Howto Convert a ESXv5 to ESXv4 VM

Steve Stonebraker
September 26, 2013

Howto Convert a ESXv5 to ESXv4 VM

This details the steps needed to convert a machine from ESXv5 to ESXv4

Convert OVA to VMX

  1. On ESXv5 Machine, Export the VMWare ESX5 Machine to OVF (File -> Export -> Export OVF Template)
  2. Download ovftool

  3. Convert ova to vmx (ignoring manifest errors)

    ovftool sourefile.ova destfile.vmx (make sure filename [without extension] is different)

  4. Modify the vmx file

Change

virtualhw.version = "8"

to:

virtualhw.version = "7"

Convert back to OVF

(this takes awhile because 9 is max compression)

ovftool --compress=9 destfile.vm destfile_converted.ovf

Deploy OVF on your ESXv4 Machine

Import OVF like normal on your ESXv4 machine

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