aws ec2 export-image failure: "ClientError: Unable to determine machine architecture, cannot locate kernel modules"

Question

**fail to export ami to S3 bucket.**
execute command:
     
```
aws ec2 export-image --image-id ami-xxxxxx --disk-image-format VMDK --s3-export-location S3Bucket=my-s3-bucket,S3Prefix=/
```

response:

```
{
    "DiskImageFormat": "VMDK",
    "ExportImageTaskId": "export-ami-03d9fd4a9cae4a944",
    "ImageId": "ami-xxxxxx",
    "Progress": "0",
    "S3ExportLocation": {
        "S3Bucket": "my-s3-bucket",
        "S3Prefix": "/"
    },
    "Status": "active",
    "StatusMessage": "validating"
}

```

execute command:
    
```
aws ec2 describe-export-image-tasks --export-image-task-ids export-ami-03d9fd4a9cae4a944
```

response:

```
{
    "ExportImageTasks": [
        {
            "ExportImageTaskId": "export-ami-03d9fd4a9cae4a944",
            "S3ExportLocation": {
                "S3Bucket": "my-s3-bucket",
                "S3Prefix": "/"
            },
            "Status": "cancelling",
            "StatusMessage": "ClientError: Unable to determine machine architecture, cannot locate kernel modules",
            "Tags": []
        }
    ]
}
```

Answer

Hi,

Can you tell us more about the EC2 instance that you're exporting: ec2 instance type, initial ami, os version, etc. ?

Best,

Didier

Answer

Hello.

I couldn't find much useful information even after searching for the error message.  
The following document is a troubleshooting document, but it did not mention the error you are encountering.  
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/vm-import/latest/userguide/vmimport-troubleshooting.html

By the way, is the kernel version of the AMI OS listed in the document below?  
If you are using something that is not listed, that may be the cause of the error.  
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/vm-import/latest/userguide/prerequisites.html#vmimport-operating-systems

aws ec2 export-image failure: "ClientError: Unable to determine machine architecture, cannot locate kernel modules"

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