Vbox 1.5.4 VDI clones not working with Vbox 3.x.x ????!!!

[right-or-am-i-wrong]

Hi everybody !

I'm using Vbox version 1.5.4 on XPpro Host.
I had nothing but trouble trying to upgrade to newer versions.
The reason for this :
I'm using 3-4 identical guest systems and these were cloned to run on 3 different PC's.
Now I wanted to test Windows 7 , but my Vbox 1.5.4 is really to outdated.
Installation works, but the guest additions are not installable
So I installed Vbox 3.0.6 .

But the problem is:
My ("old") VDI clones were not recognized and so I'm unable to use my cloned guests , which are essential for me.
I use them on a daily basis and it is to much work (mods & software) to recreate them completely new for Vbox 3.x.x.

3.0.6 can not read 1.5.4 VDI's

Is there any trick or a solution to use my 1.5.4 guest-clones in Vbox 3.x.x ???????

Thank you for your help!

[vbox4me2]

Check the Guest settings, things have changed alot since 154, espcially the HD settings.

[right-or-am-i-wrong]

There is nothing to check , because it's not possible to create a fresh guest on 3.x.x with my VDI clones.

The problem is , that Vbox 3.x.x not even recognizes my VDI images/clones ...

"unknown file(s)" .... can not register ...

The VDI's are ok. No problem to clone , bind & start in my other (v . 1.5.4) hosts.
And it was no problem with my 2.x.x tests (a while ago)

Win XP pro host - Win XP pro / 2003 guests

[vbox4me2]

Any specific error message? vbox logfiles? might there be a grub in the Guest?

[right-or-am-i-wrong]

I tried it two times (installed 3.0.6) and gone back to v. 1.5.4 after this.
I'm actually running my loved 1.5.4 ...
So I could not post the exact message right now. Sorry for that
There is no Grub.
Win XP pro hosts - Win XP pro / 2003 Server guests.
As I said , my tests with v. 2.x.x had no probs to identify my VDI clones.
But there were other probs , so I had to downgrade back to 1.5.4

3.x.x could not recognize the VDI format of my clones .

1. installed 3.0.6 - ok
2. created new guest (Win XP/Server 2003) - ok
3.tried to hang in my clone(s) as first = boot-HDD
4.error = "no VDI file recognized / no VDI file ...."
Tried it with different clones , all with the same error...

[vbox4me2]

What about vbox 2.2.4 ?

[right-or-am-i-wrong]

Would 2.2.4 be able to create a Windows 7 guest and to install the guest additions in this guest ?

[mpack]

Any specific error message? vbox logfiles? might there be a grub in the Guest?

Grub in the guest is just part of the content and would not prevent VirtualBox from recognizing the VDI.

[mpack]

3.x.x could not recognize the VDI format of my clones

That is surprising, though the VDI format has changed over time. Perhaps at some point (i.e. 3.x) the devs thought it was ok to drop support for the older Innotek format you are using.

I can think of three solutions:
(1) Install 2.2.4 and use the VBoxManage from that version to clone your VDIs to the latest format, then uninstall 2.2.4 and reinstall 3.x. AFAIR, there has been no change to the VDI format since 2.2.4.
(2) You could give my CloneVDI tool a try. This is another way to clone VDI files, and when writing it will write the latest format, which VBox will recognize. However, while I support older VDI formats in theory, that support has not exactly been well tested! Even so, it's a small download and you'll quickly discover whether this works.
(3) Run an imaging tool such as Acronis in the old running guest, restore the image into a new VBox 3.x VM. Method of last resort, but this will definitely work.

Hey - my 1000th message!

[sandervl]

That's a bug then. Could you create a defect on our bug tracker? Thanks.

[right-or-am-i-wrong]

Thank you very much for your help !

@mpack
yep - I downloaded your tool , but haven't tested it yet.
I'm working with the tool "eFloh" created "in times of 1.5.4" and this is one of the reasons , I'm working with the (outdated) version 1.5.4 till this time.
Keep on your work - it's a important feature for all users. I will test it as soon as possible !

My problem is:
I have to work on my host on a daily basis , so I have to find the time to test it again.
I had tested various 2.x.x versions (cloned VDI defects- bugs) and the 3.0.6 version twice (my actual problem)
Every time I had to switch back to 1.5.4, with hours of troubleshooting to get my running system back.
I don't want a messed up system again...

I will test it with my notebook as soon as possible (identical environment) and post the result.
1. I will clone with mpack's tool
2. I will test this cloned VDI with 3.0.x
3. If this would fail , I will go to 2.2.4 first ...
- I will take some screenshots/reports this time

Anyway - does 2.2.4 support Windows 7 guests ???

[Sasquatch]

Version 2.2.4 was in the time W7 was still in development, so the GA might be experimental at best and might not work at all on the final version.

[right-or-am-i-wrong]

Done the test.

Win XP pro host / Win XP pro guest

Cloned a v.1.5.4 vdi with the tool from "mpack".
~ 20 min. for a 5GB fixed size vdi on a fast computer,fast hdd's.
The cloned image had a size of 4,99GB after this.
Checked to use it (with a new guest created in my 1.5.4 Vbox version)
- ok , running.

Installed Vbox 3.0.12 on my notebook , uninstalled my 1.5.4 before.
After this v.3.0.12 recognized the names of my guest systems, but is not able to work with the VDI files.
Checked to create a new guest , with an "old" clone of my vdi's. All the same:

Fehler: (VERR_VD_VDI_INVALID_HEADER)
Fehlercode: E_FAIL (0x80004005)
Komponente: Machine
Interface: IMachine {540dcfda-3df2-49c6-88fa-033a28c2ff85}
+
"Could not get storage format of the harddisk" , (VERR_NOT_SUPPORTED)

Copied the "new" (created with mpack's clone vdi tool) cloned vdi file to my notebook, created a new guest in 3.0.12 .
Checked to use the cloned vdi.
Tried to boot. Bluescreen.Bluescreen.
Changed the settings of IDE Controller from "PIIX4" to"PIIX3"
Tried to boot.
Success !

After this , I tested the same scenario with Vbox 2.2.4 ....
Identical errors as with 3.0.12.

Finally I was happy to had an actual Acro**s image of my system.
I had to restore the old .xml files too , so my Vbox 1.5.4 is running as before the tests

So - this would be a way to use "old" vdi images in newer versions of Vbox.
But for me , this means much trouble.
The speed of cloning is very slow. (the tool from "mpack" is great, please do not missunderstand this comment -please !)
Got 3-4 guests running with additional second (vdi) hdd's .
Fixed sizes between 10-25 GB per guest.
Identical on 3 host systems ...imagine...

To spend this amount of time & action ..... to work with Windows 7 ?
I have to sleep about it , more than one night

Anyway : got a Windows 7 installed in Vbox 1.5.4 - but the guest additions are to old.
I can play with it, but no networking and only standard resolution/window size ,because of the missing guest additions.

Thank you all guys.
And special thank's to @mpack !
Your tool works fine , very important addition to Vbox !

[mpack]

Cloned a v.1.5.4 vdi with the tool from "mpack".
~ 20 min. for a 5GB fixed size vdi on a fast computer,fast hdd's.

I typically get a throughput of 24MB/s when cloning to and from the same internal HDD on my PC, which I calculate would have completed your 5GB cloning operation in about 4 minutes. I calculate that you were getting a throughput of 4.5MB/s, which is more typical of a USB drive - except that you say "fast hdd". Are you sure you weren't using USB at all?

[eFloh]

I can seconds mpacks speed experience, his tool is much faster than using vboxmanange clonehd (what my tool does).

But just a litte question, you say

I'm working with the tool "eFloh" created "in times of 1.5.4" and this is one of the reasons , I'm working with the (outdated) version 1.5.4 till this time.

why does my tool prevent you from updating? is there a problem with the new version? The tool should work with any version starting with 1.5 up to the most recent 3.0.12 version (the 3.0.12+ versions are supported with the update from yesterday).