How to import Howtoforge OVF and OVA Virtual Machine Images in VMware and Virtualbox
This guide explains how to import virtual machine images in the vendor neutral OVF and OVA format into VMware and Virtualbox. I will use a ova image from howtoforge.com as example here. The vmware images from howtoforge can be used as basis for test and production servers.
Here is the list of all VM Images available from Howtoforge.
1 Preliminary Note
In my case I have a Ubuntu 14.04 Desktop on which I have installed VMware workstation and Virtualbox. Virtualbox is a free tool which can be downloaded from link. VMware comes in free version too (VMware Player and vmware ESXI) but it have certain limitations in its functionality. For this tutorial I will use the vmware workstation, which is available as 30 day test version for Windos and Linux enviroments from VMware here.
2 Import in VMware workstation
I am considering that your download have just completed & you have the zip file with you.In my case I am going to download the server for the Ubuntu server with samba pre-configured inside. I will be downloading the server with 797.4 MB file.
Save the file at your desired location.
It is a zip file, let the download get completed & extract the same archive file. Open the VMware workstation.
Use Open a virtual machine & browse the path where you have extracted the file.
Set the desired location for the vmware import & do Import.
There it could give an error as shown below ignore the error & press Retry
It will start importing the file & you will can the see the progress bar for the import.
After the import start the virtual machine & you can start the testings on it.
It will prompt for some popups just move further by OK & further Yes
Now your VMware is able to handle your downloaded server successfully.
3 Import in Virtualbox
Now I will be importing the same downloaded file in virtualbox to get the server running on it.Open virtualbox
Import Appliacnce
Browse for the path.
Check the the for Reinitialize the MAC of all network cards & then Import
Start the virtual machine & you can utilize the virtual machine further as per your requirement.
Congrats you have successfully imported the VMware image in Virtualbox & VMware workstation. :)