---
modeline: |
  vim: set ft=pandoc:
description: |
  This VirtualBox Packer builder is able to create VirtualBox virtual machines
  and export them in the OVF format, starting from an existing OVF/OVA (exported
  virtual machine image).
layout: docs
page_title: VirtualBox OVF/OVA - Builders
sidebar_title: OVF
---

# VirtualBox Builder (from an OVF/OVA)

Type: `virtualbox-ovf`

This VirtualBox Packer builder is able to create
[VirtualBox](https://www.virtualbox.org/) virtual machines and export them in
the OVF format, starting from an existing OVF/OVA (exported virtual machine
image).

When exporting from VirtualBox make sure to choose OVF Version 2, since Version
1 is not compatible and will generate errors like this:

```shell-session
==> virtualbox-ovf: Progress state: VBOX_E_FILE_ERROR
==> virtualbox-ovf: VBoxManage: error: Appliance read failed
==> virtualbox-ovf: VBoxManage: error: Error reading "source.ova": element "Section" has no "type" attribute, line 21
==> virtualbox-ovf: VBoxManage: error: Details: code VBOX_E_FILE_ERROR (0x80bb0004), component Appliance, interface IAppliance
==> virtualbox-ovf: VBoxManage: error: Context: "int handleImportAppliance(HandlerArg*)" at line 304 of file VBoxManageAppliance.cpp
```

The builder builds a virtual machine by importing an existing OVF or OVA file.
It then boots this image, runs provisioners on this new VM, and exports that VM
to create the image. The imported machine is deleted prior to finishing the
build.

## Basic Example

Here is a basic example. This example is functional if you have an OVF matching
the settings here.

```json
{
  "type": "virtualbox-ovf",
  "source_path": "source.ovf",
  "ssh_username": "packer",
  "ssh_password": "packer",
  "shutdown_command": "echo 'packer' | sudo -S shutdown -P now"
}
```

It is important to add a `shutdown_command`. By default Packer halts the virtual
machine and the file system may not be sync'd. Thus, changes made in a
provisioner might not be saved.

## Configuration Reference

There are many configuration options available for the builder. In addition to
the items listed here, you will want to look at the general configuration
references for [ISO](#iso-configuration),
[HTTP](#http-directory-configuration),
[Floppy](#floppy-configuration),
[Export](#export-configuration),
[Boot](#boot-configuration),
[Shutdown](#shutdown-configuration),
[Run](#run-configuration),
[Communicator](#communicator-configuration)
configuration references, which are
necessary for this build to succeed and can be found further down the page.

### Required:

@include 'builder/virtualbox/ovf/Config-required.mdx'

#### Optional:

@include 'builder/virtualbox/ovf/Config-not-required.mdx'

@include 'builder/virtualbox/common/VBoxVersionConfig-not-required.mdx'

@include 'builder/virtualbox/common/GuestAdditionsConfig-not-required.mdx'

### VBoxManage configuration

@include 'builder/virtualbox/common/VBoxManageConfig-not-required.mdx'

### Http directory configuration

@include 'common/HTTPConfig.mdx'

#### Optional:

@include 'common/HTTPConfig-not-required.mdx'

### Floppy configuration

@include 'common/FloppyConfig.mdx'

#### Optional:

@include 'common/FloppyConfig-not-required.mdx'

### Export configuration

#### Optional:

@include 'builder/virtualbox/common/ExportConfig-not-required.mdx'

### Output configuration

#### Optional:

@include 'builder/virtualbox/common/OutputConfig-not-required.mdx'

### Run configuration

#### Optional:

@include 'builder/virtualbox/common/RunConfig-not-required.mdx'

### Shutdown configuration

#### Optional:

@include 'builder/virtualbox/common/ShutdownConfig-not-required.mdx'

### Communicator configuration

#### Optional common fields:

@include 'helper/communicator/Config-not-required.mdx'

@include 'builder/virtualbox/common/CommConfig-not-required.mdx'

#### Optional SSH fields:

@include 'helper/communicator/SSH-not-required.mdx'

#### Optional WinRM fields:

@include 'helper/communicator/WinRM-not-required.mdx'

### Boot Configuration

@include 'common/bootcommand/BootConfig.mdx'

The boot command is sent to the VM through the `VBoxManage` utility in as few
invocations as possible. We send each character in groups of 25, with a default
delay of 100ms between groups. The delay alleviates issues with latency and CPU
contention. If you notice missing keys, you can tune this delay by specifying
"boot_keygroup_interval" in your Packer template, for example:

```json
{
  "builders": [
    {
      "type": "virtualbox",
      "boot_keygroup_interval": "500ms"
      ...
    }
  ]
}
```

#### Optional:

@include 'common/bootcommand/BootConfig-not-required.mdx'

@include 'builders/boot-command.mdx'

@include 'builders/virtualbox-ssh-key-pair.mdx'

Example boot command. This is actually a working boot command used to start an
Ubuntu 12.04 installer:

```text
[
  "<esc><esc><enter><wait>",
  "/install/vmlinuz noapic ",
  "preseed/url=http://{{ .HTTPIP }}:{{ .HTTPPort }}/preseed.cfg ",
  "debian-installer=en_US auto locale=en_US kbd-chooser/method=us ",
  "hostname={{ .Name }} ",
  "fb=false debconf/frontend=noninteractive ",
  "keyboard-configuration/modelcode=SKIP keyboard-configuration/layout=USA ",
  "keyboard-configuration/variant=USA console-setup/ask_detect=false ",
  "initrd=/install/initrd.gz -- <enter>"
]
```

For more examples of various boot commands, see the sample projects from our
[community templates page](/community-tools#templates).

## Guest Additions

Packer will automatically download the proper guest additions for the version of
VirtualBox that is running and upload those guest additions into the virtual
machine so that provisioners can easily install them.

Packer downloads the guest additions from the official VirtualBox website, and
verifies the file with the official checksums released by VirtualBox.

After the virtual machine is up and the operating system is installed, Packer
uploads the guest additions into the virtual machine. The path where they are
uploaded is controllable by `guest_additions_path`, and defaults to
"VBoxGuestAdditions.iso". Without an absolute path, it is uploaded to the home
directory of the SSH user.

## VBoxManage Commands

In order to perform extra customization of the virtual machine, a template can
define extra calls to `VBoxManage` to perform.
[VBoxManage](https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch09.html) is the command-line
interface to VirtualBox where you can completely control VirtualBox. It can be
used to do things such as set RAM, CPUs, etc.

Extra VBoxManage commands are defined in the template in the `vboxmanage`
section. An example is shown below that sets the memory and number of CPUs
within the virtual machine:

```json
{
  "vboxmanage": [
    ["modifyvm", "{{.Name}}", "--memory", "1024"],
    ["modifyvm", "{{.Name}}", "--cpus", "2"]
  ]
}
```

The value of `vboxmanage` is an array of commands to execute. These commands are
executed in the order defined. So in the above example, the memory will be set
followed by the CPUs.

Each command itself is an array of strings, where each string is an argument to
`VBoxManage`. Each argument is treated as a [configuration
template](/docs/templates/engine). The only available
variable is `Name` which is replaced with the unique name of the VM, which is
required for many VBoxManage calls.
