How to compare two snapshots

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Windows hosts.
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Tahtu
Posts: 2
Joined: 24. Nov 2022, 09:51

How to compare two snapshots

Post by Tahtu »

I'm running a guest Windows 10 on a Windows 10 host. While in this, I created two snapshots. Is there a solution, to compare that two snapshots? I want to know which files are added / changed.

I tried to mount the .vdi files with ImDiskTk, but this tells me, the .vdi files are invalid.
mpack
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Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
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Re: How to compare two snapshots

Post by mpack »

I'm afraid the question is fundamentally mistaken. First, snapshots contain changed sectors not files. Second, snapshots store differences only so by definition they have nothing in common unless you did the work twice.

I hope you made backups of your VM folder before you started messing with third party tools. And I hope you are aware that a snapshot is not a backup.
Tahtu
Posts: 2
Joined: 24. Nov 2022, 09:51

Re: How to compare two snapshots

Post by Tahtu »

Why is my question mistaken?

Ok, maybe I'm not able to mount a snapshot. That was simple idea, how I can compare two snapshots.

But if I've understood you well, there is no chance to use VirtualBox to find out, what a Windows App changes on my Windows system. Right?

Sandboxie is able to show this to me. But with Sandboxie, I can't use programs, which installs drives.

Maybe do you have another idea, how I can find out, which files will be stored or modified by a Windows app?
fth0
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Re: How to compare two snapshots

Post by fth0 »

As a poor man's tool, you could Restore either snapshot (thereby keeping the current state), open a Windows Command Prompt, create a full directory listing (using something like "dir C:\ /s"), write it to a file outside of the VM, and afterwards compare the two files.
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