virtualbox.org

I have a fresh install of a WinXP machine. And I backupped it as a OVF before starting to use the VM. Now I want to experiment with immutable VMs. But to do that, the immutable commands can only work on VDI files? So I must transform my OVF to VDI before start experimenting with immutable commands. How do I transform OVF to VDI?

If I import the OVF file then I get a VMDK file. Can I experiment with immutable commands on VMDK files? Or must I transform the VMDK file to VDI first?

From the OVF, I can get a VMDK file. But I need a VDI file. So how do I get a VDI file? Or must I reinstall to get a VDI file?

two options

1. CloneVDI.exe
2. Command Line VBoxManage clonehd

I dont understand the 2) alternative. I do:
VBoxManage clonehd WinXP_SP3.vmdk ./WinXP --format VDI
And no new file is created. Nothing happens with my files.

So I was dumb to create a OVF file. I should backup the VDI file.

Regarding the 1) I do not feel comfortable with it. It is not officially supported by ORacle.

I think I must reinstall and backup the VDI file. And do not create an OVF file.

Ok, regarding step 2) the VDI file appears in the .VirtualBox directory. That is the reason I did not found it. The VDI file is there. However, it is very big: 1.4GB. So I better make a clean reinstall and backup the small VDI file: 700MB.

Thank you. Problem solved.

Mpack's CloneVDI is safe to use, don't worry. The main file will not be modified in any way. It can even shrink the file in the process.