How to convert ova/vdi to qcow2 QEMU and extend the disk size

How to convert ova to qcow2 QEMU and extend the disk size

Running a .ova file in QEMU requires extracting and converting the virtual disk image inside the .ova file to a format that QEMU can use. Here's a step-by-step guide:

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Step 1: Extract the .ova File
tar -xvf your_file.ova

You will see files like:
your_file.vmdk # (disk image file)
your_file.ovf # (metadata and configuration)
your_file.mf # (optional checksum file)

Step 2: Convert .vmdk to .qcow2
Install qemu-img if it's not already installed:
sudo apt install qemu-img

Convert the disk VMDK:
# your_file.vmdk: The source VMware disk file.
# your_file.qcow2: The converted QEMU-compatible image.
qemu-img convert -O qcow2 your_file.vmdk your_file.qcow2

Convert the disk if it is in VID format:
qemu-img convert -f vdi -O qcow2 Ubuntu24.10.vdi Ubuntu24.10.qcow2

Step 3: Run the Converted Disk with QEMU
# -m 4G: Allocates 4 GB of RAM.
# -smp 2: Allocates 2 CPU cores.
# -netdev and -device: Sets up basic networking.
# -vga virtio: Uses VirtIO for graphics.
qemu-system-x86_64 \
  -enable-kvm \
  -m 4G \
  -cpu host \
  -smp 2 \
  -drive file=your_file.qcow2,format=qcow2 \
  -netdev user,id=net0 -device e1000,netdev=net0 \
  -vga virtio

Step 4: (Optional) Automate with Virt-Manager
sudo apt install virt-manager
# Import the .qcow2 file as a new virtual machine.

Step 0: EXTRA TIPS Expand the Disk Image
Check the Current Size: Use qemu-img to check the size of the disk image:
qemu-img info your_file.qcow2

Resize the Disk: Expand the disk to the desired size (e.g., 50 GB):
qemu-img resize your_file.qcow2 50G