[WorksForMe] Media Manager can't see my external usb hardrive

[yanni]

I am trying to move my Virtual machine from my hardrive to an external Samsung T5 SSD. I am running Linux Mint 19.1 OS.
When I go into settings , then Media manager, then choose move, I don't see my external hardrive as a choice to move to. I enabled usb and added the filter but it says it won't work unless I install the "Guest editions".I am assuming the original installation from the software center didn't include the guest editions. When I go to website it says guest editions are only good for version 6.0.Tried to update but I get the error that installed package conflicts. My Virtual machine is all set up and working correctly. Is there a simple way to get this moved and update to 6.0 without losing my machine? I looked in the Forums but I am totally confused as to how I go about this step by step.

My Virtual Box version is 5.2.18 installed from Linux Mint Software center.
Thanks!

[socratis]

I am trying to move my Virtual machine from my hardrive to an external Samsung T5 SSD

That's done on the host and it involves *no* VMs.

When I go into settings , then Media manager, then choose move, I don't see my external hardrive as a choice to move to

You need to check with Mint then. Or you're looking at the wrong place...

I enabled usb and added the filter but it says it won't work unless I install the "Guest editions"

Whoa!!! This is dealing with the guest now. And it *definitely* shouldn't!!!

BTW, it's "additions", not "editions". And in any event you don't need the Guest Additions for a VM in order to use a USB filter. What you *do* need is the Extension Pack on the host, if you use USB > 1, but this should not even be in the conversation, you should *not* be dealing with a VM if you simply want to move a VM's files.

I am assuming the original installation from the software center

Are you using the VirtualBox fork from the Software Center of your distro? You can either ask in their forums/channels for help, or completely remove/uninstall/delete/purge their version and install the official version from the Linux Downloads section of VirtualBox. Forks aren't supported here...

Is there a simple way to get this moved and update to 6.0 without losing my machine?

Yeah, see previous point.

I looked in the Forums but I am totally confused as to how I go about this step by step.

The forums are filled with the exact same response that I gave you before, it makes me wonder why you didn't see it...

My Virtual Box version is 5.2.18 installed from Linux Mint Software center.

Right, thanks for confirming that you're indeed using a fork...

[yanni]

Ok.
I didn't realize that I have a fork. Can I uninstall the fork and then install the official version with appropriate Extension Pack and Guest Additions without losing the VM that I have already created? I had to update the OS and I did have the official version with everything installed on the previous OS. Still not sure regardless, of how to move the VM to my external hardrive? Isn't that done with the Media Manager in the settings of Virtual Box?
Ps I will need usb integration since I connect my Garmin GPS for updates using the Windows 10 Guest virtual machine as I have done with the last OS.
Sorry for the dumb questions.. If I have to start over again I will. ( just hoping to save the Windows 10 VM)

[socratis]

1. Uninstalling the forked VirtualBox and installing the official one will not affect your VMs. Same like if you uninstall OpenOffice and install LibreOffice, your spreadsheets are going to be just fine.
2. Having a need for the ExtPack and mentioning it when moving a VM, have absolutely nothing to do with each other, completely irrelevant.
3. You do NOT use the Media Manager to move a VM, you use the MediaManager to move a VDI, that's a "virtual hard drive". To move a VM, you can simply right-click on the VM in VirtualBox Manager and select "Move...".
4. There are no dumb questions.

[yanni]

Ok.
I just uninstalled the forked version of Virtual Box and hopefully purged it.
You were right the VM is still in my home folder and hopefully it was not altered
I will now try to install from the VB website with all the required additions and extensions.
I will then try to move the VM to the external hardrive to save space on my very small main hardrive. I will let you know if I am successful.
Thanks for your patience..

[yanni]

I did get the official version 6.0.4 installed along with the extension pack.
I started my Windows 10 VM and all seems to work as before.
But when I look at usb it says there are no usb devices. Both my External hardrive and garmin Gps are connected. Not sure what settings to put in so they are seen by Virtual machine ?
Also when I right click the VM and choose move I still don't see the external drive to move the Virtual machine to.
Here are two screenshots that may help you see.

[socratis]

You are mixing two completely distinct problems:

1. Your MediaManager doesn't "see" the external USB device, therefore you can't move the VM. First of all, I told you to NOT use the MediaManager to move the VM, you need to right-click on the VM in the VirtualBox Manager, in the list of the VMs, and select "Move...", please try to follow the instructions given. See #3 of my previous post.
2. Your Win10 VM not seeing the USB device. Since the title of the thread is "Media Manager can't see my external usb hardrive", let's leave this problem for another thread, OK? See "One issue, one thread" in "The Forum Posting Guide".

[yanni]

Ok Sorry for mixing the topics.
When I am in Virtual Box Manager and I see the list of machines I do right click on it, and the previous screenshot is what I get. Here is a screenshot of where I am before I click on Windows 10 VM..just not sure where to go from there...

[BillG]

You vms are listed on the left side of the display, underneath Tools. Since you only have one, Windows 10 New, right-click on it. You will get a dropdown list, which includes the Move option. When you select Move, you get a window to select the target (ie the volume and folder you want to move it to). Select the correct target. Wait while it is copied to the new location.

[socratis]

On the "Windows 10 New" VM on the left-hand side, right click on it. You're going to get a menu that looks like:

• Settings...
  Clone...
  Move...        <-- This one
  Export to OCI...
  Remove...
  Group
  --------------------------------
  Start
  Pause
  Reset
  Close
  --------------------------------
  Discard Saved State...
  Show Log...
  Refresh
  --------------------------------
  Show in File Manager
  Create Shortcut on Desktop
  --------------------------------
  Sort
  Search

[yanni]

Yes to both BillG and Socratis.
That menu comes up and I choose "Move". But the problem is I only see two options as the screen shot shows in the above post.
The first is "Computer" (my main hardrive), and the other is "John" (my home folder). I am trying to move it to my external usb ssd hardrive. Why doesn't it let me see that drive? Is there a setting somewhere that needs to be enabled to see a usb drive?

[socratis]

Why doesn't it let me see that drive? Is there a setting somewhere that needs to be enabled to see a usb drive?

Those are both Ubuntu questions. Typically external hard drives do not show at the top level, you need to find exactly where your external media is mounted.

Try "/media/john/<YourDevice>"...

[yanni]

Yes!
That's exactly where it was!!!
I had to actually type in .../media/john/Samsung T5 ...into the directory bar, select "choose" and then it started to move my VM there. It cleared up some space on my main hardrive as I was hoping.
I tested it to see if it would start up and sure enough it started up from the external drive . It even saved the snapshot there too! I just assumed it would find it in the GUI tree but now I know I have to actually type in the location. Thanks for your help!!!

FYI...
On the USB question
I had to add myself to the "vboxusers", enable USB3 support, and add a filter, restart and the VM sees all my usb devices including my Garmin and Samsung external drive!
Thanks again for your help and patience !!!

[socratis]

I had to actually type in .../media/john/Samsung T5 ...into the directory bar

Or you could have dbl-clicked on "/", then dbl-click on "/media", then dbl-click on "/media/john", then dbl-click on "/media/john/Samsung T5"...

Glad you got it going... I'm thinking of marking this as either [Invalid] because it's an Ubuntu issue, not a VirtualBox one, or as a [WorksForMe], because you actually found the how-to. I think I'll go with the latter...