VMware Workstation Instructions
Prerequisite 1: You will need to change the VMware Tools update option to Manual.
Right-click the virtual machine in Workstation and click Edit Settings. Then in the Options tab, change the VMware Tools update option from Use application default to Manual.
Prerequisite 2: Your VM's name must consist of four or more characters. Use the right click > rename prior to exporting the image.
The Export Process
- Clone the snapshot you want to upload (the following steps may be different depending on the version of VMware Workstation you are using). The snapshot must be from a virtual machine that is powered off. You cannot make a clone from a snapshot of a virtual machine that is powered on.
- In the VMware workstation, choose VM > Snapshot > Snapshot Manager.
- Select the snapshot to clone.
- Click Clone (there is an option to make linked clones or full clones. Select full clone).
- Click OK in the confirmation dialog box.
- Export this clone as an OVF or OVA file:
- In VMware workstation, choose File > Import or Export (this will start a conversion wizard).
- Source Type should be other.
- Choose the .vmx file of your clone.
- Choose all disks and maintain size.
- Destination Type should be virtual appliance.
- Create a name and choose a location.
- For File Options, choose single file (*.ova) or multiple files (*.ovf).
VMware ESX Instructions
- In VMware Virtual Center, choose File > Export > Export OVF Template…
- Create a name for your image.
- Choose a destination directory.
- Choose single file (*.ova) or multiple files (*.ovf).