Moving VM New Machine OS & Virtualbox Version Different

[Wirezfree]

Hi,

I posted a recent thread on moving VMs to New machine.
This is a variant due changes in my setup & needs.

Current working setup:
Host Ubuntu 13.04, Virtualbox 4.3.8 - 92456, Guests XP & Unbuntu 13.04 Variants

New Setup:
Host Ubuntu 12.04(LTS), Virtualbox 4.3.10 - 93012 (installed, but not used yet)

I had planed to move the entire VM folders and plan to "Add" the VM's
However, doing my last checks,
I read in the link below in the common issues section about issues with Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/VirtualBox
It got me confused, not sure if they are referring to 12.04 Guests or Hosts.?
The things they say to run, are Linux so is for a Linux Hosts or Linux Guest.?

Sorry, but I'am confused, also the article is from 2012-11-24, so may not apply.?

Thanks... David

[mpack]

Sorry, I don't think anyone here will help you decipher an offsite blog - partly that's because that simply isn't our role here, and partly it's because the majority of offsite blogs are not written by VirtualBox experts, and are not maintained as VirtualBox evolves, hence they tend to be at best obsolete and at worst total drivel.

On the other hand, we are happy to explain (and if necessary correct) any of the tutorial material you find in the Howtos and Tutorials section of this site. In particular you should read Howto: Move a VM. There are no Ubuntu-gotchas with this tutorial that I'm aware of, otherwise they would have been raised in the tutorial.

[Wirezfree]

Hello mpack,

Many thanks for the quick response, and noted on the quality of the "other" blogs/forum posts.

So I do have a question,
Given the difference in versions between my 2 set-ups, Will I need to address any issues relating to "Guest Additions"
My basic understanding is "Guest Additions" are in the Guest in my case they are currently version 4.3.8 - 92456 that matches my current Host install
Now I move to a new Host install version 4.3.10 - 93012, is this an issue.?, Given there are no comments on this in the HowTo Move, I assume not.

Thanks... David

[mpack]

Guest Additions are run inside the guest and hence don't much care about host changes - bugs aside. If a particular version of the Linux GAs has a known bug then you would simply avoid that version of the GAs. Read the appropriate release discussion topic to find out if any bugs have been found.

[Perryg]

There is one condition that I would watch out for as it bit me a time or two. If the GAs are newer than the version of VirtualBox you are running there can be real problems. I have never seen it corrupt the host or the guest but it will refuse to run or do weird things until the GAs are removed and or down graded.

[Wirezfree]

Hello mpack & Perryg,

Many thanks, and all noted...
The Guest's will be moving to a "newer " Host version,
So I will have Guest 4.3.8 - 92456 on a Host 4.3.10 - 93012

David

[mpack]

Well yes. The GAs are calling into the VirtualBox API, and while the devs will doubtless strive to make the API backwards compatible with older GAs, making an API forwards compatible is much harder!

I keep my host VirtualBox software up to date, but I tend not to update the GAs in my VMs unless I have a specific problem that a later version addresses. Only once in a blue moon, and when the GAs stability has been proved, will I bring the GAs in my important VMs up to date - this is just to avoid them getting ridiculously far behind.

[Wirezfree]

Well yes. The GAs are calling into the VirtualBox API, and while the devs will doubtless strive to make the API backwards compatible with older GAs, making an API forwards compatible is much harder!

I keep my host VirtualBox software up to date, but I tend not to update the GAs in my VMs unless I have a specific problem that a later version addresses. Only once in a blue moon, and when the GAs stability has been proved, will I bring the GAs in my important VMs up to date - this is just to avoid them getting ridiculously far behind.

Hi mpack,

For my future reference,
Is it just a matter of selecting install Guest Addition again to update,
or is there another method depending on Guest OS.?

Thanks... David

[mpack]

"Install Guest Additions" does not exist. The option is called "Insert Guest Additions CD" (or words to that effect since I don't have the manual handy). As implied by the new wording, that option will always cause the CD to be mounted. From there you treat it like any other CD software update on that guest OS.