Tips to open OVA file

Can't open the OVA file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open OVA files as well as a list of programs that support OVA files.

OVA file extension

File Name Open Virtual Appliance
File Developer VMware
File Category Data Files

The OVA file is supported on 3 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the OVA files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the OVA file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 4
  • 2
  • 2
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is OVA file?

The .OVA file is an archive file. It is used by the VMware virtualization application (currently Oracle). The file contains all the data to run a virtual system. They are packed into one file calling the TAR standard. It can therefore be unpacked by archiving programs. VMware applications (workstation and VirtualBox) do not require unpacking this file. The main idea behind the format is that a virtual system must have all the required files in one place.

How to open OVA file?

The main problem with Open Virtual Appliance is that the OVA file is incorrectly associated with programs. This is manifested by the fact that OVA files open in unusual applications or do not have an assigned program. This problem can be easily remedied.

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the OVA file icon you want to open. If the operating system has an appropriate application to support it and there is also an association between the file and the program, the file should be opened.

Step 1. Install VM VirtualBox

The first step is to check if the computer has the VM VirtualBox program installed. This can be achieved by typing VM VirtualBox into the operating system search engine. If it is not, installation may solve the problem, as most applications create file associations during installation. Later in this article you will find a list of programs that can open OVA files.

Step 2. Create association of VM VirtualBox with OVA files

However, it may happen that the application itself does not cause the OVA file to open in the VM VirtualBox application, but you can set it manually. This option is available from the level of Properties of a specific file available in the context menu. The displayed window will contain information about the program that supports this type of file. Using the "Change" button we can select the desired program. It may happen that in the next window there will be no appropriate program - however, this can be corrected with the "Browse" option where you should manually indicate the program location. Checking the "Always use the selected program ..." box will permanently associate the OVA file with the VM VirtualBox program.

Step 3. Update VM VirtualBox to the latest version

The fault may also lie with the VM VirtualBox program, it is possible that Open Virtual Appliance requires a newer version of the program.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the OVA file

Of course, it may happen that despite the above steps, the file still does not work. The most common file problems are:

Very often, the file may be size 0 or incomplete. This suggests truncating the OVA file contents when downloading or copying. Downloading the file again should fix the problem.
The computer may have fallen victim to a computer virus or hacker. A quick virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should clear up any doubts. Alternatively, you can use the scanners available online. The scan should cover the entire computer, not only the OVA file that we want to open. As a result of the scan, sometimes it is not possible to recover OVA files, which are deleted if there is a backup of this file, then after restoring it, it must also be scanned.
A typical compatibility error - the program does not support the older version of the OVA file. These problems are known and are often very easy to fix using the software developers's website.
There can be many reasons for the failure. The repair method must be adapted to the type of file and damage. Sometimes the program itself has options to repair the most popular OVA file corruption.
The program can also signal the fact of encryption. The encrypted file OVA except for the special designation, works normally, but only on the device where it was encrypted, before transferring it to another machine, decryption is required.
Some of the system directories are excluded from modification. These directories are write-protected to them and it's very hard to fix this problem. It is best to move OVA to a different directory.
This can happen on a file that does not support multiple access. Some file types can only be opened in one program at a time. Running programs (including those in the background) should be verified. Sometimes you have to wait for the session to the file OVA to close. Some anti-virus or backup software may occupy the OVA file for a certain period of time. If the problem persists, restart the machine.