Hey all
I have perused the various topics related to making this happen for a usb disk and have used the instructions on the virtual box support page. Has something been deprecated again, or is my syntax off? I can't get past the initial step of creating the vmdk file, getting an error. Drive isn't mounted and I don't even need it bootable - I'm just trying to get it accessible as raw so I can run testdisk on it to recover partitions and files.
$ VBoxManage createmedium disk --filename path-to-file.vmdk --format=VMDK
--variant RawDisk --property RawDrive=/dev/disk4s1
I get the error
VBoxManage: error: unknown option: -RawDisk
Running latest VirtualBox-7.0.14-161095-OSX
Thanks in advance
RawDisk access issue
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Re: RawDisk access issue
Your syntax seems to be correct. However, there are a few things to consider.
1. Does path-to-file.vmdk contain any spaces? You maybe need quote chars if there are any spaces.
2. Try using /dev/disk4 (i.e. the whole drive, not just the first partition)
3. Look at using --property Partitions=x,y,z ...
4. Do you have ownership of /dev/disk4* ? You made need to:
Rawdisk is tricky and the error messages can sometimes be misleading.
1. Does path-to-file.vmdk contain any spaces? You maybe need quote chars if there are any spaces.
2. Try using /dev/disk4 (i.e. the whole drive, not just the first partition)
3. Look at using --property Partitions=x,y,z ...
4. Do you have ownership of /dev/disk4* ? You made need to:
Code: Select all
sudo chown username /dev/disk4*
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Re: RawDisk access issue
Thanks for that.
I ran chown to be sure of it.
I included the quotes and now don't get the previous error, just new ones Changed to just disk4 (there's only 1 partition)
Here's my updated command
VBoxManage createmedium disk --filename "/Users/me/VirtualBox\ VMs/usbdrive.vmdk" --format=VMDK
--variant RawDisk --property RawDrive=/dev/disk4
I get the following returned
VBoxManage: error: Parameter --size is required
Usage - Create a new medium:
VBoxManage createmedium [disk | dvd | floppy] <--filename=filename>
[--size=megabytes | --sizebyte=bytes] [--diffparent= UUID | filename ]
[--format= VDI | VMDK | VHD ]
[--variant Standard,Fixed,Split2G,Stream,ESX,Formatted,RawDisk]
--property name=value... --property-file name=/path/to/file/with/value...
zsh: command not found: --variant
Thanks again
I ran chown to be sure of it.
I included the quotes and now don't get the previous error, just new ones Changed to just disk4 (there's only 1 partition)
Here's my updated command
VBoxManage createmedium disk --filename "/Users/me/VirtualBox\ VMs/usbdrive.vmdk" --format=VMDK
--variant RawDisk --property RawDrive=/dev/disk4
I get the following returned
VBoxManage: error: Parameter --size is required
Usage - Create a new medium:
VBoxManage createmedium [disk | dvd | floppy] <--filename=filename>
[--size=megabytes | --sizebyte=bytes] [--diffparent= UUID | filename ]
[--format= VDI | VMDK | VHD ]
[--variant Standard,Fixed,Split2G,Stream,ESX,Formatted,RawDisk]
--property name=value... --property-file name=/path/to/file/with/value...
zsh: command not found: --variant
Thanks again
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Re: RawDisk access issue
Remove the "\" character after VirtualBox, but leave the quotes around the file name.jonnybignote wrote: ↑8. Mar 2024, 22:05 VBoxManage createmedium disk --filename "/Users/me/VirtualBox\ VMs/usbdrive.vmdk" --format=VMDK
--variant RawDisk --property RawDrive=/dev/disk4
Also - make sure that you only send one line of input - looks as though you may have copy/pasted and ended up with 2 commands instead of just one (the zsh error indicates this)
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Re: RawDisk access issue
OK The subfolder was VirtualBox VMs, so I think I needed the backslash for the space. In any case I got rid of it.
I worked from the folder in question to avoid the need for path (I assume I can do that)
Pasted directly from VirtualBox manual to ensure no more than one line of input
VBoxManage createmedium disk --filename usbdrive.vmdk --format=VMDK
--variant RawDisk --property RawDrive=/dev/sda
Same message
VBoxManage: error: Parameter --size is required
Usage - Create a new medium:
VBoxManage createmedium [disk | dvd | floppy] <--filename=filename>
[--size=megabytes | --sizebyte=bytes] [--diffparent= UUID | filename ]
[--format= VDI | VMDK | VHD ]
[--variant Standard,Fixed,Split2G,Stream,ESX,Formatted,RawDisk]
--property name=value... --property-file name=/path/to/file/with/value...
zsh: command not found: --variant
Pls note I'm on OS X 11.7.10
I worked from the folder in question to avoid the need for path (I assume I can do that)
Pasted directly from VirtualBox manual to ensure no more than one line of input
VBoxManage createmedium disk --filename usbdrive.vmdk --format=VMDK
--variant RawDisk --property RawDrive=/dev/sda
Same message
VBoxManage: error: Parameter --size is required
Usage - Create a new medium:
VBoxManage createmedium [disk | dvd | floppy] <--filename=filename>
[--size=megabytes | --sizebyte=bytes] [--diffparent= UUID | filename ]
[--format= VDI | VMDK | VHD ]
[--variant Standard,Fixed,Split2G,Stream,ESX,Formatted,RawDisk]
--property name=value... --property-file name=/path/to/file/with/value...
zsh: command not found: --variant
Pls note I'm on OS X 11.7.10
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Re: RawDisk access issue
You're still sending 2 separate lines I can re-create your eaxact error message with
VBoxManage createmedium disk --filename usbdrive.vmdk --format=VMDK
i.e nothing after VMDK
You need to send:
If you click SELECT ALL and then copy from this CODE box, you will get only one line to paste into your terminal.
VBoxManage createmedium disk --filename usbdrive.vmdk --format=VMDK
i.e nothing after VMDK
You need to send:
Code: Select all
VBoxManage createmedium disk --filename "/Users/me/VirtualBox VMs/usbdrive.vmdk" --format=VMDK --variant RawDisk --property RawDrive=/dev/disk4
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Re: RawDisk access issue
You nailed it - sorry, I didn't have my terminal window open wide enough so I didn't see the line break in there...
All working now
Many thanks again
All working now
Many thanks again
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Re: RawDisk access issue
I'm happy to hear that you got it all sorted out. RawDisk is difficult and has many quirks.
You may be interested in looking at VBoxRawdisk
This software is designed to create a VMDK for a bootable drive, so not directly applicable to your needs but may be of some use.
You may be interested in looking at VBoxRawdisk
This software is designed to create a VMDK for a bootable drive, so not directly applicable to your needs but may be of some use.