confused Virtual Disks

[mpack]

Sorry, I don't do VMDK repair - there's a reason why I tell people not to choose third party formats gratuitously: VDI is what we use with VirtualBox. Anything else and you're on your own.

The only thing I can suggest is, since VMDK is a VMWare format then perhaps a VMWare forum will have a repair tool, i.e. their own CloneVDI equivalent.

[ma_js]

Hi...

just to keep you informed: I did not found an integrated VMDK tool to just fix the file (virtualdisk). But Icould receive the data stored.

BTW: annoying is for me: when you export the whole machine in vitualbox, then the vdi file is saved as vmdk type. When you import this ova again, then the vdi-type is not overwritten - the restored vmdk file is been copied to the same directory.

This was why I was runing out of diskspace and corrupted the vmdk.

How do you do your bachups of machines? Just running a backup and restore at least the whole directory?


Thanks again for help

[mpack]

BTW: annoying is for me: when you export the whole machine in vitualbox, then the vdi file is saved as vmdk type.

Yes, because that is required by the OVA standard, which originated with VMWare. VirtualBox does however give you the option to convert back to VDI when you import.

Incidentally, an exported VM does not make a good backup since, as you have mentioned, possible breaking changes are made to the VM. Most of us make backups by simply copying the VM folder. You were already given a link to the tutorial.

The purpose of an OVA export is to create an "appliance", i.e. an exchange format that can be unpacked on an otherwise incompatible platform, e.g. VirtualBox to VMWare, or export from Windows and import to Linux. It doesn't make much sense to use the function when the source and target are the same PC.

[scottgus1]

As Mpack notes, to backup a guest, see Moving a VM and interpret as "Backing Up a VM. This refers specifically to copying the guest folder and all files and folders therein to a backup medium.

The usual guest folder format includes having the guest disk file(s) in the folder with the guest .vbox file. In this arrangement the path to the disk file in the .vbox file is relative and the guest backup can be restored to any supported host OS that Virtualbox can run on.

If the disk file(s) are stored in other folders or disks beside the guest folder, then absolute paths are stored to the guest disks in the .vbox file. In this case the exact layout of host drive letters, folders, mount points, etc., and disk file locations must be duplicated on the restore host. (Or possibly damaging edits to the .vbox file will be required.)

Keep in mind that the disk file is just the disk, not the whole "PC". The .vbox file is the "motherboard" in a sense, telling Virtualbox how to set up the "hardware" the guest is used to using.

One good benefit of a file-copy backup is a file-compare or hash confirmation that the backup was copied correctly.