Convert from .vmdk to .vhd Error :"Invalid File Format (11)"

VM image converter (VMDK, VHD, VHDX, IMG, RAW, QCOW and QCOW2), P2V migrator

Moderators: anton (staff), art (staff), Max (staff), Anatoly (staff)

bseebach
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2009 4:37 pm

Mon Aug 31, 2009 4:49 pm

Hello -

I'm trying out your V2V Converter tool, and can't seem to get it to convert an ESX VMDK file to a VHD format file. I've tried a few intermediate steps to see if it would work, but nothing seems to be working for me. Here are the steps I've taken :

1. Downloaded copy VMDK file from ESX server to a Windows 2003 Server using VMWare management console. I get two files on the Windows drive from this copy :

myesxvm.vmdk (1 KB)
myesxvm-flat.vmdk (30 GB)

The example VMware disk is a fixed-size VM disk file.

2. Tried converting VMDK to fixed size VHD. V2V converter recognizes a 30 GB hard drive image. Burning log returns the following :

Started
Creating image file <path>
Invalid File Format (11)

3. Tried again with variable size VHD. Same error.
4. Tried again, this time to a VMWare pre-allocated image. Works.
5. Tried again, this time to a VMWare growable image. Works.
6. Tried converting the pre-allocated image to VHD. Get same error.
7. Tried converting the growable image to VHD. Get same error.
8. Try same steps on my workstation (Windows 7 RTM). Same errors.

Am I missing something on my machines that would allow me to convert this file?

Thanks-
Brian
Robert (staff)
Posts: 303
Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:42 am

Tue Sep 01, 2009 12:56 pm

Brian,

Were the virtual machines stopped on the ESX server before you copied the vmdk files?

Thanks
Robert
StarWind Software Inc.
http://www.starwindsoftware.com
bseebach
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2009 4:37 pm

Tue Sep 01, 2009 5:56 pm

Yes. The VM was stopped at the time of the file copy.
Robert (staff)
Posts: 303
Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:42 am

Wed Sep 02, 2009 10:53 am

Hello,

Would it be possible that you could send us the 1kb vmdk file to support@starwindsoftware.com? We would try to reproduce it and find a workaround.

Thanks
Robert
StarWind Software Inc.
http://www.starwindsoftware.com
coledewitt
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:21 pm

Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:22 pm

I am having same issue trying to convert a VMDX from the VMWARE converter to VHD.

Please assist.
Robert (staff)
Posts: 303
Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:42 am

Wed Oct 07, 2009 10:08 am

I don't think StarCon will be able to convert a vmdx format. Only .vmdk
Robert
StarWind Software Inc.
http://www.starwindsoftware.com
jcavner
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:15 pm

Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:16 pm

Was this issue ever resolved? I am experiencing the same problem.

*Edit - All machines were stopped at the time of copying.

*Edit - Fixed the issue. I put both the small 1kb vmdk and large 'flat' vmdk file in the same directory. Did the conversion off the 1k vmdk file and it worked.
Robert (staff)
Posts: 303
Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:42 am

Mon Nov 02, 2009 11:11 am

Please submit a support request to us at http://www.starwindsoftware.com/support - we will do our best to help you with this.

Thanks.
Robert
StarWind Software Inc.
http://www.starwindsoftware.com
idheath
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 7:14 pm

Sun May 09, 2010 7:21 pm

Hi,

I am trying to convert a .vmdk file to a MS Virtual PC Image but I get an "Invalid File Format (11)" error.

When I select the input file it is identified as follows:

File format: VMWare growable image
Size: 37.3GB

The input image isn't being used and I have tried both growable & non-growable options output options.

BTW there doesn't appear to be any other error indications or logs.

Cheers Ian
Constantin (staff)

Tue May 11, 2010 8:39 am

Hi! Tell me please if that image was created using Workstation or ESX(i)?
landrew
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Feb 03, 2011 7:35 pm

Thu Feb 03, 2011 7:49 pm

It seems that the issue where Starwind is unable to open exported vmdk files continues... Why was a solution or suggested work around never posted? I have stopped a pair of VMware* VMs, exported them via the standard VMware Infrastructure client export process and every time I get the "Error opening file" message. I have tried this both by exporting to a PC and a server, no disk compression or anything else silly applies.
I honestly feel as though this tool is simply unable to open vmdk files exported by VMware, perhaps by design on the part of VMware which is likely losing market share to Microsoft...

* our VMware servers are running "ESX Server 3i 3.5.0 build-153875"

PS. VMDK2VHS also can not open these files which makes me even more suspicious on the VMware side of this fiasco. :?

I'm going to try these tools against the non-exported vmdk files which can be had by browsing the datastore on the VMware servers directly...
landrew
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Feb 03, 2011 7:35 pm

Thu Feb 03, 2011 9:25 pm

OK, copying the "RAW" VMDK content from the Datastore provided files that were much larger, but Starwind recognized them and allowed the conversion to continue. So, the export process seems to be the issue. Next I'll see if the resulting VHD file works with Hyper-V, I look forward getting VMware out of our shop...
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anton (staff)
Site Admin
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Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2004 12:03 am
Location: British Virgin Islands
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Fri Feb 04, 2011 11:37 am

1) It's definitely OK for your destination RAW images being larger then your source VMDKs. VMware does "sparse" allocation with VMDKs not storing non-written blocks to actual image file. For RAW it's also possible but only for file systems having "sparse" feature (say NTFS). We do fill unused regions with zeros making resulting RAW image portable between file systems and totally independent of where it is stored. So it's not a bug it's a feature :)

2) If hyper-visor does not allow file opening it's not our issue. And unfortunately we can do nothing to workaround this. If you don't want anybody in your home he needs police and criminal case opened to come in w/o your permission. The same here.
Regards,
Anton Kolomyeytsev

Chief Technology Officer & Chief Architect, StarWind Software

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seventeenli17
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 8:54 am

Fri Feb 11, 2011 8:57 am

HI All,

I stopped the VM and copied the VMDK (C:20G D:20G E:5G) to Hyper-V for conversation. But only D:20G & E:5G is successful. The C:20G always prompt "invalid File Format". What's going on ? Anyone can help. Thanks ! :)

Best Regards,
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anton (staff)
Site Admin
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Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2004 12:03 am
Location: British Virgin Islands
Contact:

Mon Feb 14, 2011 3:09 pm

Sparse (unallocated) image? Can you provide image for verification? Can you run debug version and / or provide Remote Session to your machine with problematic data?
seventeenli17 wrote:HI All,

I stopped the VM and copied the VMDK (C:20G D:20G E:5G) to Hyper-V for conversation. But only D:20G & E:5G is successful. The C:20G always prompt "invalid File Format". What's going on ? Anyone can help. Thanks ! :)

Best Regards,
Regards,
Anton Kolomyeytsev

Chief Technology Officer & Chief Architect, StarWind Software

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