VBoxManage

[sam654]

I can't get VBoxManage to work. I've clicked the icon shortcut and a command prompt comes up, spins through a load of text too fast to read and then closes. After this has happened I still can't use the command prompt to access anything for VirtualBox.
Either there is something wrong with my installation of Virtual Box and I'd kindly like some guidance, or since I've looked for pointers on how to START using VBoxManage, I would suggest that there is not enough information out there. I expect the former.

Regards
Sam

[0x13H]

Hi Sam,

No problems with your installation of VirtualBox, similarly, it's not a case of documentation, this is fairly rudimentary command box stuff so you wouldn't really expect to find it in something like VirtualBox documentation... Here's how you get started:

1) Start
2) Type cmd.exe
3) Press enter
4) Navigate to the VirtualBox directory by typing the following (or copying and pasting, but to paste you must right click in the command window) then pressing enter:
cd C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox
5) Now type VBoxManage followed by the commands you want and press enter.

[sam654]

Thanks. That's what I needed. Now I'm having a syntax problem (see below).

I used the following syntax as I don't have space on my C drive.
C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox>VBoxManage clonehd E:\All My Files\Virtual HD
D\nopCommerce E:\All My Files\Virtual HDD\nopCommerceClone


I'm looking to clone the virtual disk "E:\All My Files\Virtual HDD\nopCommerce". I don't know where to find it's <uuid>. I'd like to create the clone on the same drive, maybe "E:\All My Files\Virtual HDD\Clone".

Appreciate your assistance.
Regards
Sam



Syntax error: Mandatory output file parameter missing

C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox>VBoxManage clonehd "nopCommerce" "copy"
VBoxManage.exe: error: Could not find file for the medium 'C:\Program Files\Orac
le\VirtualBox\nopCommerce' (VERR_FILE_NOT_FOUND)
VBoxManage.exe: error: Details: code VBOX_E_FILE_ERROR (0x80bb0004), component M
edium, interface IMedium, callee IUnknown
Context: "OpenMedium(Bstr(pszFilenameOrUuid).raw(), enmDevType, AccessMode_ReadW
rite, fForceNewUuidOnOpen, pMedium.asOutParam())" at line 210 of file VBoxManage
Disk.cpp

C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox>VBoxManage clonehd E:\All My Files\Virtual HD
D\nopCommerce E:\All My Files\Virtual HDD\nopCommerceClone
Oracle VM VirtualBox Command Line Management Interface Version 4.1.8
(C) 2005-2011 Oracle Corporation
All rights reserved.

Usage:

VBoxManage clonehd <uuid>|<filename> <uuid>|<outputfile>
[--format VDI|VMDK|VHD|RAW|<other>]
[--variant Standard,Fixed,Split2G,Stream,ESX]
[--existing]


Syntax error: Invalid parameter 'Files\Virtual'

C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox>

[0x13H]

Well firstly, are you sure it is a VHD you are wanting to clone (uses clonehd) or a virtualmachine (clonevm)? I cannot post a link to the manual but it is chapter 8 of the manual, you'll notice in the clonehd section there is the or symbol (|) which is saying you can use either the VHD name or the UUID. So a sample command is:

VBoxManage clonehd "D:\Virtual Box\Virtual Machines\Windows 7 - Original\Windows 7 - Original.vdi" "D:\Virtual Box\Virtual Machines\Windows 7 - Original\Windows 7 - New.vdi"

Change the paths and names as required. Notice that quotes are wrapping the names, that's because there are spaces within the path, so remember that...

[mpack]

Sam, if you are using VirtualBox v4.1.x or later then copying (cloning) of disks is supported in the GUI, the virtual media manager: File | Virtual Media Manager. The disk to be cloned does have to be registered first.

You could also use the CloneVDI tool, which also has a GUI, and doesn't require the disk to be registered. See the CloneVDI sticky in "Windows Hosts".

[sam654]

Thank you all very much. I used the cloneVDI tool.