backup virtual machines

[gstark45]

forgive me if this has been discussed somewhere and I just missed it, but I am in a situation where I need to reload my host computer, but don't want to lose my virtual machines I have created. Is there a utility or procedure for this? What I'd like to achieve is to back them up, reload unit, reinstall vbox, and then just restore my vm's. Ideas-thoughts-suggestions?

Thanks all,

.gs.

[TerryE]

This is touched on in my tutorial All about VDIs. You can just zip the .VirtualBox directory onto you backup device. You might want to hide your VDIs directory and uncheck the search hidden folders then zip your VDIs individually.

Once you've done the rebuild, then you can simply reconstruct the .VirtualBox directory and VBox will pick it up.

[gstark45]

so you're saying that a simple zip and upzip is all needs to be done? I read somewhere that there were some hidden files that weren't backed up when done that way, but I may be thinking of something else...

[TerryE]

Unless you've moved directories using the Preferences, then you'll find everything under your .VirtualBox directory. The leading dot hides this under Linux, but not under Windows.