Error message while importing .OVA file in vCenter

When you encounter the below error while importing an .ova file into vCenter, it indicates that there are inconsistencies or unsupported configurations in the OVF descriptor file within the .ova package.

‘Issues detected with selected template. Details: – 50:7:VALUE_ILLEGAL: Value ”lsilogic” of ResourceSubType element not found in [VirtualSCSI]. – 84:7:VALUE_ILLEGAL: Value ”3” of Parent element does not refer to a ref of type DiskControllerReference. – 93:7:VALUE_ILLEGAL: Value ”3” of Parent element does not refer to a ref of type DiskControllerReference.’

To resolve this, you can manually edit the OVF file to correct the issues. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Extract the OVA File

Extract the .ova File: Use a tool like tar (on Linux/macOS) or 7-Zip (on Windows) to extract the contents of the .ova file. This will typically give you three files: an .ovf file, a .vmdk file, and a .mf file.

Using tar:

tar xvf your-file.ova

Step 2: Edit the OVF File

Edit the OVF File: Open the .ovf file in a text editor and look for the lines that define the ResourceSubType and Parent elements mentioned in the error messages.

Correct the ResourceSubType Element:

Find the line similar to:

<rasd:ResourceSubType>lsilogic</rasd:ResourceSubType>

Change ‘lsilogic’ to ‘VirtualSCSI’ or another supported type, such as ‘lsilogic’, ‘lsilogicsas’, ‘pvscsi’ (verify which types are supported by your vCenter version).

Correct the Parent Elements:

Locate the ‘Parent’ elements that reference a DiskController with an illegal value (‘3’ in this case). You need to ensure the Parent reference matches the ‘DiskControllerReference’.

<Item> 
    <rasd:Parent>3</rasd:Parent> 
    <!-- Other configuration details --> 
</Item>

Ensure that the ‘Parent’ element refers to the correct DiskControllerReference ID. Adjust the ID to match a valid DiskControllerReference in the OVF file. For example, if the DiskControllerReference ID is ‘1’, then update the Parent element to ‘1’.

<Item>
  <rasd:Parent>1</rasd:Parent>
  <!-- Other configuration details -->
</Item>

Step 3: Repackage the OVF File

Using OVF Tool: VMware’s OVF Tool can be used to repackage the files:

ovftool your-directory/your-file.ovf your-new-file.ova

Alternatively, use tar to create a new .ova file:

tar cvf your-new-file.ova your-file.ovf your-disk.vmdk your-file.mf

Step 4: Import the New OVA File

Import the New OVA File: Go back to vCenter and try importing the newly created .ova file.

Verification and Additional Adjustments

If the error persists, double-check the OVF descriptor for other potential inconsistencies or unsupported configurations. Ensure that all ResourceSubType and Parent references are valid and supported by your vCenter environment.