Best Way to Close Windows VM

[Freedomcoach]

Hi Everyone:

I'm concerned about closing down and saving my Windows 7 VM so everything is totally preserved. I know snapshots are one approach. I've noticed on a few occasions that starting my VM results in an continuous spinning ball on my mac with a black window. The VM doesn't launch. I'm concerned that even though I took care to shut down windows normally that somehow my VM is not saved in a good state. So I'd like some help in closing down my VM in the safest manner so I can be sure it okay.

When closing the VM window, I see 3 choices, power down, save the VM, send the shutdown signal. Which is safest?

One more related question. It seems that starting up my VM automatically restores the last snapshot. Is this correct and normal? Thanks!

Howard

[Perryg]

The safest way is to use the Windows shutdown method and not the red x
Click on the Windows start button and select shutdown.

[Freedomcoach]

Thanks. Then what could possibly be causing the problem I've been having with starting up the VM again? This has me worried.

[Perryg]

I don't know. I don't use snapshots. Too fragile.
Search here and read about the problems and lost guests and the like.
Better keep a good backup.

[Freedomcoach]

Okay, what do you mean exactly by a good backup? I do a mac backup with the built in time machine throughout the day and also a weekly bootable clone update using the mac software superduper. Is this what you mean or are you referring to some other VM machine backup or windows backup? What about the feature of "saving the machine"? Is this reliable?

Howard

[Perryg]

Backup is a backup as long as you know you can restore the programs and files back to a state before they were damaged or deleted. So what ever you are happy with will work.
Saved just means that the VM is stored in a saved state (Not shut down). This is handy if you want to save the state and return to it faster. Actually more like hibernate. Do not rely on this to protect your guest as that is not what it was intended to do. Also try not to update VirtualBox with guests in a saved state. It does not happen often but on occasion the guest becomes lost and you need to discard the saved state to get it back.

[ChipMcK]

I do a mac backup with the built in time machine throughout the day

Time Machine? Due to the size of a virtual disk, this seems expensive - wasting space. And then add that frequently the vHD is in 2GB 'pieces', the 'pieces' may not be updated as a group (all at the same instant), the trustworthiness of time machine is questionable.
Just my two cents.
Best!

[Freedomcoach]

My mistake. I actually am not using Time machine for this. I excluded it from the Time machine prefs. I'm just backing up with superduper and also being careful to shut down my guest windows each day. From what you are saying, this is the safest.