Unable to get Kali Linux VMware virtual machine to work on ESXi 6.0
For anyone trying to get the Kali Linux virtual machine (x64, 2017.1) to work on ESXi 6.0 I suggest using VMware's vCenter Converter Standalone (https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/evalcenter?p=converter). This requires are free registration. When I tried importing without Converter I was getting an error message that the guest OS id was not valid. Unfortunately I don't seem to be able to insert pictures. The error pop-up:
Pop-up Title: Virtual Machine Settings
Pop-up Body:
The guest OS ID "debian8_64Guest" is not valid. Therefore, editing these VM settings is not recommended.
Upgrade the VM's hardware to correct problems caused by a virtual disk created for an older VM and added to a newer VM.
The other error about not being able to find the VMDK. Converter was able to fix all that. vCenter error details:
Task Details:
Status: File /vmfs/volumes/5973f797-23084f19-6faa-000c297ef042/Kali-Linux-2017.1-vm-amd64/Kali-Linux-2017.1-vm-amd64.vmdk was not found
Description: Powering on the new Virtual Machine
Start Time: 6-Aug-2017 11:38:06 AM
Completed Time: 6-Aug-2017 11:38:07 AM
State: error
Error Stack:
An error was received from the ESX host while powering on VM Kali-Linux-2017.1-vm-amd64.
Failed to start the virtual machine.
Module Disk power on failed.
Cannot open the disk '/vmfs/volumes/5973f797-23084f19-6faa-000c297ef042/Kali-Linux-2017.1-vm-amd64/Kali-Linux-2017.1-vm-amd64.vmdk' or one of the snapshot disks it depends on.
The system cannot find the file specified
VMware ESX cannot find the virtual disk "/vmfs/volumes/5973f797-23084f19-6faa-000c297ef042/Kali-Linux-2017.1-vm-amd64/Kali-Linux-2017.1-vm-amd64.vmdk". Verify the path is valid and try again.
Additional Task Details:
VC Build: 3634793
Error Type: FileNotFound
Task Id: Task
Cancelable: true
Canceled: false
Description Id: VirtualMachine.powerOn
Event Chain Id: 101900
Suggestion for future versions of the VMware virtual machine image is to use the OVF format (https://www.vmware.com/support/developer/ovf/).
