Enlarging my VM actual disc size not virtual size

This is for discussing general topics about how to use VirtualBox.
Post Reply
Gillykaboose
Posts: 23
Joined: 14. Jul 2020, 13:40

Enlarging my VM actual disc size not virtual size

Post by Gillykaboose »

How do I increase the physical disc size of my VM machine? Not the virtual size but the actual disc size?
BillG
Volunteer
Posts: 5100
Joined: 19. Sep 2009, 04:44
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows 10,7 and earlier
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: Enlarging my VM actual disc size not virtual size

Post by BillG »

I am not sure what you are asking. All of the vm's devices are virtual. They are software emulations of the physical devices. The only device of the host which is used directly by the vm is the CPU.

The data for the vm's virtual disc is stored in a file on one of the host's disc drives. By default it is stored in a folder with the vm's name in the user's VirtualBox Vms folder. Why would you want to make it any bigger? It will expand automatically as required. I can imagine why you might want to make it smaller, and that can be done by compacting it to reclaim unused space (especially in a Windows guest).
Bill
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Enlarging my VM actual disc size not virtual size

Post by scottgus1 »

If by this:
Gillykaboose wrote:physical disc size of my VM machine
you mean how much size is reported inside the VM, and this:
Gillykaboose wrote:Not the virtual size
refers to the size reported by Virtualbox in the main Virtualbox window, then after increasing "virtual size" you have to edit the data partition inside the VM to take in the new space available. See How to resize a Virtual Drive

For example, a VM starts with a 40GB disk. Through Virtualbox commands the disk is expanded to 80GB. Inside the VM's OS it will still show only 40GB until the partition inside the VM is expanded to use the new space. Then the VM's OS will report 80GB.
Gillykaboose
Posts: 23
Joined: 14. Jul 2020, 13:40

Re: Enlarging my VM actual disc size not virtual size

Post by Gillykaboose »

Thanks Scottgus1 ... this was what I was referring to ...maybe didn't word the question appropriately
Post Reply