How do I back up a VM complete with all the software and settings?

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Sammy Blinkin
Posts: 7
Joined: 11. Aug 2022, 09:08

How do I back up a VM complete with all the software and settings?

Post by Sammy Blinkin »

I currently have version 6.1.18 r142142 and when I tried to install the expantion pack it, naturally, informed me I should first download the newer version of virtualbox. Since this will be a completely new installation, I assume I should first back up the Virtual Machine I am using first so that I can use it in the new installation of Virtual Box.
scottgus1
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Re: How do I back up a VM complete with all the software and settings?

Post by scottgus1 »

Sammy Blinkin wrote:I assume I should first back up the Virtual Machine I am using first
Tested restorable backups are always a good idea. Computers are what they are, and one can never predict when the gnomes and trolls therein will go on strike and kill your data. A whole host disk image would be optimum.

However, a VM is separate from the Virtualbox files that get changed, so updating Virtualbox should not affect the VM. VMs are like Virtualbox's documents. Photoshop doesn't delete the pictures, or Word the text files, during an upgrade, and Virtualbox is the same with its VMs.
Sammy Blinkin wrote:I currently have version 6.1.18 r142142 ... I should first download the newer version of virtualbox. Since this will be a completely new installation,
FWIW this is an upgrade, not a new installation.
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