Opening backed up VM

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Windows hosts.
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m.nastic344
Posts: 4
Joined: 18. Nov 2018, 00:28

Opening backed up VM

Post by m.nastic344 »

So what I have done is I copied my VM from its default directory which was something in the lines: C:\Users\whateverusername\VirtualBox VMs to my external HDD, because I've had to reinstall my windows.
I have a problem mounting it now as it is showing me this "FATAL: INT18: BOOT FAILURE" error now. Before this error, I had "no bootable medium found."
About this virtual machine, it has windows 10 installed and in it and it is encrypted with AES-XTS256-PLAIN64 cypher.

I have been looking for different answers all over, tried pretty much everything I could possibly find but no use.

Can someone help me with this?

Thaaaaaaaanks
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Opening backed up VM

Post by mpack »

Hopefully when you made the backup you copied the entire VM folder. If yes then all you need to do is copy it back to "VirtualBox VMs" and double click the .vbox file to reregister the VM and start VirtualBox. The latter may fail if the VM was still registered from last time, but either way you should end up with a working VM consistent with the backup.

Although: the nasty thought occurs that the "external hdd" is FAT formatted and didn't accept the VDI being copied to it. Is there a VDI in the VM folder on the backup drive?
m.nastic344
Posts: 4
Joined: 18. Nov 2018, 00:28

Re: Opening backed up VM

Post by m.nastic344 »

Thank you mpack,

yes, the file is in the folder. You can see all the files on the picture attached.

I have tried doing that, but whenever I do it, I receive the same error.
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mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Opening backed up VM

Post by mpack »

I see two vbox-prev files, and the VDI file. I wonder what happened to the .vbox file which should have been there? Happily this is easily fixable, see below.

Incidentally: you have your Windows host configured to lie to you about filenames. This is often a source of confusion, causing people to fail to identify, backup and restore the correct files. I suggest that you go into folder options and uncheck the box which says "Hide extensions for known file types".

Then I would rename the ".vbox-prev" file I see there so that it has a ".vbox" extension. Copy that file into the VM folder on the internal drive (obviously VirtualBox must be fully shut down while you play with its files). That should probably fix the "file not found" error.
m.nastic344
Posts: 4
Joined: 18. Nov 2018, 00:28

Re: Opening backed up VM

Post by m.nastic344 »

Thank you again, I did all what you have told me, but a strange thing happens when I try to double click the VDI file, it doesn't start the VM at all.
Now I tried making a new VM and choosing an existing virtual drive, but that also fails and brings me back to the same fatal error I had before.
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mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Opening backed up VM

Post by mpack »

Double clicking a VDI file has never been a way to start a VM, I certainly did not tell you to do that.

Double clicking the .vbox file (not the VDI, which is just a disk image) is how you register the VM in the manager. You run the VM by starting it from the manager.
m.nastic344
Posts: 4
Joined: 18. Nov 2018, 00:28

Re: Opening backed up VM

Post by m.nastic344 »

Oh I misread it, sorry.

Now if I do double click this vbox file, the VM will start but I receive this error now
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mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Opening backed up VM

Post by mpack »

That error means that the .vbox file contents are invalid (usually zeroed). Did you rename the ".vbox-prev" file as a said earlier? If so then I suggest you get a fresh copy of this file from the backup. Look at it with a decent text editor (e.g. Notepad++) to see if its a valid xml file.
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