virtualbox.org

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.

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

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.