Add Host only network in the Virtual Box builder

steve BP

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Oct 15, 2018, 4:26:50 AM10/15/18

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Hi

I am using packer (Windows) to build and deploy virtual box VMs with Windows 2012 installations. This has worked very well for our automated deployment and test of control applications.

I am trying to add a hostonly network interface as part of the virtual box builder and have run into errors.

I wish to add the host-only interface in the builder, as opposed to a provisioner or post builder so that resources on the host only network can be used by the provisioners.

My builder vboxmanage is as follows (full builder below)

"vboxmanage": [

[ "modifyvm", "{{.Name}}", "--natpf1", "winrm,tcp,,55985,,5985" ],

[ "modifyvm", "{{.Name}}", "--memory", "{{user `target_MemorySize`}}" ],

[ "modifyvm", "{{.Name}}", "--cpus", "{{user `target_Cpu`}}" ],

[ "modifyvm", "{{.Name}}", "--nic2", "hostonly --hostonlyadapter1 vboxnet1" ]

],

Packer is responding as following with an error.

I have tried the vboxmanage command from a shell and this works ok on a test vm, so think that my command syntax is ok.

> vboxmanage modifyvm "C:\Users\sbp\VirtualBox VMs\hostTest"\hostTest.vbox --nic2 hostonly --hostonlyadapter1 vboxnet1

Would anybody please be able to advise me how to make this feature work.

Thanks in advance.

Steve

Packer Output

E:\svn-mirror\projects\Home\Steve_Pinfold\PackerWindowsBuilder\branches\TLS-amd64>packer.exe build Output.json

virtualbox-iso output will be in this color.

==> virtualbox-iso: Retrieving Guest additions

virtualbox-iso: Using file in-place: file:///C:/Program%20Files/Oracle/VirtualBox/VBoxGuestAdditions.iso

==> virtualbox-iso: Retrieving ISO

virtualbox-iso: Using file in-place: file:///E:/usr/tools/WindowsInstallers/SW_DVD5_WIN_PRO_7W_SP1_64BIT_ENGLISH_-2_MLF_X17-59279.ISO

==> virtualbox-iso: Creating floppy disk...

virtualbox-iso: Copying files flatly from floppy_files

virtualbox-iso: Copying file: AutoUnattend.xml

virtualbox-iso: Done copying files from floppy_files

virtualbox-iso: Collecting paths from floppy_dirs

virtualbox-iso: Resulting paths from floppy_dirs : []

virtualbox-iso: Done copying paths from floppy_dirs

==> virtualbox-iso: Creating virtual machine...

==> virtualbox-iso: Creating hard drive...

==> virtualbox-iso: Attaching floppy disk...

==> virtualbox-iso: Creating forwarded port mapping for communicator (SSH, WinRM, etc) (host port 2840)

==> virtualbox-iso: Executing custom VBoxManage commands...

virtualbox-iso: Executing: modifyvm packer-virtualbox-iso-1539588999 --natpf1 winrm,tcp,,55985,,5985

virtualbox-iso: Executing: modifyvm packer-virtualbox-iso-1539588999 --memory 2048

virtualbox-iso: Executing: modifyvm packer-virtualbox-iso-1539588999 --cpus 2

virtualbox-iso: Executing: modifyvm packer-virtualbox-iso-1539588999 --nic2 hostonly --hostonlyadapter1 vboxnet1

==> virtualbox-iso: Error executing command: VBoxManage error: VBoxManage.exe: error: Invalid type 'hostonly --hostonlyadapter1 vboxnet1' specfied for NIC 2

==> virtualbox-iso: Deregistering and deleting VM...

==> virtualbox-iso: Deleting output directory...

Build 'virtualbox-iso' errored: Error executing command: VBoxManage error: VBoxManage.exe: error: Invalid type 'hostonly --hostonlyadapter1 vboxnet1' specfied for NIC 2

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

--> virtualbox-iso: Error executing command: VBoxManage error: VBoxManage.exe: error: Invalid type 'hostonly --hostonlyadapter1 vboxnet1' specfied for NIC 2

==> Builds finished but no artifacts were created.

Full Builder

"builders": [

{

"type": "virtualbox-iso",

"vboxmanage": [

[ "modifyvm", "{{.Name}}", "--natpf1", "winrm,tcp,,55985,,5985" ],

[ "modifyvm", "{{.Name}}", "--memory", "{{user `target_MemorySize`}}" ],

[ "modifyvm", "{{.Name}}", "--cpus", "{{user `target_Cpu`}}" ],

[ "modifyvm", "{{.Name}}", "--nic2", "hostonly --hostonlyadapter1 vboxnet1" ]

],

"vboxmanage_post": [

[ "modifyvm", "{{.Name}}", "--nic1", "bridged", "--bridgeadapter1", "{{user `host_NetworkAdaptor`}}" ]

],

"guest_os_type": "{{user `OS_Type`}}",

"iso_url": "{{user `OS_Iso`}}",

"iso_checksum": "{{user `Os_Checksum`}}",

"iso_checksum_type": "md5",

"disk_size": "{{user `target_DiskSize`}}",

"communicator": "winrm",

"winrm_username": "vagrant",

"winrm_password": "vagrant",

"winrm_port": "5985",

"winrm_timeout": "10h",

"guest_additions_mode": "attach",

"post_shutdown_delay": "3m",

"shutdown_command": "shutdown -s -t 3000",

"shutdown_timeout": "5h",

"floppy_files": [

"AutoUnattend.xml"

],

"export_opts": [

"--manifest",

"--vsys",

"0",

"--description",

"{{user `vm_description`}}",

"--version",

"{{user `vm_version`}}"

]

}

],

Rickard von Essen

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Oct 15, 2018, 5:45:52 AM10/15/18

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Each argument need to be it's own string:

[ "modifyvm", "{{.Name}}", "--nic2", "hostonly --hostonlyadapter1 vboxnet1" ]

must be:

[ "modifyvm", "{{.Name}}", "--nic2", "hostonly", "--hostonlyadapter1", "vboxnet1" ]

// Rickard

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steve BP

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Oct 15, 2018, 6:15:54 AM10/15/18

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Hi Rickard

Thanks for the prompt reply. I have modified my template as per your instructions (I was led a bit astray by the WinRM port forwarding line) and I am hitting my next error

=> virtualbox-iso: Executing custom VBoxManage commands...

virtualbox-iso: Executing: modifyvm packer-virtualbox-iso-1539598042 --natpf1 winrm,tcp,,55985,,5985

virtualbox-iso: Executing: modifyvm packer-virtualbox-iso-1539598042 --memory 2048

virtualbox-iso: Executing: modifyvm packer-virtualbox-iso-1539598042 --cpus 2

virtualbox-iso: Executing: modifyvm packer-virtualbox-iso-1539598042 --nic2 hostonly --hostonlyadapter1 vboxnet1

=> virtualbox-iso: Starting the virtual machine...

=> virtualbox-iso: Error starting VM: VBoxManage error: VBoxManage.exe: error: Nonexistent host networking interface, name '' (VERR_INTERNAL_ERROR)

=> virtualbox-iso: VBoxManage.exe: error: Details: code E_FAIL (0x80004005), component ConsoleWrap, interface IConsole

=> virtualbox-iso: Deregistering and deleting VM...

Looking at the help for VboxManage modifyvm,

[--hostonlyadapter<1-N> none|<devicename>]

I am wondering, I am wondering if it is complaining about the device name field. In the command line example this vboxnet1 works, but my actual host network adapter is VirtualBox Host-Only Ethernet Adaptor. I have tried this also but it still did not work.

Rickard von Essen

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Oct 15, 2018, 6:28:33 AM10/15/18

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Yes your syntax is incorrect check section 6.7 at https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch06.html

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steve BP

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Oct 15, 2018, 11:16:49 AM10/15/18

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Rickard.

from your experience do you think that the error is caused by a packer configuration issue, or a virtual box configuration issue?

Steve

Rickard von Essen

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Oct 15, 2018, 3:13:22 PM10/15/18

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VBoxManage.exe: error: Nonexistent host networking interface, name ''

This is caused by your vboxmanage command, either the natpf or the adding the host network. Remove one and see if you get further.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/packer-tool/35689d84-50a7-4677-b7a8-d39bde3888e5%40googlegroups.com.

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