Cannot Move VM to New Computer - NS_ERROR_FAILURE (0x8000400

[WannaBeNerd]

I have been working on this for hours. I have gotten a new mac. I have manually moved the files to a new location and I get this error after trying to add my vas back. I have cleared the VM list. I have added my master successfully. All the others are linked clones. However I cannot seem to get any of them to add. Please help!
Failed to open virtual machine located in /Users/(my user)/VirtualBox VMs/New group/WinXP SP3 MASTER Clone _1/WinXP SP3 MASTER Clone _1.vbox.

A differencing image of snapshot {1ce24c8a-ead7-41a9-b393-fdcb64554a14} could not be found. Could not find an open hard disk with UUID {a0dd58e5-b748-4f67-a478-ea552cc7a5dc}.

Result Code: NS_ERROR_FAILURE (0x80004005)
Component: SnapshotMachine
Interface: IMachine {480cf695-2d8d-4256-9c7c-cce4184fa048}
Callee: IVirtualBox {fafa4e17-1ee2-4905-a10e-fe7c18bf5554}

[loukingjr]

You have asked the same question three times now. I answered you once as did mpack. The reason you are having problems is no doubt because when you got your new MacBook, you gave yourself a new user name so the directory structure is incorrect. What should fix your problem is to create a new user on your MacBook that matches your old name, then move the entire VirtualBox VMs folder into /Users/the new-old user name.

The only other option would be to edit each VirtualBox file that contains directory info as necessary. Not something I would want to do.

[mpack]

If the difference image error means it's a linked clone that you need to Machine|Add... the original VM first. A linked clone can't exist without the original to link to.

I don't really agree with Lou that the user name is a likely problem. If the VM is created in the normal way then the .vbox file will not include any absolute paths, and hence no embedded user names. Just as long as you aren't trying to Add VMs that are stored in another user's private data space.

[loukingjr]

You could be right Don. The OP in his other posts mentioned he used Time Machine to migrate his old computer to his new one which would include all previous VirtualBox files and folders. The OP also mentioned he did add the "Master" guest first but who knows. he also has multiple linked clones. Not something I deal with.

[loukingjr]

Just to add, if he does have multiple clones, did he create them all from the "Master" or did he clone the clones? If so, I imagine he would need to add them in order.

[mpack]

Yes, that is what he would have to do.

[loukingjr]

That might be hard to do.

He could check the creation date for each clone's .vdi file and add them by date I suppose. sounds like a mess.

[mpack]

Difficulties like this, plus of course that you have a single point of failure that kills everything, are among the main reasons why I avoid all difference schemes. So I have to wait two minutes longer for a clone to be created. Pfft. Go get a coffee.

And I don't even have the main problem that novices have with the feature, which is that it creates a complex file structure that they don't understand well enough to manage.