machine.xml vs. virtualbox.exe

[timtimtim]

Odd one this...

I have scripted up VM creation using some batch files. Each script corresponds to a development step.

During development, I noticed that there was an error in one of my later scripts (the point of failure) but no matter as I could revert to an earlier script and re-build the VM.

However, I discovered that despite overwriting the VM's .xml with an 'earlier' .xml, the next vboxmanage command causes the network adapter type to revert to the type used at the point of failure.

Code: Select all

copy  %polo%\fp_utils\tw_vm\cfg\%framework%_%inherit%.diskfree.xml  %vbox_user_home%\%framework%.xml
rem <Adapter slot="0" enabled="true" MACAddress="005BC0A80073" cable="true" speed="1000000" type="Am79C973">
%utils%\virtual_box\vboxmanage.exe modifyvm  %framework%  --boot1 disk  --boot2 dvd  --boot3 none
rem <Adapter slot="0" enabled="true" MACAddress="005BC0A80073" cable="true" speed="1000000" type="virtio">

I can break the script after the

vboxmanage.exe modifyvm

and fire up virtualbox.exe to correct the problem by hand but that kind of ruins the scripting approach to VM creation.

Anyone has an idea what the problem might be?

Although mostly I use w2k sp4 guests, this one is actually wxp sp3.

[timtimtim]

OK, sorry, I fixed it.
I had another VM running, and I noticed in process explorer that virtualbox.exe was what was running that VM, so virtualbox.exe overrides the .xml files somehow, even for a VM which isn't in virtualbox GUI mode. It would be nice if it was the other way around but I guess this would require a significant change to the underlying VBox architecture.

Note to self: one scripted VM at a time! (I was scripting a w2k and a wxp side by side)