VM inaccessible - how to repair

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Windows hosts.
fredb
Posts: 7
Joined: 26. Aug 2008, 19:32

VM inaccessible - how to repair

Post by fredb »

I've just tried to start a Windows VM from a saved execution state and apparently something went wrong since my machine (also Windows) rebooted during that process. The more serious problem is that the VM is now listed as 'inaccessible' in the VM list. The detailed status is:

Code: Select all

 Could not load the settings file 'C:\Documents and Settings\Fred\.VirtualBox\Machines\XP VM\XP VM.xml'.
Premature end of data in tag VirtualBox line 3.
Location: 'C:\Documents and Settings\Fred\.VirtualBox\Machines\XP VM\XP VM.xml', line 713 (3), column 43.

Result Code: 
E_FAIL (0x80004005)
Component: 
VirtualBox
Interface: 
IVirtualBox {2d3b9ea7-25f5-4f07-a8e1-7dd7e0dcf667}
But there is no option to recover. Only a button to repeat the accessibility check, which of course has the same result. I have a ton of stuff in that VM. From past experience with crashes I have been saving snapshots regularly. But the snapshots tab is grayed. How do I restore to the last snapshot?
Sasquatch
Volunteer
Posts: 17798
Joined: 17. Mar 2008, 13:41
Primary OS: Debian other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows XP, Windows 7, Linux
Location: /dev/random

Post by Sasquatch »

Did you try to discard the saved state, if you have that option? Could you post your VM xml file if that fails? Perhaps we can help you editting the xml file so it can be used again, without loss of snapshots.
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E.g. install guest additions site:forums.virtualbox.org

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fredb
Posts: 7
Joined: 26. Aug 2008, 19:32

Post by fredb »

Sasquatch, thanks. No option to discard, or do anything else than 'refresh'. The xml file looks like it got truncated in the middle of line 713:

Code: Select all

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!-- Sun xVM VirtualBox Machine Configuration -->
<VirtualBox xmlns="http://www.innotek.de/VirtualBox-settings" version="1.3-windows">
  <Machine uuid="{e53049e0-31ee-4013-8c05-2ac5501543b3}" name="XP VM" OSType="winvista" lastStateChange="2008-08-26T05:48:58Z" currentSnapshot="{716a3df6-45f4-4988-95bc-30315c1551c6}" stateFile="Snapshots\{e53049e0-31ee-4013-8c05-2ac5501543b3}.sav">
    <ExtraData>
      <ExtraDataItem name="GUI/SaveMountedAtRuntime" value="yes"/>
      <ExtraDataItem name="GUI/InfoDlgState" value="400,450,normal"/>
      <ExtraDataItem name="GUI/LastCloseAction" value="save"/>
      <ExtraDataItem name="GUI/LastWindowPostion" value="-1589,-78,1492,971"/>
      <ExtraDataItem name="GUI/Fullscreen" value="off"/>
      <ExtraDataItem name="GUI/Seamless" value="off"/>
      <ExtraDataItem name="GUI/AutoresizeGuest" value="on"/>
    </ExtraData>
    <Snapshot uuid="{49d4c9a4-7157-4974-8718-c8d4af172bbd}" name="started" timeStamp="2008-07-05T01:49:33Z" stateFile="Snapshots\{49d4c9a4-7157-4974-8718-c8d4af172bbd}.sav">
      <Description/>
      <Hardware>
        <CPU>
          <HardwareVirtEx enabled="false"/>
          <PAE enabled="false"/>
        </CPU>
        <Memory RAMSize="512"/>
        <Boot>
          <Order position="1" device="Floppy"/>
          <Order position="2" device="DVD"/>
          <Order position="3" device="HardDisk"/>
        </Boot>
        <Display VRAMSize="8" MonitorCount="1"/>
        <RemoteDisplay enabled="false" port="3389" authType="Null"/>
        <BIOS>
          <ACPI enabled="true"/>
          <IOAPIC enabled="false"/>
          <Logo fadeIn="true" fadeOut="true" displayTime="0"/>
          <BootMenu mode="MessageAndMenu"/>
          <TimeOffset value="0"/>
          <PXEDebug enabled="false"/>
          <IDEController type="PIIX4"/>
        </BIOS>
        <DVDDrive passthrough="false">
          <HostDrive src="F:"/>
        </DVDDrive>
        <FloppyDrive enabled="true"/>
        <USBController enabled="false" enabledEhci="false"/>
        <SATAController enabled="false" PortCount="1" IDE0MasterEmulationPort="0" IDE0SlaveEmulationPort="1" IDE1MasterEmulationPort="2" IDE1SlaveEmulationPort="3"/>
        <Network>
          <Adapter slot="0" enabled="true" MACAddress="080027BBE162" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973">
            <NAT/>
          </Adapter>
          <Adapter slot="1" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002737D992" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
          <Adapter slot="2" enabled="false" MACAddress="080027BD3D88" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
          <Adapter slot="3" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002790793F" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
        </Network>
        <UART>
          <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
          <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
        </UART>
        <LPT>
          <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
          <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
        </LPT>
        <AudioAdapter controller="AC97" driver="DirectSound" enabled="true"/>
        <SharedFolders/>
        <Clipboard mode="Bidirectional"/>
        <Guest memoryBalloonSize="0" statisticsUpdateInterval="0"/>
      </Hardware>
      <HardDiskAttachments>
        <HardDiskAttachment hardDisk="{1b0ab163-477b-4145-a781-ddb56819230e}" bus="IDE" channel="0" device="0"/>
      </HardDiskAttachments>
      <Snapshots>
        <Snapshot uuid="{99e11f1a-57f4-48b4-be10-9468f002703f}" name="SP3 installed" timeStamp="2008-07-05T19:48:33Z" stateFile="Snapshots\{99e11f1a-57f4-48b4-be10-9468f002703f}.sav">
          <Description/>
          <Hardware>
            <CPU>
              <HardwareVirtEx enabled="false"/>
              <PAE enabled="false"/>
            </CPU>
            <Memory RAMSize="512"/>
            <Boot>
              <Order position="1" device="Floppy"/>
              <Order position="2" device="DVD"/>
              <Order position="3" device="HardDisk"/>
            </Boot>
            <Display VRAMSize="8" MonitorCount="1"/>
            <RemoteDisplay enabled="false" port="3389" authType="Null"/>
            <BIOS>
              <ACPI enabled="true"/>
              <IOAPIC enabled="false"/>
              <Logo fadeIn="true" fadeOut="true" displayTime="0"/>
              <BootMenu mode="MessageAndMenu"/>
              <TimeOffset value="0"/>
              <PXEDebug enabled="false"/>
              <IDEController type="PIIX4"/>
            </BIOS>
            <DVDDrive passthrough="false">
              <HostDrive src="F:"/>
            </DVDDrive>
            <FloppyDrive enabled="true"/>
            <USBController enabled="false" enabledEhci="false"/>
            <SATAController enabled="false" PortCount="1" IDE0MasterEmulationPort="0" IDE0SlaveEmulationPort="1" IDE1MasterEmulationPort="2" IDE1SlaveEmulationPort="3"/>
            <Network>
              <Adapter slot="0" enabled="true" MACAddress="080027BBE162" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973">
                <HostInterface name="VirtualBox Host Interface 1"/>
              </Adapter>
              <Adapter slot="1" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002737D992" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
              <Adapter slot="2" enabled="false" MACAddress="080027BD3D88" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
              <Adapter slot="3" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002790793F" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
            </Network>
            <UART>
              <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
              <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
            </UART>
            <LPT>
              <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
              <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
            </LPT>
            <AudioAdapter controller="AC97" driver="DirectSound" enabled="true"/>
            <SharedFolders>
              <SharedFolder name="Program Install" hostPath="C:\Program Install" writable="false"/>
            </SharedFolders>
            <Clipboard mode="Bidirectional"/>
            <Guest memoryBalloonSize="0" statisticsUpdateInterval="0"/>
          </Hardware>
          <HardDiskAttachments>
            <HardDiskAttachment hardDisk="{e3dd2bd2-e11e-4f11-b258-293c737fae63}" bus="IDE" channel="0" device="0"/>
          </HardDiskAttachments>
          <Snapshots>
            <Snapshot uuid="{3eed572c-fcdf-41b0-b3e9-6d06141a6278}" name="FF, cygwin installed" timeStamp="2008-07-11T01:44:53Z" stateFile="Snapshots\{3eed572c-fcdf-41b0-b3e9-6d06141a6278}.sav">
              <Description/>
              <Hardware>
                <CPU>
                  <HardwareVirtEx enabled="false"/>
                  <PAE enabled="false"/>
                </CPU>
                <Memory RAMSize="512"/>
                <Boot>
                  <Order position="1" device="Floppy"/>
                  <Order position="2" device="DVD"/>
                  <Order position="3" device="HardDisk"/>
                </Boot>
                <Display VRAMSize="8" MonitorCount="1"/>
                <RemoteDisplay enabled="false" port="3389" authType="Null" authTimeout="5000"/>
                <BIOS>
                  <ACPI enabled="true"/>
                  <IOAPIC enabled="false"/>
                  <Logo fadeIn="true" fadeOut="true" displayTime="0"/>
                  <BootMenu mode="MessageAndMenu"/>
                  <TimeOffset value="0"/>
                  <PXEDebug enabled="false"/>
                  <IDEController type="PIIX4"/>
                </BIOS>
                <DVDDrive passthrough="false">
                  <HostDrive src="F:"/>
                </DVDDrive>
                <FloppyDrive enabled="true"/>
                <USBController enabled="false" enabledEhci="false"/>
                <SATAController enabled="false" PortCount="1" IDE0MasterEmulationPort="0" IDE0SlaveEmulationPort="1" IDE1MasterEmulationPort="2" IDE1SlaveEmulationPort="3"/>
                <Network>
                  <Adapter slot="0" enabled="true" MACAddress="080027BBE162" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973">
                    <HostInterface name="VirtualBox Host Interface 1"/>
                  </Adapter>
                  <Adapter slot="1" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002737D992" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                  <Adapter slot="2" enabled="false" MACAddress="080027BD3D88" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                  <Adapter slot="3" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002790793F" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                </Network>
                <UART>
                  <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
                  <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
                </UART>
                <LPT>
                  <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
                  <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
                </LPT>
                <AudioAdapter controller="AC97" driver="DirectSound" enabled="true"/>
                <SharedFolders>
                  <SharedFolder name="Program Install" hostPath="C:\Program Install" writable="false"/>
                </SharedFolders>
                <Clipboard mode="Bidirectional"/>
                <Guest memoryBalloonSize="0" statisticsUpdateInterval="0"/>
              </Hardware>
              <HardDiskAttachments>
                <HardDiskAttachment hardDisk="{b0f2f4b9-8da6-4fcf-85c2-a3079b37368a}" bus="IDE" channel="0" device="0"/>
              </HardDiskAttachments>
              <Snapshots>
                <Snapshot uuid="{acbbf003-ae90-4608-9be3-7b2b9b92cc91}" name="+ sun stuff" timeStamp="2008-07-11T02:21:34Z" stateFile="Snapshots\{acbbf003-ae90-4608-9be3-7b2b9b92cc91}.sav">
                  <Description/>
                  <Hardware>
                    <CPU>
                      <HardwareVirtEx enabled="false"/>
                      <PAE enabled="false"/>
                    </CPU>
                    <Memory RAMSize="512"/>
                    <Boot>
                      <Order position="1" device="Floppy"/>
                      <Order position="2" device="DVD"/>
                      <Order position="3" device="HardDisk"/>
                    </Boot>
                    <Display VRAMSize="8" MonitorCount="1"/>
                    <RemoteDisplay enabled="false" port="3389" authType="Null" authTimeout="5000"/>
                    <BIOS>
                      <ACPI enabled="true"/>
                      <IOAPIC enabled="false"/>
                      <Logo fadeIn="true" fadeOut="true" displayTime="0"/>
                      <BootMenu mode="MessageAndMenu"/>
                      <TimeOffset value="0"/>
                      <PXEDebug enabled="false"/>
                      <IDEController type="PIIX4"/>
                    </BIOS>
                    <DVDDrive passthrough="false">
                      <HostDrive src="F:"/>
                    </DVDDrive>
                    <FloppyDrive enabled="true"/>
                    <USBController enabled="false" enabledEhci="false"/>
                    <SATAController enabled="false" PortCount="1" IDE0MasterEmulationPort="0" IDE0SlaveEmulationPort="1" IDE1MasterEmulationPort="2" IDE1SlaveEmulationPort="3"/>
                    <Network>
                      <Adapter slot="0" enabled="true" MACAddress="080027BBE162" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973">
                        <HostInterface name="VirtualBox Host Interface 1"/>
                      </Adapter>
                      <Adapter slot="1" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002737D992" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                      <Adapter slot="2" enabled="false" MACAddress="080027BD3D88" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                      <Adapter slot="3" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002790793F" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                    </Network>
                    <UART>
                      <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
                      <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
                    </UART>
                    <LPT>
                      <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
                      <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
                    </LPT>
                    <AudioAdapter controller="AC97" driver="DirectSound" enabled="true"/>
                    <SharedFolders>
                      <SharedFolder name="Program Install" hostPath="C:\Program Install" writable="false"/>
                    </SharedFolders>
                    <Clipboard mode="Bidirectional"/>
                    <Guest memoryBalloonSize="0" statisticsUpdateInterval="0"/>
                  </Hardware>
                  <HardDiskAttachments>
                    <HardDiskAttachment hardDisk="{af6181ad-0ea1-4e13-8926-48d6dc4dd3ec}" bus="IDE" channel="0" device="0"/>
                  </HardDiskAttachments>
                  <Snapshots>
                    <Snapshot uuid="{928cae09-e4ed-4645-b895-5d903a1f78a4}" name="Snapshot 1" timeStamp="2008-07-11T02:29:58Z" stateFile="Snapshots\{928cae09-e4ed-4645-b895-5d903a1f78a4}.sav">
                      <Hardware>
                        <CPU>
                          <HardwareVirtEx enabled="false"/>
                          <PAE enabled="false"/>
                        </CPU>
                        <Memory RAMSize="512"/>
                        <Boot>
                          <Order position="1" device="Floppy"/>
                          <Order position="2" device="DVD"/>
                          <Order position="3" device="HardDisk"/>
                        </Boot>
                        <Display VRAMSize="8" MonitorCount="1"/>
                        <RemoteDisplay enabled="false" port="3389" authType="Null" authTimeout="5000"/>
                        <BIOS>
                          <ACPI enabled="true"/>
                          <IOAPIC enabled="false"/>
                          <Logo fadeIn="true" fadeOut="true" displayTime="0"/>
                          <BootMenu mode="MessageAndMenu"/>
                          <TimeOffset value="0"/>
                          <PXEDebug enabled="false"/>
                          <IDEController type="PIIX4"/>
                        </BIOS>
                        <DVDDrive passthrough="false">
                          <HostDrive src="F:"/>
                        </DVDDrive>
                        <FloppyDrive enabled="true"/>
                        <USBController enabled="false" enabledEhci="false"/>
                        <SATAController enabled="false" PortCount="1" IDE0MasterEmulationPort="0" IDE0SlaveEmulationPort="1" IDE1MasterEmulationPort="2" IDE1SlaveEmulationPort="3"/>
                        <Network>
                          <Adapter slot="0" enabled="true" MACAddress="080027BBE162" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973">
                            <HostInterface name="VirtualBox Host Interface 1"/>
                          </Adapter>
                          <Adapter slot="1" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002737D992" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                          <Adapter slot="2" enabled="false" MACAddress="080027BD3D88" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                          <Adapter slot="3" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002790793F" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                        </Network>
                        <UART>
                          <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
                          <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
                        </UART>
                        <LPT>
                          <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
                          <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
                        </LPT>
                        <AudioAdapter controller="AC97" driver="DirectSound" enabled="true"/>
                        <SharedFolders>
                          <SharedFolder name="Program Install" hostPath="C:\Program Install" writable="false"/>
                        </SharedFolders>
                        <Clipboard mode="Bidirectional"/>
                        <Guest memoryBalloonSize="0" statisticsUpdateInterval="0"/>
                      </Hardware>
                      <HardDiskAttachments>
                        <HardDiskAttachment hardDisk="{14cd7581-2852-48db-81a7-5bbeb4c9be8d}" bus="IDE" channel="0" device="0"/>
                      </HardDiskAttachments>
                      <Snapshots>
                        <Snapshot uuid="{ad09d064-13b7-4042-83f2-8c5ccf9a9d81}" name="installed vista - no network driver" timeStamp="2008-08-03T01:36:03Z" stateFile="Snapshots\{ad09d064-13b7-4042-83f2-8c5ccf9a9d81}.sav">
                          <Description/>
                          <Hardware>
                            <CPU>
                              <HardwareVirtEx enabled="false"/>
                              <PAE enabled="false"/>
                            </CPU>
                            <Memory RAMSize="512"/>
                            <Boot>
                              <Order position="1" device="Floppy"/>
                              <Order position="2" device="DVD"/>
                              <Order position="3" device="HardDisk"/>
                            </Boot>
                            <Display VRAMSize="8" MonitorCount="1"/>
                            <RemoteDisplay enabled="false" port="3389" authType="Null" authTimeout="5000"/>
                            <BIOS>
                              <ACPI enabled="true"/>
                              <IOAPIC enabled="false"/>
                              <Logo fadeIn="true" fadeOut="true" displayTime="0"/>
                              <BootMenu mode="MessageAndMenu"/>
                              <TimeOffset value="0"/>
                              <PXEDebug enabled="false"/>
                              <IDEController type="PIIX4"/>
                            </BIOS>
                            <DVDDrive passthrough="false">
                              <Image uuid="{029c9996-07ad-4d07-9f5c-c1a95316e27c}"/>
                            </DVDDrive>
                            <FloppyDrive enabled="true"/>
                            <USBController enabled="false" enabledEhci="false"/>
                            <SATAController enabled="false" PortCount="1" IDE0MasterEmulationPort="0" IDE0SlaveEmulationPort="1" IDE1MasterEmulationPort="2" IDE1SlaveEmulationPort="3"/>
                            <Network>
                              <Adapter slot="0" enabled="true" MACAddress="080027BBE162" cable="false" speed="0" type="Am79C973">
                                <HostInterface name="VirtualBox Host Interface 1"/>
                              </Adapter>
                              <Adapter slot="1" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002737D992" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                              <Adapter slot="2" enabled="false" MACAddress="080027BD3D88" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                              <Adapter slot="3" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002790793F" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                            </Network>
                            <UART>
                              <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
                              <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
                            </UART>
                            <LPT>
                              <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
                              <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
                            </LPT>
                            <AudioAdapter controller="AC97" driver="DirectSound" enabled="true"/>
                            <SharedFolders>
                              <SharedFolder name="Program Install" hostPath="C:\Program Install" writable="false"/>
                            </SharedFolders>
                            <Clipboard mode="Bidirectional"/>
                            <Guest memoryBalloonSize="0" statisticsUpdateInterval="0"/>
                          </Hardware>
                          <HardDiskAttachments>
                            <HardDiskAttachment hardDisk="{83ff38db-78a6-4be1-84d4-1184f52b44fa}" bus="IDE" channel="0" device="0"/>
                          </HardDiskAttachments>
                          <Snapshots>
                            <Snapshot uuid="{33a7486e-150a-48fa-8932-8c27bd8b1e35}" name="latest patches, no vpn/additions" timeStamp="2008-08-18T03:13:27Z">
                              <Description/>
                              <Hardware>
                                <CPU>
                                  <HardwareVirtEx enabled="false"/>
                                  <PAE enabled="false"/>
                                </CPU>
                                <Memory RAMSize="512"/>
                                <Boot>
                                  <Order position="1" device="Floppy"/>
                                  <Order position="2" device="DVD"/>
                                  <Order position="3" device="HardDisk"/>
                                </Boot>
                                <Display VRAMSize="8" MonitorCount="1"/>
                                <RemoteDisplay enabled="false" port="3389" authType="Null" authTimeout="5000"/>
                                <BIOS>
                                  <ACPI enabled="true"/>
                                  <IOAPIC enabled="false"/>
                                  <Logo fadeIn="true" fadeOut="true" displayTime="0"/>
                                  <BootMenu mode="MessageAndMenu"/>
                                  <TimeOffset value="0"/>
                                  <PXEDebug enabled="false"/>
                                  <IDEController type="PIIX4"/>
                                </BIOS>
                                <DVDDrive passthrough="false"/>
                                <FloppyDrive enabled="true"/>
                                <USBController enabled="false" enabledEhci="false"/>
                                <SATAController enabled="false" PortCount="1" IDE0MasterEmulationPort="0" IDE0SlaveEmulationPort="1" IDE1MasterEmulationPort="2" IDE1SlaveEmulationPort="3"/>
                                <Network>
                                  <Adapter slot="0" enabled="true" MACAddress="080027BBE162" cable="true" speed="0" type="82540EM">
                                    <HostInterface name="VirtualBox Host Interface 1"/>
                                  </Adapter>
                                  <Adapter slot="1" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002737D992" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                                  <Adapter slot="2" enabled="false" MACAddress="080027BD3D88" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                                  <Adapter slot="3" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002790793F" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                                </Network>
                                <UART>
                                  <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
                                  <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
                                </UART>
                                <LPT>
                                  <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
                                  <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
                                </LPT>
                                <AudioAdapter controller="AC97" driver="DirectSound" enabled="true"/>
                                <SharedFolders>
                                  <SharedFolder name="Program Install" hostPath="C:\Program Install" writable="false"/>
                                </SharedFolders>
                                <Clipboard mode="Bidirectional"/>
                                <Guest memoryBalloonSize="0" statisticsUpdateInterval="0"/>
                              </Hardware>
                              <HardDiskAttachments>
                                <HardDiskAttachment hardDisk="{0e446d34-c1c4-40b0-a2a7-d63d2b38a2a1}" bus="IDE" channel="0" device="0"/>
                              </HardDiskAttachments>
                              <Snapshots>
                                <Snapshot uuid="{1dc18728-ca7e-42a8-9c2b-e827745f6ea2}" name="cygwin updated" timeStamp="2008-08-18T08:15:04Z">
                                  <Description/>
                                  <Hardware>
                                    <CPU>
                                      <HardwareVirtEx enabled="false"/>
                                      <PAE enabled="false"/>
                                    </CPU>
                                    <Memory RAMSize="512"/>
                                    <Boot>
                                      <Order position="1" device="Floppy"/>
                                      <Order position="2" device="DVD"/>
                                      <Order position="3" device="HardDisk"/>
                                    </Boot>
                                    <Display VRAMSize="8" MonitorCount="1"/>
                                    <RemoteDisplay enabled="false" port="3389" authType="Null" authTimeout="5000"/>
                                    <BIOS>
                                      <ACPI enabled="true"/>
                                      <IOAPIC enabled="false"/>
                                      <Logo fadeIn="true" fadeOut="true" displayTime="0"/>
                                      <BootMenu mode="MessageAndMenu"/>
                                      <TimeOffset value="0"/>
                                      <PXEDebug enabled="false"/>
                                      <IDEController type="PIIX4"/>
                                    </BIOS>
                                    <DVDDrive passthrough="false">
                                      <Image uuid="{230020a6-c018-4677-9fb5-9e9798d9e093}"/>
                                    </DVDDrive>
                                    <FloppyDrive enabled="true"/>
                                    <USBController enabled="false" enabledEhci="false"/>
                                    <SATAController enabled="false" PortCount="1" IDE0MasterEmulationPort="0" IDE0SlaveEmulationPort="1" IDE1MasterEmulationPort="2" IDE1SlaveEmulationPort="3"/>
                                    <Network>
                                      <Adapter slot="0" enabled="true" MACAddress="080027BBE162" cable="true" speed="0" type="82540EM">
                                        <HostInterface name="VirtualBox Host Interface 1"/>
                                      </Adapter>
                                      <Adapter slot="1" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002737D992" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                                      <Adapter slot="2" enabled="false" MACAddress="080027BD3D88" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                                      <Adapter slot="3" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002790793F" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                                    </Network>
                                    <UART>
                                      <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
                                      <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
                                    </UART>
                                    <LPT>
                                      <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
                                      <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
                                    </LPT>
                                    <AudioAdapter controller="AC97" driver="DirectSound" enabled="true"/>
                                    <SharedFolders>
                                      <SharedFolder name="Program Install" hostPath="C:\Program Install" writable="false"/>
                                      <SharedFolder name="cygwin pkg" hostPath="C:\Program Install\cygwin" writable="true"/>
                                    </SharedFolders>
                                    <Clipboard mode="Bidirectional"/>
                                    <Guest memoryBalloonSize="0" statisticsUpdateInterval="0"/>
                                  </Hardware>
                                  <HardDiskAttachments>
                                    <HardDiskAttachment hardDisk="{7baf86fd-030a-4f92-8a2c-09652750c8eb}" bus="IDE" channel="0" device="0"/>
                                  </HardDiskAttachments>
                                  <Snapshots>
                                    <Snapshot uuid="{2208f7b2-dbf1-4af6-8acf-ef4f6d35c2e3}" name="+ VPN" timeStamp="2008-08-19T02:42:19Z">
                                      <Description/>
                                      <Hardware>
                                        <CPU>
                                          <HardwareVirtEx enabled="false"/>
                                          <PAE enabled="false"/>
                                        </CPU>
                                        <Memory RAMSize="1024"/>
                                        <Boot>
                                          <Order position="1" device="Floppy"/>
                                          <Order position="2" device="DVD"/>
                                          <Order position="3" device="HardDisk"/>
                                        </Boot>
                                        <Display VRAMSize="32" MonitorCount="1"/>
                                        <RemoteDisplay enabled="false" port="3389" authType="Null" authTimeout="5000"/>
                                        <BIOS>
                                          <ACPI enabled="true"/>
                                          <IOAPIC enabled="false"/>
                                          <Logo fadeIn="true" fadeOut="true" displayTime="0"/>
                                          <BootMenu mode="MessageAndMenu"/>
                                          <TimeOffset value="0"/>
                                          <PXEDebug enabled="false"/>
                                          <IDEController type="PIIX4"/>
                                        </BIOS>
                                        <DVDDrive passthrough="false">
                                          <Image uuid="{230020a6-c018-4677-9fb5-9e9798d9e093}"/>
                                        </DVDDrive>
                                        <FloppyDrive enabled="true"/>
                                        <USBController enabled="false" enabledEhci="false"/>
                                        <SATAController enabled="false" PortCount="1" IDE0MasterEmulationPort="0" IDE0SlaveEmulationPort="1" IDE1MasterEmulationPort="2" IDE1SlaveEmulationPort="3"/>
                                        <Network>
                                          <Adapter slot="0" enabled="true" MACAddress="080027BBE162" cable="true" speed="0" type="82540EM">
                                            <HostInterface name="VirtualBox Host Interface 1"/>
                                          </Adapter>
                                          <Adapter slot="1" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002737D992" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                                          <Adapter slot="2" enabled="false" MACAddress="080027BD3D88" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                                          <Adapter slot="3" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002790793F" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                                        </Network>
                                        <UART>
                                          <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
                                          <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
                                        </UART>
                                        <LPT>
                                          <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
                                          <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
                                        </LPT>
                                        <AudioAdapter controller="AC97" driver="DirectSound" enabled="true"/>
                                        <SharedFolders>
                                          <SharedFolder name="Program Install" hostPath="C:\Program Install" writable="false"/>
                                          <SharedFolder name="cygwin pkg" hostPath="C:\Program Install\cygwin" writable="true"/>
                                        </SharedFolders>
                                        <Clipboard mode="Bidirectional"/>
                                        <Guest memoryBalloonSize="0" statisticsUpdateInterval="0"/>
                                      </Hardware>
                                      <HardDiskAttachments>
                                        <HardDiskAttachment hardDisk="{0328f173-7fb2-4ed3-9ebf-fb3a337c05ef}" bus="IDE" channel="0" device="0"/>
                                      </HardDiskAttachments>
                                      <Snapshots>
                                        <Snapshot uuid="{2c8d3a7e-03cf-4c51-9bc0-84f652cea6ed}" name="Snapshot 2" timeStamp="2008-08-19T08:14:05Z" stateFile="Snapshots\{2c8d3a7e-03cf-4c51-9bc0-84f652cea6ed}.sav">
                                          <Description/>
                                          <Hardware>
                                            <CPU>
                                              <HardwareVirtEx enabled="false"/>
                                              <PAE enabled="false"/>
                                            </CPU>
                                            <Memory RAMSize="1024"/>
                                            <Boot>
                                              <Order position="1" device="Floppy"/>
                                              <Order position="2" device="DVD"/>
                                              <Order position="3" device="HardDisk"/>
                                            </Boot>
                                            <Display VRAMSize="32" MonitorCount="1"/>
                                            <RemoteDisplay enabled="false" port="3389" authType="Null" authTimeout="5000"/>
                                            <BIOS>
                                              <ACPI enabled="true"/>
                                              <IOAPIC enabled="false"/>
                                              <Logo fadeIn="true" fadeOut="true" displayTime="0"/>
                                              <BootMenu mode="MessageAndMenu"/>
                                              <TimeOffset value="0"/>
                                              <PXEDebug enabled="false"/>
                                              <IDEController type="PIIX4"/>
                                            </BIOS>
                                            <DVDDrive passthrough="false">
                                              <Image uuid="{230020a6-c018-4677-9fb5-9e9798d9e093}"/>
                                            </DVDDrive>
                                            <FloppyDrive enabled="true"/>
                                            <USBController enabled="false" enabledEhci="false"/>
                                            <SATAController enabled="false" PortCount="1" IDE0MasterEmulationPort="0" IDE0SlaveEmulationPort="1" IDE1MasterEmulationPort="2" IDE1SlaveEmulationPort="3"/>
                                            <Network>
                                              <Adapter slot="0" enabled="true" MACAddress="080027BBE162" cable="true" speed="0" type="82540EM">
                                                <HostInterface name="VirtualBox Host Interface 1"/>
                                              </Adapter>
                                              <Adapter slot="1" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002737D992" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                                              <Adapter slot="2" enabled="false" MACAddress="080027BD3D88" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                                              <Adapter slot="3" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002790793F" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                                            </Network>
                                            <UART>
                                              <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
                                              <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
                                            </UART>
                                            <LPT>
                                              <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
                                              <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
                                            </LPT>
                                            <AudioAdapter controller="AC97" driver="DirectSound" enabled="true"/>
                                            <SharedFolders>
                                              <SharedFolder name="Program Install" hostPath="C:\Program Install" writable="false"/>
                                              <SharedFolder name="cygwin pkg" hostPath="C:\Program Install\cygwin" writable="true"/>
                                            </SharedFolders>
                                            <Clipboard mode="Bidirectional"/>
                                            <Guest memoryBalloonSize="0" statisticsUpdateInterval="0"/>
                                          </Hardware>
                                          <HardDiskAttachments>
                                            <HardDiskAttachment hardDisk="{d32a8e6e-3851-4395-8ee8-d4a12471833f}" bus="IDE" channel="0" device="0"/>
                                          </HardDiskAttachments>
                                          <Snapshots>
                                            <Snapshot uuid="{716a3df6-45f4-4988-95bc-30315c1551c6}" name="open office" timeStamp="2008-08-20T09:10:44Z" stateFile="Snapshots\{716a3df6-45f4-4988-95bc-30315c1551c6}.sav">
                                              <Description/>
                                              <Hardware>
                                                <CPU>
                                                  <HardwareVirtEx enabled="false"/>
                                                  <PAE enabled="false"/>
                                                </CPU>
                                                <Memory RAMSize="1024"/>
                                                <Boot>
                                                  <Order position="1" device="Floppy"/>
                                                  <Order position="2" device="DVD"/>
                                                  <Order position="3" device="HardDisk"/>
                                                </Boot>
                                                <Display VRAMSize="32" MonitorCount="1"/>
                                                <RemoteDisplay enabled="false" port="3389" authType="Null" authTimeout="5000"/>
                                                <BIOS>
                                                  <ACPI enabled="true"/>
                                                  <IOAPIC enabled="false"/>
                                                  <Logo fadeIn="true" fadeOut="true" displayTime="0"/>
                                                  <BootMenu mode="MessageAndMenu"/>
                                                  <TimeOffset value="0"/>
                                                  <PXEDebug enabled="false"/>
                                                  <IDEController type="PIIX4"/>
                                                </BIOS>
                                                <DVDDrive passthrough="false">
                                                  <Image uuid="{230020a6-c018-4677-9fb5-9e9798d9e093}"/>
                                                </DVDDrive>
                                                <FloppyDrive enabled="true"/>
                                                <USBController enabled="false" enabledEhci="false"/>
                                                <SATAController enabled="false" PortCount="1" IDE0MasterEmulationPort="0" IDE0SlaveEmulationPort="1" IDE1MasterEmulationPort="2" IDE1SlaveEmulationPort="3"/>
                                                <Network>
                                                  <Adapter slot="0" enabled="true" MACAddress="080027BBE162" cable="true" speed="0" type="82540EM">
                                                    <HostInterface name="VirtualBox Host Interface 1"/>
                                                  </Adapter>
                                                  <Adapter slot="1" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002737D992" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                                                  <Adapter slot="2" enabled="false" MACAddress="080027BD3D88" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                                                  <Adapter slot="3" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002790793F" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
                                                </Network>
                                                <UART>
                                                  <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
                                                  <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
                                                </UART>
                                                <LPT>
                                                  <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
                                                  <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
                                                </LPT>
                                                <AudioAdapter controller="AC97" driver="DirectSound" enabled="true"/>
                                                <SharedFolders>
                                                  <SharedFolder name="Program Install" hostPath="C:\Program Install" writable="false"/>
                                                  <SharedFolder name="cygwin pkg" hostPath="C:\Program Install\cygwin" writable="true"/>
                                                </SharedFolders>
                                                <Clipboard mode="Bidirectional"/>
                                                <Guest memoryBalloonSize="0" statisticsUpdateInterval="0"/>
                                              </Hardware>
                                              <HardDiskAttachments>
                                                <HardDiskAttachment hardDisk="{01ffd5b5-c7ad-4338-bea5-77e75986c7e3}" bus="IDE" channel="0" device="0"/>
                                              </HardDiskAttachments>
                                            </Snapshot>
                                          </Snapshots>
                                        </Snapshot>
                                      </Snapshots>
                                    </Snapshot>
                                  </Snapshots>
                                </Snapshot>
                              </Snapshots>
                            </Snapshot>
                          </Snapshots>
                        </Snapshot>
                      </Snapshots>
                    </Snapshot>
                  </Snapshots>
                </Snapshot>
              </Snapshots>
            </Snapshot>
          </Snapshots>
        </Snapshot>
      </Snapshots>
    </Snapshot>
    <Hardware>
      <CPU>
        <HardwareVirtEx enabled="false"/>
        <PAE enabled="false"/>
      </CPU>
      <Memory RAMSize="1024"/>
      <Boot>
        <Order position="1" device="Floppy"/>
        <Order position="2" device="DVD"/>
        <Order position="3" device="HardDisk"/>
      </Boot>
      <Display VRAMSize="32" MonitorCount="1"/>
      <RemoteDisplay enabled="false" port="3389" authType="Null" authTimeout="5000"/>
      <BIOS>
        <ACPI enabled="true"/>
        <IOAPIC enabled="false"/>
        <Logo fadeIn="true" fadeOut="true" displayTime="0"/>
        <BootMenu mode="MessageAndMenu"/>
        <TimeOffset value="0"/>
        <PXEDebug enabled="false"/>
        <IDEController type="PIIX4"/>
      </BIOS>
      <DVDDrive passthrough="false">
        <Image uuid="{230020a6-c018-4677-9fb5-9e9798d9e093}"/>
      </DVDDrive>
      <FloppyDrive enabled="true"/>
      <USBController enabled="false" enabledEhci="false"/>
      <SATAController enabled="false" PortCount="1" IDE0MasterEmulationPort="0" IDE0SlaveEmulationPort="1" IDE1MasterEmulationPort="2" IDE1SlaveEmulationPort="3"/>
      <Network>
        <Adapter slot="0" enabled="true" MACAddress="080027BBE162" cable="true" speed="0" type="82540EM">
          <HostInterface name="VirtualBox Host Interface 1"/>
        </Adapter>
        <Adapter slot="1" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002737D992" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
        <Adapter slot="2" enabled="false" MACAddress="080027BD3D88" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
        <Adapter slot="3" enabled="false" MACAddress="08002790793F" cable="true" speed="0" type="Am79C973"/>
      </Network>
      <UART>
        <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
        <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x3f8" IRQ="4" hostMode="Disconnected"/>
      </UART>
      <LPT>
        <Port slot="0" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
        <Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="4"/>
      </LPT>
      <AudioAdapter controller="AC97" driver="DirectSound" enabled="true"/>
      <SharedFolders>
        <SharedFolder name="Program Install" hostPath="C:\Program Install" writable="false"/>
        <SharedFolder name="cygwin pkg" hostPath="C:\Program Install\cygwin" writable="true"/>
      </SharedFolders>
      <Clipboard mode="Bidirectional"/>
      <Guest memoryBalloonSize="0" statisticsUpdateInterval="0"/>
    </Hardware>
    <HardDiskAttachments>
      <HardDiskAttachment hardDisk="{956a5d79-2061-4c51-a994-63b572140dab}" bus="IDE" channel="0" de
Sasquatch
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Post by Sasquatch »

Ehm, does your xml file really stop at this line?
<HardDiskAttachment hardDisk="{956a5d79-2061-4c51-a994-63b572140dab}" bus="IDE" channel="0" de
If it doesn't, please use pastebin.
What I also find disturbing, is the large amount of empty </Snapshot> and </Snapshots> entries.
It also looks as if the file is pasted several times. I see the same entries more than once. Clean that up first, after you made a backup of the file.
Also, use

Code: Select all

 blocks next time.
Read the Forum Posting Guide before opening a topic.
VirtualBox FAQ: Check this before asking questions.
Online User Manual: A must read if you want to know what we're talking about.
Howto: Install Linux Guest Additions
Howto: Use Shared Folders on Linux Guest
See the Tutorials and FAQ section at the top of the Forum for more guides.
Try searching the forums first with Google and add the site filter for this forum.
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fredb
Posts: 7
Joined: 26. Aug 2008, 19:32

Post by fredb »

Sasquatch, I pasted the file exactly as it is. It does end in the middle of that line. I have done absolutely no editing on it, ever, and the number of lines pasted (713) matches the error message "Premature end of data ... line 713 ".
Sasquatch
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Post by Sasquatch »

Try it with the following lines, replacing the incomplete line:

Code: Select all

device="0"/>
    </HardDiskAttachments>
  </Machine>
</VirtualBox>
This is taken from my XP VM, but that should not matter. Replace it for the letters "de".
Read the Forum Posting Guide before opening a topic.
VirtualBox FAQ: Check this before asking questions.
Online User Manual: A must read if you want to know what we're talking about.
Howto: Install Linux Guest Additions
Howto: Use Shared Folders on Linux Guest
See the Tutorials and FAQ section at the top of the Forum for more guides.
Try searching the forums first with Google and add the site filter for this forum.
E.g. install guest additions site:forums.virtualbox.org

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TerryE
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Post by TerryE »

Your last few lines should read:

Code: Select all

    <HardDiskAttachments>
      <HardDiskAttachment hardDisk="{956a5d79-2061-4c51-a994-63b572140dab}" bus="IDE" channel="0" device="0"/>
    </HardDiskAttachments>
  </Machine>
</VirtualBox>
Edit your XML with your favourite text editor and replace the last line with the last 4 here. I share what Sasquatch says. With 10 snapshots your disk I/O will be down the crapper. Use the GUI to delete some of the redundant intermediate ones. Read my tutorial All about VDIs if you want to understand why.
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fredb
Posts: 7
Joined: 26. Aug 2008, 19:32

Post by fredb »

Much better, thanks! Now it can at least read the file. However it errors when trying to start the machine:

Code: Select all

VM cannot start because the saved state file 'C:\Documents and Settings\Fred\.VirtualBox\Machines\XP VM\Snapshots\{e53049e0-31ee-4013-8c05-2ac5501543b3}.sav' is invalid (VERR_FILE_NOT_FOUND). Discard the saved state prior to starting the VM.

Result Code: 
E_FAIL (0x80004005)
Component: 
Console
Interface: 
IConsole {d5a1cbda-f5d7-4824-9afe-d640c94c7dcf}
And I'm hesitant to discard the state because I don't think that the last snapshot listed in the UI (named "open office") is indeed the latest one. Here's the contents of the Snapshots subdirectory:

Code: Select all

-rwx------+ 1 Fred None    67790647 Jul  4 18:49 {49d4c9a4-7157-4974-8718-c8d4af172bbd}.sav
-rwx------+ 1 Fred None   188645763 Jul  5 12:48 {99e11f1a-57f4-48b4-be10-9468f002703f}.sav
-rwx------+ 1 Fred None   228539896 Jul 10 18:45 {3eed572c-fcdf-41b0-b3e9-6d06141a6278}.sav
-rwx------+ 1 Fred None   230977878 Jul 10 19:21 {acbbf003-ae90-4608-9be3-7b2b9b92cc91}.sav
-rwx------+ 1 Fred None   284647489 Jul 10 19:30 {928cae09-e4ed-4645-b895-5d903a1f78a4}.sav
-rwx------+ 1 Fred None   212888767 Aug  2 18:36 {ad09d064-13b7-4042-83f2-8c5ccf9a9d81}.sav
-rwx------+ 1 Fred None   447625114 Aug 19 01:14 {2c8d3a7e-03cf-4c51-9bc0-84f652cea6ed}.sav
-rwx------+ 1 Fred None   507268859 Aug 20 02:10 {716a3df6-45f4-4988-95bc-30315c1551c6}.sav
-rwx------+ 1 Fred None  4314104320 Aug 20 02:10 {e3dd2bd2-e11e-4f11-b258-293c737fae63}.vdi
-rwx------+ 1 Fred None  1882456576 Aug 20 02:10 {b0f2f4b9-8da6-4fcf-85c2-a3079b37368a}.vdi
-rwx------+ 1 Fred None   251920896 Aug 20 02:10 {af6181ad-0ea1-4e13-8926-48d6dc4dd3ec}.vdi
-rwx------+ 1 Fred None  1185153536 Aug 20 02:10 {14cd7581-2852-48db-81a7-5bbeb4c9be8d}.vdi
-rwx------+ 1 Fred None 11815617024 Aug 20 02:10 {83ff38db-78a6-4be1-84d4-1184f52b44fa}.vdi
-rwx------+ 1 Fred None  4681105920 Aug 20 02:10 {0e446d34-c1c4-40b0-a2a7-d63d2b38a2a1}.vdi
-rwx------+ 1 Fred None 10009969152 Aug 20 02:10 {7baf86fd-030a-4f92-8a2c-09652750c8eb}.vdi
-rwx------+ 1 Fred None   743703040 Aug 20 02:10 {d32a8e6e-3851-4395-8ee8-d4a12471833f}.vdi
-rwx------+ 1 Fred None  3045327360 Aug 20 02:10 {0328f173-7fb2-4ed3-9ebf-fb3a337c05ef}.vdi
-rwx------+ 1 Fred None  5410914816 Aug 20 02:10 {01ffd5b5-c7ad-4338-bea5-77e75986c7e3}.vdi
-rwx------+ 1 Fred None 13785891328 Aug 25 22:48 {956a5d79-2061-4c51-a994-63b572140dab}.vdi
Is there any way to make it reload the file from last night?
Sasquatch
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Post by Sasquatch »

If you check the machine.xml file, you will see this line

Code: Select all

<Machine uuid="{e53049e0-31ee-4013-8c05-2ac5501543b3}" name="XP VM" OSType="winvista" lastStateChange="2008-08-26T05:48:58Z" currentSnapshot="{716a3df6-45f4-4988-95bc-30315c1551c6}" stateFile="Snapshots\{e53049e0-31ee-4013-8c05-2ac5501543b3}.sav">
That indicates that it tries to load that snapshot as primairy vdi. If you go to the snapshots tab, you can select a snapshot. I don't work with snapshots, so I'm not sure, but you should be able to boot a specific snapshot.
Read the Forum Posting Guide before opening a topic.
VirtualBox FAQ: Check this before asking questions.
Online User Manual: A must read if you want to know what we're talking about.
Howto: Install Linux Guest Additions
Howto: Use Shared Folders on Linux Guest
See the Tutorials and FAQ section at the top of the Forum for more guides.
Try searching the forums first with Google and add the site filter for this forum.
E.g. install guest additions site:forums.virtualbox.org

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TerryE
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Post by TerryE »

Try a

Code: Select all

VBoxManage discardstate e53049e0-31ee-4013-8c05-2ac5501543b3
Your last SAV file is missing. This will unhook it and the next time you start your machine, you will coldboot -- but you will still have your current snapshot VDI. Read that tutorial!!
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fredb
Posts: 7
Joined: 26. Aug 2008, 19:32

Post by fredb »

Terry, the VBoxManage command wasn't finding the machine, then after I started the Vbox manager GUI, it worked. Go figure. But, the machine booted, Windows complained about an improper shutdown, and everything is there. Beautiful, thanks!

I will cleanup my checkpoints per your advice. I was not aware that they affected performance - it seems a bit counterintuitive that they would. I had tried to delete some old ones already, but since that is disabled while the machine is running I just thought it wasn't possible at all.

Anyway, thanks a lot for the help guys. I hope in the next version, these tasks of repairing the xml, and forcing a cold boot on a saved machine using the current hard disk image, can be automated and available from the GUI. Otherwise, to the non-techie user, a VM is a very, very fragile thing compared to a physical computer, and probably not a valid substitute.
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Post by TerryE »

Hummm, basically what you just had was the virtual equivalent of a HDD crash. I wonder how much you'd get back if you have a real one?

The moral of this story is that things always fail; PCs get stolen; you get house fires. Always think about backup and continuity after a disaster. You can't beat backing up to another device in another building. I have a little 512Gb NAS box that cost me about $150 in a different part of my house to my systems. OK it is not a different building but then again I live in a 300 year old farmhouse so there's a couple of 2ft thick walls in between them. I just use it for safety backup.

Anyway, glad to help.
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fredb
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Post by fredb »

Err, the real hard disk didn't crash. The machine simply rebooted itself, which is something that can happen at any time (power outages, power cable knocked, etc) - but that rarely causes further damage on a physical machine. I wouldn't expect an unexpected host reboot to have more severe consequences on a guest VM than it would on a physical computer. I don't think it ever happened to me that I had a real hd crash and lost the entire content. I have to reinstall my OS maybe once a year on average, and that's painful enough. Yes I understand fires etc happen, but their probability is low enough for my comfort. On the other hand I've been using virtualbox for several months, and have had these sort of incidents several times (corrupted saved state, but no way to force cold boot). So whatever we want to call it, so far my experience is that the reliability is orders of magnitude lower than a real machine. This is the first time I would have completely lost a VM if it weren't for your help, though - so thanks again. Other than that I really like virtualbox, so I'm hoping it continues getting even better.
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Post by TerryE »

Snapshots ten levels deep is a pretty pathological usage pattern.

Maybe I maintain my OSs a little more strictly them you but I have more failures due to H/W than OS problems :-)
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fredb
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Post by fredb »

I just had the exact same problem again: host abruptly rebooted while loading the saved VM, after reboot, I found the xml file cut off at exactly the same location, and after fixing that, I had to discard the saved state in order to access the machine. It can't be a coincidence. Perhaps if VirtualBox sync'ed the last bits of the file to disk before doing whatever is causing the crash, at least it would come back clean. Still on 1.6.2 (was actually intending to shutdown the vm's and check the host interfaces settings before upgrading to 2.0.2 when the problem happened).

By the way, TerryE. It was not really not apparent to me that having many snapshots was a pathological usage. To me, they were just like backups which would could just sit there until I needed to reclaim disk space, the same way that Windows restore lets you have as many restore points as the storage will allow. I noticed that GUI showed each snapshot as a child of the previous one, but didn't think much of it. Personally the model of independent snapshots would be more useful to me. It doesn't matter much if they take longer to create or restore, or use more disk space, as long as runtime performance and the reliability of a self-contained vm aren't sacrificed.
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