VM inaccessible after renaming VM folder

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Linux hosts.
Post Reply
mn
Posts: 99
Joined: 17. Feb 2013, 21:33

VM inaccessible after renaming VM folder

Post by mn »

After creating a VM, I renamed the default "VirtualBox VMs" folder to "VirtualBoxVMs" and then edited the path in File->Preferences->General.
However, the VM is still inaccessible. I tried closing and reopening virtualbox main window, but has no effect.
It complains about not findinng "~/VirtualBox VMs/myvm/myvm.vbox".
Is there any hardcoded path in the configuration files? I didn't find that.
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: VM inaccessible after renaming VM folder

Post by mpack »

That's correct. You can't rename a VM folder using the host OS after the VM is registered. So rename it back. Or you can modify c:\Users\<user>\.VirtualBox\VirtualBox.xml if you aren't fazed by xml syntax.
 Edit:  Actually that's the path on Windows hosts, I'm not a Linux hosts user so you'll have to find the equivalent folder yourself, and remember that Linux used to default to hiding files and folders that start with ".".

Every VM path in VirtualBox.xml is hard coded, how could it not be? 
Last edited by mpack on 24. Aug 2021, 17:36, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: See edit
mn
Posts: 99
Joined: 17. Feb 2013, 21:33

Re: VM inaccessible after renaming VM folder

Post by mn »

Right. thank you.
fth0
Volunteer
Posts: 5661
Joined: 14. Feb 2019, 03:06
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Linux, Windows 10, ...
Location: Germany

Re: VM inaccessible after renaming VM folder

Post by fth0 »

Code: Select all

/home/$USER/.config/VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml
Post Reply