Hallo,
aktuell betreibe ich VB mit einem Win7 Host und Windows7 Guests.
Ich möchte nun den VB Host auf Linux welchseln und die bestehenden Windows7 Guests dort weiter betreiben.
Was muss ich dabei beachten, damit dieses funktioniert? Vermutlich müssen die Win7 Guest auch neu aktiviert werden?
Macht es weiterhin Sinn dass unter LinuxMint enthaltene VB zu nutzen, oder besser die aktuellste Version?
Für die Hilfe bedanke ich mich vorab!
Host Plattform für bestehende VM-Guests wechseln
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mpack
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 39134
- Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
- Primary OS: MS Windows 10
- VBox Version: PUEL
- Guest OSses: Mostly XP
Re: Host Plattform für bestehende VM-Guests wechseln
Will the Linux host be the same PC previous running as a Win7 host? Regardless I assume the process will involve making a backup of every VM folders.
If you are confident, and if you used the default folder arrangement for all VMs, then it should be possible to copy the backed up VMs onto a Linux host, make a few minor corrections to the .vbox settings files, and the VM should work just fine. The corrections involve replacing any Windows disk paths or device names with Linux ones. Since you have a complete backup you shouldn't require a lot of confidence to experiment with this idea. The main benefit is that the new VM will be completely identical to the old one as far as the guest itself is concerned, hence no need to reactivate Windows (assuming it's the same physical host hardware, particularly the CPU).
If that seems beyond you then the only practical option would be to File|Export appliance... the old VMs one at a time, and File|Import appliance... them on the new host. This involves changing machine and drive UUIDs, so the Windows VMs will almost certainly need to be reactivated.
If you are confident, and if you used the default folder arrangement for all VMs, then it should be possible to copy the backed up VMs onto a Linux host, make a few minor corrections to the .vbox settings files, and the VM should work just fine. The corrections involve replacing any Windows disk paths or device names with Linux ones. Since you have a complete backup you shouldn't require a lot of confidence to experiment with this idea. The main benefit is that the new VM will be completely identical to the old one as far as the guest itself is concerned, hence no need to reactivate Windows (assuming it's the same physical host hardware, particularly the CPU).
If that seems beyond you then the only practical option would be to File|Export appliance... the old VMs one at a time, and File|Import appliance... them on the new host. This involves changing machine and drive UUIDs, so the Windows VMs will almost certainly need to be reactivated.
Re: Host Plattform für bestehende VM-Guests wechseln
Thank you for your answer!
When I right unterstand it seams to be technical possible.
So I have two additional questions:
Did I have to remove the VB Guest Additions before when I change the host from windows to Linux?
Shoud I use the same VB version for this step or is the vmdk/vdi compatible?
When I right unterstand it seams to be technical possible.
So I have two additional questions:
Did I have to remove the VB Guest Additions before when I change the host from windows to Linux?
Shoud I use the same VB version for this step or is the vmdk/vdi compatible?
-
mpack
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 39134
- Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
- Primary OS: MS Windows 10
- VBox Version: PUEL
- Guest OSses: Mostly XP
Re: Host Plattform für bestehende VM-Guests wechseln
No, neither of those things is required. The Guest Additions should not be newer than the VirtualBox version it has to work with, that is all (VirtualBox is backwards compatible with existing GAs, but it can't see the future).
The container format (VDI, VMDK) has not changed in a very long time. In fact VMDK isn't even a VirtualBox controlled format - changes are mandated by VMWare.
The container format (VDI, VMDK) has not changed in a very long time. In fact VMDK isn't even a VirtualBox controlled format - changes are mandated by VMWare.