Packer vmware-vmx: SSH timeout

[Unnikrishnan KP]

Hello all,

I have been having issues trying to get vmware-vmx working. I have tried a few options but then tried to use the basic script that is posted on the packer site. It states this this basic code works. 

https://www.packer.io/docs/builders/vmware/vmx (Basic Example)

The following is my code that i am trying to run

{

  "builders": [

 {

  "type": "vmware-vmx",

  "source_path": "D:/Virtual Machines/CENT7/CENT7.vmx",

  "ssh_username": "root",

  "ssh_password": "Password",

  "shutdown_command": "shutdown -P now"

  }

  ]

}

The clone VM comes up fine on VMware Workstation 15.6. It picks up VMnet8 as expected. IP address is assigned via DHCP. Packer waits for SSH connection. I can login to the clone VM manually. 

The following is the messages i get when i run the code:

==> vmware-vmx: Cloning source VM...

==> vmware-vmx: Starting virtual machine...

==> vmware-vmx: Waiting 10s for boot...

==> vmware-vmx: Connecting to VM via VNC (127.0.0.1:5958)

==> vmware-vmx: Typing the boot command over VNC...

==> vmware-vmx: Using ssh communicator to connect: 192,168.10.131

==> vmware-vmx: Waiting for SSH to become available...

==> vmware-vmx: Timeout waiting for SSH.

==> vmware-vmx: Stopping virtual machine...

==> vmware-vmx: Deleting output directory...

Build 'vmware-vmx' errored: Timeout waiting for SSH.

==> Some builds didn't complete successfully and had errors:

--> vmware-vmx: Timeout waiting for SSH.

It could be that I am missing something. I tried adding ssh_host but that does not work as expected.