virtualbox.org

I have cloned my fixed-size vdi (10GB), but the cloned vdi is dynamic.

How can I change the dynamic to fixed-size? Or how can I clone my fixed-size vdi to fixed size vdi?
Thank you! (host xp sp3, guest xp sp3)

You can just fill up the drive temporarily so it gets it's max size. No idea why you want it to be fixed, it doesn't give any benefits (performance or fragmentation wise).

I use hardly my HDD booth on the host and guest. If the guest would be fixed-size, my HDD should not work so much.

Isn't there really no solution to clone a fixed size guest if the other guest is also fixed size?

If the guest would be fixed-size, my HDD should not work so much.

Can you point me to where you got this notion? Or is it just your opinion?
AFAIK there is no way to convert it (at least easily) For stability if you really want a fixed size you should start with a fixed size.

The "VBoxManage clonehd" command can create a fixed size output image if you use the "--variant Fixed" option, however I share the opinions already given that this is pointless and in fact counterproductive: huge obstacles in your host filesystem are likely to lead to congestion and hence fragmentation. This will not usually improve host performance and hence not improve the guest either.

Actually notion I was talking about is that using Fixed would make the drive work better and more efficient. "If the guest would be fixed-size, my HDD should not work so much."

Perryg wrote:Actually notion I was talking about is that using Fixed would make the drive work better and more efficient. "If the guest would be fixed-size, my HDD should not work so much."

Yep. The only thing I thought that might be referring to is a reduction in the number of seeks due to the image being less fragmented. IMHO its a bad assumption (it ignores operation of the system as a whole), but I do think that's what he was talking about.