\ovftool.ex "CentOS.vmx" OEL.ovf I get error: Error: Failed to open file: ... Completed with errors
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Migrating from VMware to VirtualBox (Part 1): Oracle Enterprise Linux (The Fat Bloke Sings)

https://blogs.oracle.com/fatbloke/entry/moving_a_vmware_vm_to

How can solve it? I can't create OEL.* files, so can't continue to migrate to the VirtualBox. I hope, you can help me solve this issue Thanks! Posted by alex on October 19, 2012 at 09:49 PM BST # I solved the problem by looked at the error itself. Wh n you try to import the virtualbox vm to vmware, its quite straight forward. The problem comes when you start importing the vmware imag s to the virtual box. The reason for this is: clumsy vmware image and configuration files generated after running ovftool to convert the image into an open virtual format. Below are the workaround to resolve this error: 1. While Importing in virtual box, you may get the error as: Failed to import appliance C:\Users\Desktop5\Documents irtual Machines\export.ovf. Failed to import appliance export.ovf. Error reading "export.ovf": unknown element quot;Config" under Item element, line 48. Result Code: VBOX_E_FILE_ERROR (0x80BB0004) Component: Appliance Interface: IAppliance {3059cf9e-25c7-4f0b-9fa5-3c42e44

70b}

Resolution: Open the file export.ovf and delete the li rting with Config, below the line number 48. Save the file and proceed. You may face the error at different line number, which can esolved my deleting the line which starts with: <vmw:Config ovf:required="false" vmw:key="ehciEnabled" vmw:value="true"/> 2. Again, you may face the issue as: The SHA1 digest of 'export.ovf' does not match the one export.mf' (VERR_MANIFEST_DIGEST_MISMATCH).

Resolution: Delete the "mf" file and start the process again. Cheers Posted by Raju Singh on December 11, 2012 at 08:19 AM GMT # I solved the problem by looked at the error itself. Wh n you try to import the virtualbox vm to vmware, its quite straight forward. The
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Migrating from VMware to VirtualBox (Part 1): Oracle Enterprise Linux (The Fat Bloke Sings)

https://blogs.oracle.com/fatbloke/entry/moving_a_vmware_vm_to

problem comes when you start importing the vmware imag s to the virtual box. The reason for this is: clumsy vmware image and configuration files generated after running ovftool to convert the image into an open virtual format. Below are the workaround to resolve this error: 1. While Importing in virtual box, you may get the error as: Failed to import appliance C:\Users\Desktop5\Documents irtual Machines\export.ovf. Failed to import appliance export.ovf. Error reading &quot;export.ovf&quot;: unknown element quot;Config&quot; under Item element, line 48. Result Code: VBOX_E_FILE_ERROR (0x80BB0004) Component: Appliance Interface: IAppliance {3059cf9e-25c7-4f0b-9fa5-3c42e44

70b}

Resolution: Open the file export.ovf and delete the li rting with Config, below the line number 48. Save the file and proceed. You may face the error at different line number, which can esolved my deleting the line which starts with: <vmw:Config ovf:required="false" vmw:key="ehciEnabled" vmw:value="true"/> 2. Again, you may face the issue as: The SHA1 digest of 'export.ovf' does not match the one export.mf' (VERR_MANIFEST_DIGEST_MISMATCH).

Resolution: Delete the "mf" file and start the process again. Cheers Posted by Raju Singh on December 11, 2012 at 08:20 AM GMT # Post a Comment: Name: E-Mail: URL: Notify me by email of new comments Remember Information?

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Migrating from VMware to VirtualBox (Part 1): Oracle Enterprise Linux (The Fat Bloke Sings)

https://blogs.oracle.com/fatbloke/entry/moving_a_vmware_vm_to

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