Tag: vm

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Tech Tips

How to extend Windows 7 VM disk size on VirtualBox v4.2.16

Problem:

The 30GB C: drive was running out of free space on my Windows 7 VM guest on VirtualBox v4.2.16.

Solution:

1. Shutdown VM.

2. Extend it to 45GB:

[text]$ cd /home/user/.VirtualBox/HardDisks
$ VBoxManage modifyhd windows7.vdi –resize 46080
0%…10%…20%…30%…40%…50%…60%…70%…80%…90%…100%[/text]

3. Extend partition size in Windows 7

a. Start the VM

b. Run diskmgmt.msc > right-click C: > Extend Volume...

Categories
Tech Tips

How to move VirtualBox VM from 1 machine to another

Environment: VirtualBox v4.1.8

  1. Backup everything that you’ll be touching in case anything goes wrong and you need to revert back.
  2. Move the <vm>.vdi hard disk file from the old machine’s "$HOME/.VirtualBox/VDI" to the new machine.
  3. Move the <vm> directory from the old machine’s "$HOME/VirtualBox VMs" to the new machine.
  4. Edit the "$HOME/VirtualBox VMs/<vm>/<vm>.vbox" file to change the old <HardDisk> location to that of the new machine.
  5. Double-click on this vbox file to load it into VirtualBox.
  6. Start the VM. It should load without any error.
Categories
Tech Tips

How to reduce size of VirtualBox VDI file

Scenario:

VirtualBox version = 4.0.12
Guest OS = Win 7
Host OS = Linux Mint 9 Isadora (based on Ubuntu)

Perform these tasks on all the Win 7 local hard-disks:

  1. chkdsk /F
  2. defrag /X
  3. sdelete -z

Shutdown the Win 7 VM, then run this command on Mint:

$ VBoxManage modifyhd win7.vdi --compact

That freed up 5GB of space for me, a 20% reduction.