Converting a physical Linux server to virtual machine (P2V) using vCenter Converter Standalone fails at 1% with the error: "Unable to obtain the IP address of the helper Virtual Machine"

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• Converter
• VMware vCenter Server 7.0
• VMware vCenter Server 8.0

Issue/Introduction

• Converting a physical Linux server using a VMware vCenter Converter Standalone fails
• Task stuck at 1% and fails with the error,

• In the vmware-converter-worker-X.log you see entries similar to:

2024-12-12T17:56:57.028+05:30 info vmware-converter-worker[13116] [Originator@6876 sub=task-6] Connecting to Converter Helper with retry, retryCount 590, interval 1, times left 590
2024-12-12T17:56:58.981+05:30 warning vmware-converter-worker[03504] [Originator@6876 sub=IO.Connection] Failed to connect; <io_obj p:0x0aed5620, h:936, <TCP ':: : 64963'>, <TCP 'fe80::250:56ff:feab:51a5 : 443'>>, e: 10060(A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond), duration: 21024msec
2024-12-12T17:56:58.981+05:30 error vmware-converter-worker[03504] [Originator@6876 sub=IO.Http] User agent failed to send request; (null), class Vmacore::SystemException(A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond)
2024-12-12T17:56:58.995+05:30 error vmware-converter-worker[03504] [Originator@6876 sub=task-6] Unable to get IP address from GuestInfo before we exhausted our retry attempts

• Log location for VMware converter: Collecting diagnostic information for VMware Converter

Environment

VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 6.x

Cause

This issue occurs due to the following reasons:

1. When the helper virtual machine gets automatically assigned IPv6 address, while the environment is not configured for IPv6.
2. When the helper virtual machine unable to get the IPv4 address automatically

Resolution

Perform the following steps to proceed with the successful conversion:

1. Disable the IPv6 option by unchecking the box under helper VM network configuration
   
2. Manually assign the IPv4 static IP address to the helper virtual machine. Make sure that the IP address you specify for the helper virtual machine is not already in use on the network.
   • Configure the Network for the Helper Virtual Machine
3. Proceed with the P2V conversion