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I have got a number of VMs with the machine definitions stored in files with extension .XML I have recently found a problem with the older machines after upgrading to VBOX 4.1.8 and Guest additions. Newer VMs are created with a .VBOX extension.

The definitions in the .XML files seem to be similar to the .VBOX files (obviously different settings and names).

When did the change from .XML suffix to .VBOX suffix take place and was there a migration facility?

I need this as the Fullscreen switching and OS Resizing works in the VBOX machines but not the XML ones.

.xml machines are old machine created with vbox prior to 4.x.x, .vbox machines are machines created with 4.x.x

Easy step to migrate .xml machines to .vbox ones is to use export then import.
To speed it up, i prefer to detach harddisks from old machines, export and import them.
Last step is to attach hardrives back.

Let me know if this isn't enough clear.

My first steps in using vboxmanage have hit a problem I cannot find any references to Virtual Appliances.
I can see that "vboxmanage export vmname -output" will output the virtual machine but to where?
What is a virtual appliance?
A pointer to somewhere I can read about this subject would be appreciated.

In fact, if you are now using VirtualBox v4.1.x or later, then the easiest way to convert a v3.x (and earlier) VM to v4.x layout is to clone the VM. To do this you right click on the VM name in the GUI, and select "Clone". Keep the existing MAC address, as you won't be running the clone VM at the same time as the old - in fact the old VM will be deleted as soon as you confirm to yourself that the clone is working.

Be warned: cloning may cause a Windows guest to require reactivation, this is a one off problem however so nothing to worry about.

As to the difference between .xml and .vbox: the name change was simply in order to allow a file extension which could be uniquely associated with VirtualBox (.xml is of course generic). There are few technical differences, the main one being a feature introduced in v4 that each VM settings file can contain its own private media registry, thus allowing VMs which are more easily ported and backed up.

Many thanks for the info.

For very strange reasons I want to make the clone have the original VM machine name.
Is that possible? and if so how?

MacNala wrote:For very strange reasons I want to make the clone have the original VM machine name.
Is that possible? and if so how?

Rename the original, then clone, giving the clone the original name. Of course you can't have two VMs with the same name active at the same time on the same host, that would be confusing.

How do I rename the original. Your description of the GUI way of cloning is very good,
Is there a GUI way of renaming?

VM->settings->general->name

Thanks for that.
It doesn't seem to rename the Virtual disks though.
Do I have to detach them and then reattach them after cloning?

Don't lose sight of your goal. Your goal was to get everything right in the clone. The original will eventually be deleted, so who cares what its hard disks are called.

Anyway, yes. Provided you have not used snapshots (*) then the easiest way to rename a disk image file is to release and remove it from the VM (without deleting the physical files!), rename using the host OS then re-mount in the VM.

(*) Snapshots should hopefully not be a concern with the clone.

Thanks for that.