Delete a snapshot when VDI is lost

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scottgus1
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Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
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Re: Delete a snapshot when VDI is lost

Post by scottgus1 »

Good questions! Too bad the .vbox file edit didn't work. There is a deterministic method for how the snapshot levels get put in the XML. It takes some time to determine manually, though.
Emma2 wrote:1. Where does Virtualbox store the information on registered VDIs?
This relates to point (c), which is old information and is no longer true after version 4.0.0.

Typically, Virtualbox.xml registers the .vbox files. And the .vbox files register the drive files.

The only times I know of when Virtualbox.xml holds a drive file are:
  • when the drive file is Released from a VM (unplugged off its controller) but not Removed from Virtualbox in the Virtual Media Manager.
  • when a new drive is made in the Virtual Media Manager but the drive is not attached to a VM yet.
Emma2 wrote:2. How can I find out which is the suspected "child media"?
Use 'vboxmanage showmediuminfo "disk\path\to\drive\file.ext" ' to show parent and child drive UUIDs, as well as which VMs are using a drive file. Snapshot files are named by their UUID.
Emma2 wrote:3. How can I get rid of this HDD entry?
You could zip and post the .vbox file on the forum using the Upload Attachment tab, and a guru here could try to re-finagle things. To prevent the problem, if and when you put snapshots on an important VM, be always able to recover from accidental things with a good restorable backup.
Emma2 wrote:4. Where can I find information on child and parent VDIs - to possible merge them manually?
All About VDIs and Snapshot Basics will explain the nuts and bolts.
Mpack's CloneVDI can compile a complete snapshot chain from base to final existing snapshot disk file into a single cloned disk file which can be put in a new VM.

I don't know how to fix (b).
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