[Solved] Reduce the size of the .vdi file

[giannino1995]

I installed Ubuntu 18.04 on VirtualBox by assigning dynamic space to the HD 2TB. Working with large files, the .vdi has grown a lot. Are there any methods to permanently remove deleted files?
Thank you

[socratis]

User Manual, ch. 8.23 VBoxManage modifymedium, look for the "--compact" option. Also in the User Manual that gets installed with VirtualBox, in PDF format, that you can search.

[giannino1995]

Thanks so much. I understood your intervention and documentation. But I do not understand the technical question. Where should I write the string "[--compact]"? In which file should I add the string "VBoxManage modifymedium [--compact]"?

[mpack]

I suggest that you forget VBoxManage, as that "--compact" option will do nothing by itself. Instead download CloneVDI and run it under Wine on your Linux host. Tick the "compact" option before cloning. See the release notes for details.

[giannino1995]

I solved with this code:

Code: Select all

sudo apt install zerofree
df
zerofree -v /dev/sda1
halt
cd "C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox"
VBoxManage.exe modifymedium "F:\...\UBUNTU 18.04 LTS.vdi" --compact

With the second system you write I would have spent less time?

[mpack]

Much less time, yes. Like, you would have been finished in a few minutes instead of however long it took you to run zerofree.

[giannino1995]

Where can I find the software for Ubuntu 18.04?
Thank you

[ChipMcK]

Start with VirtualBox on Linux Hosts

[mpack]

Where can I find the software for Ubuntu 18.04?

I assume you mean CloneVDI. CloneVDI is a Windows (Win32) app, it is not available as a native Linux app. However you can run it on Linux under Wine, and I'm told it runs well that way.

I deleted your crosspost of this question.

[giannino1995]

I'm exhausted. I'm happy with ZeroFree.
thank you