virtualbox.org

We have a VM. It had two snapshots. One was made when the the VM was originally set up. The other was made when the all the installs were completed to the system.

Because of the extremely large size of the snapshots and the limited amount of remaining disc space we decided to get rid of the snapshots and consolidate everything into the current vdi. We ran the "delete snapshot" process on the most recent snapshot and it successfully consolidated into the current vdi. However when we ran the "Delete Snapshot" process on the original snapshot, we got the following error:

Failed to delete the snapshot Snapshot 2012-02-28 (After SQL 2005) of the virtual machine CPVFS_SQL_2003-64.

Could not merge the medium 'C:\_Program_Files_VFS\VirtualBox\CPVFS_SQL_2003-64\Snapshots/{0e7bb368-636d-4b18-9bab-0aba758a6b40}.vdi' to 'C:\_Program_Files_VFS\VirtualBox\CPVFS_SQL_2003-64\CPVFS_SQL_2003-64.vdi' (VERR_INVALID_PARAMETER).

Result Code: VBOX_E_FILE_ERROR (0x80BB0004)
Component: Medium
Interface: IMedium {53f9cc0c-e0fd-40a5-a404-a7a5272082cd}

We ran a chkdsk with repair. This time the "Delete Snapshot" process went further but it still crashed with the same error.

Does anyone have an idea on how we can get around this error.

Before you kill the guest completely I hope you have a good backup.

If I were doing this (and I do not use snapshots for this and other reasons) I would clone the current state so you don't loose it all.

All the files to the VM were copied to an external hard drive before this process was begun. Since it is a Navy external hard drive, it is encrypted with a separate key than the built in hard drives. So it is only good for copying files for backup. You can't run anything off of it. The built in hard drive does not have sufficient space on it to clone the VM which is why that option was not considered.

Other post stated that this error was due to bad sectors on the hard drive. So a chkdsk should have fixed that; and it did proceed further before crashing. We are doing another chkdsk. But what options are there if that does not work.

So at least you can recover. That's a good thing. No considering the drive issues. If the bad sector is where the guest resides I don't know how you can recover it and have trust that it will still be usable. Can you do an image to a different drive, or add another drive to the host and image it to that?

No and no.

Interestingly enough, the VM opens just fine. You can boot it up and work with it. It is not clear what the issue can possible be. It is very annoying not to be able to use the external hard drive like any other hard drive like we could in a sensible setup. If I had an unencrypted external hard drive.... But "if wishes were fishes, we'd all cast nets".

I hear you. Unfortunately I have no other suggestions. Anything that I could come up with to keep from trashing the guest would involve additional storage.

In desparation, I removed the Virtual machine using the files on the internal hard drive and connected to the copy of the machine as it existed before the delete snapshot process on the external hard drive after getting a copy of the .vbox as it existed previously from DVD (because the external hard drive corrupts text files.) After connecting, I attempted to clone the current state (as it existed before all of this) to the external hard drive E:\. After running for over an hour I got the below error.

Failed to clone the virtual machine CPVFS_SQL_2003-64.

Could not create the clone medium 'C:\_Program_Files_VFS\VirtualBox\CPVFS_SQL_2003-64 Clone\CPVFS_SQL_2003-64 Clone.vdi' (VERR_DISK_FULL).

Result Code: VBOX_E_FILE_ERROR (0x80BB0004)
Component: Machine
Interface: IMachine {5eaa9319-62fc-4b0a-843c-0cb1940f8a91}

This surprised me since I thought I was creating the clone on the same drive as the VM existed. I tried to find some way that the cloning process could direct where to create the clone. I was not able to find anything in the wizard that would allow that.

Now the VBoxManage clonevm entry of the has an option that states -basefolder I am hoping that this can be used to designate where the thing is going to go. So I would image the the command line entry would be "VBoxManage clonevm -mode machine -basefolder E:\_Program_Files_VFS\VirtualBox\CPVFS_SQL_2003-64 Clone" can someone confirm this before I spend a couple of hours only to have it fail again?

The syntax is off a bit. use -- instead of - and wrap the statements instead of the entire command.

VBoxManage clonevm --mode machine --basefolder "E:\_Program_Files_VFS\VirtualBox\CPVFS_SQL_2003-64 Clone"

I see in the user manual that the name of the machine to be cloned must be specified. But the --name switch says it is for the new name of the machine. so is the proper code:

VBoxManage clonevm "CPVFS_SQL_2003-64" --mode machine --basefolder "E:\_Program_Files_VFS\VirtualBox\CPVFS_SQL_2003-64 Clone"

I assumed you knew this, sorry. Yes you must specify the machine you are cloning or VirtualBox will have no clue what to do.

OMG could this be any slower. I thought the GUI version was slow. Its has been running now for 1.5 hours and it is only 30% complete.

Perry how can I tell if this command line tool is still working. I see two processes in the task manager, one reads VBoxManager.exe and the other VBoxSVC.exe. While the task was seemingly working the percentage markers on the command line would increment about every 10 -12 minutes, and the VBoxSVC.exe was showing between 5-7 % CPU and a varying amount of physical memory being used and the processing light on the machine was blinking. However for the last 20 minutes it has been stuck at 50%, VBoxSVC.exe was showing between 0 CPU and a static amount of physical memory. and the processing light on the machine is not blinking. At what point do I give up and start all over again tomorrow?

Update: There has been no change in the last half hour so I have to believe the process has failed again. 8 hours wasted.

Windows... Well there should be disk activity. If there is none then it has halted I would think. Something that happens to Windows some times IIRC.

Reading your other post about the time I guess the drive is a network drive? That could explain the halt as well.

Is this drive something that could have been shut down or interrupted by a different user?

No the drive is a UBS external hard drive, with a different encryption key.

Update. I suspect that my use of IE and OWA hogged too much memory and killed the processing.

Yup. USB drives are slow, and you are probably right. Set it up and go to lunch (a long one probably) where the PC is not doing anything else.