Obsolete Files in VM Folder

Discussions about using Windows guests in VirtualBox.
Post Reply
DonVetOne
Posts: 96
Joined: 2. Feb 2018, 14:13

Obsolete Files in VM Folder

Post by DonVetOne »

Hello everyone

I am a little pedantic and wondered which of these files, some have not been modified for a while, I could delete.

It seems as if windows xp.vbox-prev would be one??

Thanks,
Don
Attachments
Screenshot 2023-05-22 112400.png
Screenshot 2023-05-22 112400.png (27.09 KiB) Viewed 1104 times
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Obsolete Files in VM Folder

Post by mpack »

VirtualBox typically keeps one previous version, and otherwise automatically deletes older files.

The .vbox-prev, as the name implies, is the backup (previous copy) of the .vbox file. You can delete it, but is 8KB really critical? Plus a new one will be created the next time you run that VM.

p.s. Turn on file extensions.
DonVetOne
Posts: 96
Joined: 2. Feb 2018, 14:13

Re: Obsolete Files in VM Folder

Post by DonVetOne »

Fair enough...

This is a VM on another PC - I would like to remove the sub-folder Windows XP (in the folder Windows XP)

How would I do this?
Attachments
Screenshot 2023-05-22 121942.jpg
Screenshot 2023-05-22 121942.jpg (36.32 KiB) Viewed 1087 times
Screenshot 2023-05-22 121856.jpg
Screenshot 2023-05-22 121856.jpg (17.52 KiB) Viewed 1087 times
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Obsolete Files in VM Folder

Post by scottgus1 »

The following assumes that D:\Virtualbox VMs\Windows XP\Windows XP.vdi is the disk for the VM defined in D:\Virtualbox VMs\Windows XP\Windows XP\Windows XP.vbox:

In the main Virtualbox window, File menu, Tools pop-out, Virtual Media Manager, select the correct Windows XP.vdi and Move it to "D:\Virtualbox VMs\Windows XP\Windows XP\". In File Explorer you should now see no .vdi in "D:\Virtualbox VMs\Windows XP\" and the ,vdi should be in the same folder as the .vbox file in "D:\Virtualbox VMs\Windows XP\Windows XP\". Close the Media Manager.

Right-click the Windows XP VM in the main list and click Move... Make a new folder in Move the VM to "D:\Virtualbox VMs\" called "VMhold". Move the Windows XP VM to "D:\Virtualbox VMs\VMhold\".

You should now have a completely empty "D:\Virtualbox VMs\Windows XP\" folder which you can delete.

Right-click the Windows XP VM in the main list and click Move... Move the VM to "D:\Virtualbox VMs\".

Delete the empty "D:\Virtualbox VMs\VMhold\" folder.
DonVetOne
Posts: 96
Joined: 2. Feb 2018, 14:13

Re: Obsolete Files in VM Folder

Post by DonVetOne »

scottgus1 wrote: You should now have a completely empty "D:\Virtualbox VMs\Windows XP\" folder which you can delete.
No can do... .that Windows XP folder still has a subfolder Windows XP ...

Don.
fth0
Volunteer
Posts: 5668
Joined: 14. Feb 2019, 03:06
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Linux, Windows 10, ...
Location: Germany

Re: Obsolete Files in VM Folder

Post by fth0 »

scottgus1 wrote:You should now have a completely empty "D:\Virtualbox VMs\Windows XP\" folder which you can delete.
Possibly the versioned .vbox files will still be there (e.g. Windows XP-1.15-windows.vbox). But you can move them manually to the location of Windows XP.vbox (or remove them if you're sure that you don't want to downgrade VirtualBox).
DonVetOne
Posts: 96
Joined: 2. Feb 2018, 14:13

Re: Obsolete Files in VM Folder

Post by DonVetOne »

No matter.... with your help I managed to move things around... the problem was that I pre-created a Windows XP folder and installation led to a Windows XP folder within that folder... sorted though.

Thanks!
Post Reply