[Invalid] virtualbox failed to delete snapshot if have more than one child... (#18863)

[Panki]

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ModEdit; related ticket: #18863: virtualbox failed to delete snapshot if have more than one child...

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Hi, I am trying to delete my old snapshot but error comes cannot delete snapshot "Snapshot of the machine cannot be deleted, because it has 2 child snapshots, which is more than the one snapshot allowed for deletion." is there is any fix to delete snapshot.. i have snapshot name 2 and 3 and 4. i want to keep No. 3 snapshot but i want to delete No. 2 snapshot... how i can do this.. Any help please ?

[socratis]

You can't delete #2, because both #3 and #4 depend on it. So, if you want to keep #3 you got to select #3, choose "Restore" and that will put the "Current State" right under #3. Something like that:

2nd
├── 3rd
│   └── Current State
└── 4th

Then you delete #4 (nothing depends on it) and you're left with:

2nd
└── 3rd
    └── Current State

Then you select #2 and you Delete it. And you're left with:

3rd
└── Current State

PS. Let me know if the "Box Drawing" characters don't show up as legible in your browser, I was experimenting with ASCII art...

[socratis]

BTW, you should not open a ticket for a simple question. The Bug Tracker is reserved for ... bugs. Not discussions, not questions, that's what the forums are for.

It's usually better and faster, if issues get first addressed in the VirtualBox forums, a lot more eyes here. More than 95% of the issues are resolved in the forums, which keeps the developers focusing on the bug fixes and enhancements, and there is no need for another ticket to keep track of. For example, yours is not a bug and someone from the developers has to deal with it and close it as "Invalid".

Plus a discussion and analysis on the bug tracker is going to help me, you, and potentially a future drive-by user or two. Not so in the forums, many more tend to benefit...

I added the ticket info in the first post and the thread title...

[Panki]

Thanks for reply @socratis . Is there is any workable around if i keep No. 3 and No. 4 and delete only No. 2 snapshot. and Again thanks for your guidance about understanding ticket and forum.

[socratis]

You can't keep #3 and #4 and delete #2, because they're both (#3 and #4) depending on their "mother", #2. Please read the thread "Snapshot basics" to understand why this could never work.

You're forking from #2 and you're recording the differences. If you delete your starting point (#2) you won't be able to reference the differences.

[Panki]

ok thanks for your help and reply. Now i understand...hv a good day to you. I appreciate your wonderful support.

[socratis]

Sure thing...
But based on the situation and the ticket resolution, I'm going to mark this as [Invalid].

[Panki]

You can't keep #3 and #4 and delete #2, because they're both (#3 and #4) depending on their "mother", #2. Please read the thread "Snapshot basics" to understand why this could never work.

You're forking from #2 and you're recording the differences. If you delete your starting point (#2) you won't be able to reference the differences.

Hi.. You know today i tried VMware Workstation how snapshot working and i really surprised in Vmware you can keep #3 and #4 and delete #2. i Just checked it and i succeeded without any issues. May be Vmware have different technology and there is no child snapshot issue....but the main drawaback in VMWare it takes 4 minutes time screenshot as compared to 10-15 seconds in virtualbox....

[socratis]

I honestly don't have a clue or actually the slightest idea how VMware snapshots work (or don't work). I've never used it, never analyzed it, never bothered...

I know on the other hand really well how VirtualBox snapshots work, and what I told you previously, regarding VirtualBox snapshots, is 100% accurate.