Delete the changes in my Virtual Guest machines

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Windows hosts.
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$elrahc66
Posts: 10
Joined: 29. Sep 2020, 02:02

Delete the changes in my Virtual Guest machines

Post by $elrahc66 »

I looked through the documentation and maybe I missed it.
I am wondering which option I use to delete the changes in my Virtual Guest machine.
I am running Windows 7 on the host machine and server 2019 evaluation in the guest and I have been Installing various programs to see
how they do for a customer and I can't see which option will shut down the guest machine and discard all of my recent installations,maybe I am just not seeing it in
the help manuals. :) :)
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39134
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: VirtualBox+Oracle ExtPack
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Delete the changes in my Virtual Guest machines

Post by mpack »

Just revert to the snapshot or backup you created to preserve the moment in time you wanted to return to. I don't see how else you would expect VirtualBox to know anything about what you want to keep.

VirtualBox is a hardware simulator. Don't expect it to do anything hardware can't.
$elrahc66
Posts: 10
Joined: 29. Sep 2020, 02:02

Re: Delete the changes in my Virtual Guest machines

Post by $elrahc66 »

mpack wrote:Just revert to the snapshot or backup you created to preserve the moment in time you wanted to return to. I don't see how else you would expect VirtualBox to know anything about what you want to keep.

VirtualBox is a hardware simulator. Don't expect it to do anything hardware can't.
no that's not what I am wanting I was just wanting to revert to the state it was when I first opened it just like in M.S Virtual P.C.when I close the virtual machine and it says
"Turn off and delete changes".Thats all I am trying to do I just could see a way in the documentation.
i have a lot of experience with Vmware and M.S Virtual P.C but I am fairly new to Virtual Box. :D :D
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39134
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: VirtualBox+Oracle ExtPack
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Delete the changes in my Virtual Guest machines

Post by mpack »

$elrahc66 wrote:I was just wanting to revert to the state it was when I first opened it just like in M.S Virtual P.C.when I close the virtual machine and it says
"Turn off and delete changes".
"Virtual PC" can only do that with linked clones. I assume what you actually mean is "Windows XP Mode", the feature from Windows 7 that consisted of a template XP installation, which Virtual PC would use as the base for creating linked clones of the template. It could supply a pre-prepared template because it only supported one guest OS.

VirtualBox can do linked clones too (though I wouldn't recommend it), but you always have to create the template first.

Long story short: we don't do magic. If you have never indicated a current state that you might want to return to (either by linked clone, snapshot or straight backup), then you can't restore that state.
$elrahc66
Posts: 10
Joined: 29. Sep 2020, 02:02

Re: Delete the changes in my Virtual Guest machines

Post by $elrahc66 »

Yes I am seeing what you are saying I am thinking I can do it with snapshots in Virtual Box to revert to whatever state I am wanting.
And i am running M.S Virtual P.C SP1_ now and I am running 2 VM's now at the same time ,I have never used the windows XP mode in windows 7 I just tried M.S Virtual P.C and it works with no issues.

Thanks for the help I will give it a look here in a bit.
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