Restore from time machine

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berniev
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Joined: 7. Dec 2017, 18:22

Restore from time machine

Post by berniev »

I have renamed existing 'VirtualBox VMs' folder to something else and restored 'VirtualBox VMs' folder from time machine (from about three months ago).

When I fire up VirtualBox it complains '..VirtualBox VMs/xpcurr/xpcurr.vbox' for reading: -102(File not found.)'

But 'xpcurr' is not a name in that old vbox, but is in the current (renamed) folder. I assumed restoring the entire 'VirtualBox VMs' folder would be all that is necessary.

What to do?
socratis
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Re: Restore from time machine

Post by socratis »

You should either restore your "/Users/<YourUsername>/Library/VirtualBox/" folder, or delete it and re-add your VMs. Those are the general preferences for VirtualBox plus the registered VMs.
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berniev
Posts: 5
Joined: 7. Dec 2017, 18:22

Re: Restore from time machine

Post by berniev »

Thanks for quick response.

I came to that conclusion too, but time machine must have re-used the space for those old Library files as they were only available as far back as a week ago.

What did work was to change the default folder in preferences, and create a new vm referencing the old vdi file. Tested ok.

Then (from memory) I 'removed' the new vm, changed the default folder back, 'removed' the vm that couldn't be opened, 'created' a new one referencing that same old vdi. all ok.

Then deleted all the various renamed and unused vms.

The only issue I have now is the vdi is in the folder of an old vm. Can I just move it into the new vm folder and remove/create as necessary? Then that old vm folder can be deleted too and I'll have a clean setup.
socratis
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Re: Restore from time machine

Post by socratis »

You seem to have taken some unnecessary steps there, just because you think that a VM consists only of the VDI. It consists of the VDI(s), the .vbox (the recipe) and potentially any snapshots. So, it's the whole folder that should be considered as "the VM". Something like that:
VirtualBox VMs/Test VM
  |
  |--- Test VM.vbox
  |--- Test VM.vbox-prev
  |--- Test VM.vdi
  |-D- Logs
  |-D- Snapshots
What you have now doesn't look like that, because the VDI is located somewhere else. So, if you don't have any snapshots, I would do this:
  • Release the HD (VDI) from the VM.
  • Go to the Finder and move the VDI to the folder where the VM resides. Rename the VDI, if necessary, to match the VM name. Just so that it looks nicer and neater... ;)
  • Attach the HD (VDI) to the VM from its new location.
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berniev
Posts: 5
Joined: 7. Dec 2017, 18:22

Re: Restore from time machine

Post by berniev »

Yes, it was a careful learning exercise! I was afraid of lsoing stuff.

Thanks re moving vdi. I didn't want to risk the last remaining copy.

I'll follow yr advice confident it will work.

The whole exercise was simpler and a lot less painful than I imagined it might be.

Cheers!
socratis
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Location: Greece

Re: Restore from time machine

Post by socratis »

berniev wrote:I didn't want to risk the last remaining copy.
But you already have a TimeMachine backup ;)
berniev wrote:I'll follow yr advice confident it will work.
Please let us know how it went...
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
Do NOT reply with the "QUOTE" button, please use the "POST REPLY", at the bottom of the form.
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berniev
Posts: 5
Joined: 7. Dec 2017, 18:22

Re: Restore from time machine

Post by berniev »

And you've never seen Time Machine inform that it needs to start again, right? For years I didn't either, but then for a while it was a recurring nightmare.

To the task at hand:

The VDI could not be used again in a new VM even though the other VMs had been 'removed' from VB (but their folders were still there). This is where it got confusing.

After deleting those other VM folders the drive could be added to the new VM. All ok.

But am I right in thinking that, rather than deleting the vm folders, a better way may have been:
- 'add' the old VM back into VB to gain access to its settings, then
- 'remove' the VDI, thereby freeing it up, then
- (optionally) 'remove' the VM from VB again, then
- 'add' the VDI to the new VM

Thanks again!
socratis
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Re: Restore from time machine

Post by socratis »

Here's THE proper procedure that you're supposed to move/backup/restore VMs: Moving a VM.
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berniev
Posts: 5
Joined: 7. Dec 2017, 18:22

Re: Restore from time machine

Post by berniev »

Yes, Id seen that. But I'm not sure it's correct.

Even if the VM is removed from the manager, the VDI still cannot be re-assigned unless it is removed from the other VM first (or, I guess, cloned).

At least that was my experience and source of confusion.
socratis
Site Moderator
Posts: 27330
Joined: 22. Oct 2010, 11:03
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Win(*>98), Linux*, OSX>10.5
Location: Greece

Re: Restore from time machine

Post by socratis »

berniev wrote:But I'm not sure it's correct.
If followed exactly, it's 100% correct, tested time and again. I don't know at which step you... misstepped, but I think that you may have registered the new VM before you unregistered the old one. In any event, since it's working now, I consider the case closed...
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
Do NOT reply with the "QUOTE" button, please use the "POST REPLY", at the bottom of the form.
If you obfuscate any information requested, I will obfuscate my response. These are virtual UUIDs, not real ones.
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