Duplicating a VM

This is for discussing general topics about how to use VirtualBox.
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Passiday
Posts: 32
Joined: 30. Jun 2009, 23:16
Primary OS: Ubuntu other
VBox Version: VirtualBox+Oracle ExtPack
Guest OSses: Windows XP

Duplicating a VM

Post by Passiday »

Hello,

I have installed fresh Win install in guest, and want to preserve a copy of it for later use, so that in case of need I can quickly start worging with another Win guest that is fully installed, no need to do the lengthy install process. Snapshot feature is not what helps, because it would just return the existing VM to the previously saved state. Copying the VDI disk image file does not help either, because the Virtual Media Manager is not happy when I attempt to register a copy of already registered disk - id numbers are equal. I imagine I could create a blank disk image and then use some diskcopy tool to duplicate the disk. But that seems awkward way to make a copy of VM, I feel there should be a more easy one.
baf
Volunteer
Posts: 829
Joined: 27. Sep 2008, 06:18
Primary OS: Mac OS X Leopard
VBox Version: VirtualBox+Oracle ExtPack
Guest OSses: linux,xp,win7
Location: Luleå or Skellefteå, Sweden

Re: Duplicating a VM

Post by baf »

1) copy the vdi

2) run:
VboxManage internalcommands sethduuid <filepath>

Assigns a new UUID to the given image file. This way, multiple copies
of a container can be registered.
 Edit: Fixed misspelling 
Last edited by baf on 5. Jul 2009, 22:39, edited 1 time in total.
Some say: "You learn as long as you live".
My way: "You live as long as you learn".
alukin
Posts: 17
Joined: 4. Jul 2009, 13:27
Primary OS: Ubuntu other
VBox Version: VirtualBox+Oracle ExtPack
Guest OSses: Win XP, Fedora 12

Re: Duplicating a VM

Post by alukin »

Sure you have to use VB tools to copy HD image if you are going to use this HD clone in the same VB. Only difference is: VB tools change UUID of disk image while copying it 1:1. If you just copy file by OS copy tool the UUID of disk image will be the same and you'll get errors from VB.
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