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Why does OVFTool hang randomly?

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3

Some great helpers here have shown me the VMWare OVF tool for template deployment. My problem is that the tool itself stops at the "Disk Transfer Completed" step half the time I use it. This seems to be random, and when it happens I have to terminate OVFTool and start the transfer over again. The second attempt usually succeeds.

Is there something I have broken on the server that might affect this? I'm using the free edition of ESXi 4.0.

Billy3

EDIT: This is how ovftool is being run:

@echo off

echo Enter the server from which to backup:

set /p Server=

echo Enter the path of the VM:

set /p VmPath=

echo Enter the username with which to login to Virtual Infrastructure:

set /p User=

echo Enter the password with which to login to Virtual Infrastructure:

set /p Password=

cls

cd "%programfiles(x86)%vmwarevmware ovf tool"

mkdir "C:vmbackup%vmPath%"

ovftool.exe --acceptAllEulas --chunkSize=4480mb --diskMode=monolithicSparse "vi://%user%:%password%@%server%/%vmPath%" "C:vmbackup%vmPath%%vmPath:\=|%.ovf"

pause

vmware-esxi ovf

share|improve this question

edited Jun 16 '10 at 5:06

Billy ONeal

asked Jun 15 '10 at 22:10

Billy ONealBilly ONeal

662416

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Disk issue? Network issue? Are there any logs created during the OVF process that you can look at?
  
  – joeqwerty
  Jun 15 '10 at 23:26
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @joeqwerty: None of which I am aware. What's also odd is how long it takes to make the OVF image. The VM box doesn't seem loaded, my box doesn't seem loaded, network utilization is low, and it's still taking several hours to create or deploy an OVF. This server isn't running on the best of hardware but....
  
  – Billy ONeal
  Jun 15 '10 at 23:37
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Are you running the OVF tool in interactive mode?
  
  – joeqwerty
  Jun 16 '10 at 0:02
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @joequerty: I don't know what that means. It's being run from the command line if that's what you mean.
  
  – Billy ONeal
  Jun 16 '10 at 1:44
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  If I remember correctly, launching the tool with the -i switch launches the tool in interactive GUI mode. I've used that with version 1 of the tool and I'm wondering if that will give you different results or information.
  
  – joeqwerty
  Jun 16 '10 at 1:49
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 5 more comments

3

Some great helpers here have shown me the VMWare OVF tool for template deployment. My problem is that the tool itself stops at the "Disk Transfer Completed" step half the time I use it. This seems to be random, and when it happens I have to terminate OVFTool and start the transfer over again. The second attempt usually succeeds.

Is there something I have broken on the server that might affect this? I'm using the free edition of ESXi 4.0.

Billy3

EDIT: This is how ovftool is being run:

@echo off

echo Enter the server from which to backup:

set /p Server=

echo Enter the path of the VM:

set /p VmPath=

echo Enter the username with which to login to Virtual Infrastructure:

set /p User=

echo Enter the password with which to login to Virtual Infrastructure:

set /p Password=

cls

cd "%programfiles(x86)%vmwarevmware ovf tool"

mkdir "C:vmbackup%vmPath%"

ovftool.exe --acceptAllEulas --chunkSize=4480mb --diskMode=monolithicSparse "vi://%user%:%password%@%server%/%vmPath%" "C:vmbackup%vmPath%%vmPath:\=|%.ovf"

pause

vmware-esxi ovf

share|improve this question

edited Jun 16 '10 at 5:06

Billy ONeal

asked Jun 15 '10 at 22:10

Billy ONealBilly ONeal

662416

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Disk issue? Network issue? Are there any logs created during the OVF process that you can look at?
  
  – joeqwerty
  Jun 15 '10 at 23:26
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @joeqwerty: None of which I am aware. What's also odd is how long it takes to make the OVF image. The VM box doesn't seem loaded, my box doesn't seem loaded, network utilization is low, and it's still taking several hours to create or deploy an OVF. This server isn't running on the best of hardware but....
  
  – Billy ONeal
  Jun 15 '10 at 23:37
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Are you running the OVF tool in interactive mode?
  
  – joeqwerty
  Jun 16 '10 at 0:02
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @joequerty: I don't know what that means. It's being run from the command line if that's what you mean.
  
  – Billy ONeal
  Jun 16 '10 at 1:44
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  If I remember correctly, launching the tool with the -i switch launches the tool in interactive GUI mode. I've used that with version 1 of the tool and I'm wondering if that will give you different results or information.
  
  – joeqwerty
  Jun 16 '10 at 1:49
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 5 more comments

Some great helpers here have shown me the VMWare OVF tool for template deployment. My problem is that the tool itself stops at the "Disk Transfer Completed" step half the time I use it. This seems to be random, and when it happens I have to terminate OVFTool and start the transfer over again. The second attempt usually succeeds.

Is there something I have broken on the server that might affect this? I'm using the free edition of ESXi 4.0.

Billy3

EDIT: This is how ovftool is being run:

@echo off

echo Enter the server from which to backup:

set /p Server=

echo Enter the path of the VM:

set /p VmPath=

echo Enter the username with which to login to Virtual Infrastructure:

set /p User=

echo Enter the password with which to login to Virtual Infrastructure:

set /p Password=

cls

cd "%programfiles(x86)%vmwarevmware ovf tool"

mkdir "C:vmbackup%vmPath%"

ovftool.exe --acceptAllEulas --chunkSize=4480mb --diskMode=monolithicSparse "vi://%user%:%password%@%server%/%vmPath%" "C:vmbackup%vmPath%%vmPath:\=|%.ovf"

pause

vmware-esxi ovf

share|improve this question

edited Jun 16 '10 at 5:06

Billy ONeal

asked Jun 15 '10 at 22:10

Billy ONealBilly ONeal

662416

@echo off

echo Enter the server from which to backup:

set /p Server=

echo Enter the path of the VM:

set /p VmPath=

echo Enter the username with which to login to Virtual Infrastructure:

set /p User=

echo Enter the password with which to login to Virtual Infrastructure:

set /p Password=

cls

cd "%programfiles(x86)%vmwarevmware ovf tool"

mkdir "C:vmbackup%vmPath%"

ovftool.exe --acceptAllEulas --chunkSize=4480mb --diskMode=monolithicSparse "vi://%user%:%password%@%server%/%vmPath%" "C:vmbackup%vmPath%%vmPath:\=|%.ovf"

pause

share|improve this question

edited Jun 16 '10 at 5:06

Billy ONeal

asked Jun 15 '10 at 22:10

Billy ONealBilly ONeal

662416

share|improve this question

edited Jun 16 '10 at 5:06

Billy ONeal

asked Jun 15 '10 at 22:10

Billy ONealBilly ONeal

662416

asked Jun 15 '10 at 22:10

Billy ONealBilly ONeal

662416

asked Jun 15 '10 at 22:10

Billy ONealBilly ONeal

662416

3 Answers
3

active

oldest

votes

2

I had this very problem. I never found a solution. What I did do, is install VMWare Converter, and it worked fine. I never found out what made OVFTool slow... It sucks if you want to script it (since AFAIK there isn't a command line version of converter)...

share|improve this answer

answered Jun 15 '10 at 23:51

ircmaxellircmaxell

1,006618

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  VMWare Converter takes even longer. On the plus side, it seems to be moderately more reliable.
  
  – Billy ONeal
  Jun 16 '10 at 5:09
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

2

I use the ovftool all the time and have never noticed this sort of a problem, but I have noticed extreme slowness and the occasional failure when I'm deploying to or pulling from a slow network. What is the network situation like between the system you are running the tool from and the host? The other difference is that I use the ovftool from a linux host and not from a windows machine, is that something you can try to compare the difference?

Some other things that you might check: When the ovftool is hanging, does it still have a network connection open? Is it using much RAM or CPU?

EDIT: What version of the ovftool is it? What version of Windows are you running it from? Is it a direct connection, or are there routers/firewalls between you and the ESXi server? What version of ESXi is it?

EDIT: I've now been afflicted by this problem. ESX 4.0, ovftool 1.0.0, never seen this before. Yep, it is annoying.

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 9 '10 at 20:11

answered Jun 16 '10 at 5:27

Jed DanielsJed Daniels

5,9642537

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  It's Gigabit lan between the machines. When OVFTool hangs, the ESXi server thinks the export is completed (it shows "Complete" on the recent tasks list on the bottom of the vSphere Client). It is not using much RAM or CPU.
  
  – Billy ONeal
  Jun 16 '10 at 14:15
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

1

Appearently, the windows implementation fails - I started both and windows' version fails always at the same 7%. Linux' just works.

share|improve this answer

answered 12 hours ago

kbhuinfokbhuinfo

111

New contributor

kbhuinfo is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

add a comment | 

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2

I had this very problem. I never found a solution. What I did do, is install VMWare Converter, and it worked fine. I never found out what made OVFTool slow... It sucks if you want to script it (since AFAIK there isn't a command line version of converter)...

share|improve this answer

answered Jun 15 '10 at 23:51

ircmaxellircmaxell

1,006618

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  VMWare Converter takes even longer. On the plus side, it seems to be moderately more reliable.
  
  – Billy ONeal
  Jun 16 '10 at 5:09
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

2

I had this very problem. I never found a solution. What I did do, is install VMWare Converter, and it worked fine. I never found out what made OVFTool slow... It sucks if you want to script it (since AFAIK there isn't a command line version of converter)...

share|improve this answer

answered Jun 15 '10 at 23:51

ircmaxellircmaxell

1,006618

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  VMWare Converter takes even longer. On the plus side, it seems to be moderately more reliable.
  
  – Billy ONeal
  Jun 16 '10 at 5:09
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

I had this very problem. I never found a solution. What I did do, is install VMWare Converter, and it worked fine. I never found out what made OVFTool slow... It sucks if you want to script it (since AFAIK there isn't a command line version of converter)...

share|improve this answer

answered Jun 15 '10 at 23:51

ircmaxellircmaxell

1,006618

share|improve this answer

answered Jun 15 '10 at 23:51

ircmaxellircmaxell

1,006618

answered Jun 15 '10 at 23:51

ircmaxellircmaxell

1,006618

answered Jun 15 '10 at 23:51

ircmaxellircmaxell

1,006618

2

I use the ovftool all the time and have never noticed this sort of a problem, but I have noticed extreme slowness and the occasional failure when I'm deploying to or pulling from a slow network. What is the network situation like between the system you are running the tool from and the host? The other difference is that I use the ovftool from a linux host and not from a windows machine, is that something you can try to compare the difference?

Some other things that you might check: When the ovftool is hanging, does it still have a network connection open? Is it using much RAM or CPU?

EDIT: What version of the ovftool is it? What version of Windows are you running it from? Is it a direct connection, or are there routers/firewalls between you and the ESXi server? What version of ESXi is it?

EDIT: I've now been afflicted by this problem. ESX 4.0, ovftool 1.0.0, never seen this before. Yep, it is annoying.

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 9 '10 at 20:11

answered Jun 16 '10 at 5:27

Jed DanielsJed Daniels

5,9642537

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  It's Gigabit lan between the machines. When OVFTool hangs, the ESXi server thinks the export is completed (it shows "Complete" on the recent tasks list on the bottom of the vSphere Client). It is not using much RAM or CPU.
  
  – Billy ONeal
  Jun 16 '10 at 14:15
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

2

I use the ovftool all the time and have never noticed this sort of a problem, but I have noticed extreme slowness and the occasional failure when I'm deploying to or pulling from a slow network. What is the network situation like between the system you are running the tool from and the host? The other difference is that I use the ovftool from a linux host and not from a windows machine, is that something you can try to compare the difference?

Some other things that you might check: When the ovftool is hanging, does it still have a network connection open? Is it using much RAM or CPU?

EDIT: What version of the ovftool is it? What version of Windows are you running it from? Is it a direct connection, or are there routers/firewalls between you and the ESXi server? What version of ESXi is it?

EDIT: I've now been afflicted by this problem. ESX 4.0, ovftool 1.0.0, never seen this before. Yep, it is annoying.

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 9 '10 at 20:11

answered Jun 16 '10 at 5:27

Jed DanielsJed Daniels

5,9642537

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  It's Gigabit lan between the machines. When OVFTool hangs, the ESXi server thinks the export is completed (it shows "Complete" on the recent tasks list on the bottom of the vSphere Client). It is not using much RAM or CPU.
  
  – Billy ONeal
  Jun 16 '10 at 14:15
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

I use the ovftool all the time and have never noticed this sort of a problem, but I have noticed extreme slowness and the occasional failure when I'm deploying to or pulling from a slow network. What is the network situation like between the system you are running the tool from and the host? The other difference is that I use the ovftool from a linux host and not from a windows machine, is that something you can try to compare the difference?

Some other things that you might check: When the ovftool is hanging, does it still have a network connection open? Is it using much RAM or CPU?

EDIT: What version of the ovftool is it? What version of Windows are you running it from? Is it a direct connection, or are there routers/firewalls between you and the ESXi server? What version of ESXi is it?

EDIT: I've now been afflicted by this problem. ESX 4.0, ovftool 1.0.0, never seen this before. Yep, it is annoying.

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 9 '10 at 20:11

answered Jun 16 '10 at 5:27

Jed DanielsJed Daniels

5,9642537

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 9 '10 at 20:11

answered Jun 16 '10 at 5:27

Jed DanielsJed Daniels

5,9642537

answered Jun 16 '10 at 5:27

Jed DanielsJed Daniels

5,9642537

answered Jun 16 '10 at 5:27

Jed DanielsJed Daniels

5,9642537

1

Appearently, the windows implementation fails - I started both and windows' version fails always at the same 7%. Linux' just works.

share|improve this answer

answered 12 hours ago

kbhuinfokbhuinfo

111

New contributor

kbhuinfo is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

add a comment | 

1

Appearently, the windows implementation fails - I started both and windows' version fails always at the same 7%. Linux' just works.

share|improve this answer

answered 12 hours ago

kbhuinfokbhuinfo

111

New contributor

kbhuinfo is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

add a comment | 

Appearently, the windows implementation fails - I started both and windows' version fails always at the same 7%. Linux' just works.

share|improve this answer

answered 12 hours ago

kbhuinfokbhuinfo

111

New contributor

kbhuinfo is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this answer

answered 12 hours ago

kbhuinfokbhuinfo

111

New contributor

kbhuinfo is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

answered 12 hours ago

kbhuinfokbhuinfo

111

New contributor

kbhuinfo is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

answered 12 hours ago

kbhuinfokbhuinfo

111