Virtual Storage on Virtual BOX

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Mac OS X hosts.
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vini
Posts: 2
Joined: 6. Apr 2021, 22:36

Virtual Storage on Virtual BOX

Post by vini »

why when I create a virtual disk (fixed size) my Mac storage decreases. For example. I created 50 GB to allocate the windows 10. Once I created the virtual Hard Disk The storage on my Mac decreased from 263 GB to 213! Shouldn't it increase instead?
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Virtual Storage on Virtual BOX

Post by scottgus1 »

vini wrote:create a [50GB] virtual disk (fixed size)
vini wrote:storage on my Mac decreased from 263 GB to 213GB
263 - 213 = 50 :D

The "disk" for the VM is a file on the host computer's drive. A 'fixed' disk file pre-allocates to its full size at the beginning. A 'dynamic' disk file starts off small and gets bigger, up to the final size, as data is stored in it. Dynamic is recommended under almost all circumstances.
vini wrote:Shouldn't it increase instead?
This will never happen. Like all files stored on the host drive, the disk file will take up usable space on the host drive. Fixed takes it all at once, dynamic takes it over time. But host disk space will decrease.
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