virtualbox.org

virtualbox 3.2.8 running on intel mac os 10.6.4 w/ winxp guest
Newbie

I want to upgrade to 3.2.10 to hopefully improve some audio problems and reattach or import my current hdd image. So do I uninstall the current VB by double-clicking on the dmg file I used to install it, install 2.3.10 and at the point of the installation where I can make a new virtual hdd choose my previously made one from a drop-down list? In order to have my current hdd available in the drop down list do I leave it in its current folder of user\library\virtualbox\hard disks or move it so it won't be uninstalled and then put it back? I think I read that an uninstall doesn't remove the vdi file, but I can't find where I read that. The snapshots are in another library\virtualbox folder. Will they also be available after an uninstall/reinstall?

The manual said that Linux hosts could simply run the installer for the update, but I haven't found anything on how to do an update/upgrade for mac hosts. Can I just run the 2.3.10 installer w/out uninstalling 2.3.8?

Yes you can run the 3.2.10 installer without uninstalling 3.2.8. But because Murphy's Law strikes when you least expect it, it's best to have a backup just in case before you do that. All the VB files other than the application are usually stored in the VirtualBox folder on this path:

Users/[your account]/Library/VirtualBox

backing up this folder should back up your VMs and all the XML files with your settings. When you install the new version of VB it will sometimes update these files. On some occasions it has left some XML files corrupted or corrupted the header of the vdi (that's why you make a backup). All this assumes you did not in your original install have it place the VM somewhere else.

Once the install is complete you do not have to do anything to re-attach your VM. When you bring up VB everything should start up the same as with the earlier version as if nothing had changed. You should, if you have the guest additions installed, update them once you bring up your VM.

Thanks rpmurray,

If I understand what I read in the manual I can simply copy the virtualbox folder in library to a backup location since I won't be using the vdi file in a 2nd virtual machine. I don't have to use clonehd. I could also use that backup copy if my virtual winxp got infected w/ a virus, right? So it would be a good thing to keep my backup copy after the update and to keep it current w/ changes in my vm.

AnnieMS wrote:If I understand what I read in the manual I can simply copy the virtualbox folder in library to a backup location since I won't be using the vdi file in a 2nd virtual machine. I don't have to use clonehd. I could also use that backup copy if my virtual winxp got infected w/ a virus, right? So it would be a good thing to keep my backup copy after the update and to keep it current w/ changes in my vm.

Yes, you can simply copy the folder to a backup drive or other location. You could swap the backup vdi back into the folder, but you'd lose any changes you made since the backup. If you were needing to do a restore you'd probably want to copy all the associated XML files back also. If you 're creating snapshots you also have to take those into account, so in the case of a restore it would be easier to just copy the whole folder back (unless you have other VMs in the folder that you don't want to restore, in which case you'd need to be careful what you move back.