Failure running previously created VM

[stefanaalten]

I'm getting an error when trying to open/run a VM created previously.

Host: Windows 7 64-bit, on a ThinkPad T400. Guest platform I'm trying to run is Ubuntu 10.04 (I think).

I upgraded my laptop's internal hard drive about a year ago and copied files to the new hard drive. The VM was created on the previous drive. I had hoped/assumed I could just "point at" the VM file and run it. To be honest, I don't really know what's going on, but I do have a bunch of data I don't want to lose on the old VM so don't want to just throw the VM away and start with a new one.

I have attached the log file, and this is the error I receive:

Failed to open a session for the virtual machine Ubuntu VM.
Failed to open image 'C:\Users\Administrator\.VirtualBox\HardDisks\Ubuntu 10.04.vdi' for writing due to wrong permissions (VERR_VD_IMAGE_READ_ONLY).
Failed to attach driver below us! Image is read-only. (VERR_VD_IMAGE_READ_ONLY).
AHCI: Failed to attach drive to Port0 (VERR_VD_IMAGE_READ_ONLY).
Result Code: E_FAIL (0x80004005)
Component: Console
Interface: IConsole {db7ab4ca-2a3f-4183-9243-c1208da92392}

I don't know what the error means, but the word "permissions" seems to suggest it's purely a problem with moving the file from my old hard drive to the new hard drive, possibly?

If anyone can help I would really appreciate it!

Many thanks.

[mpack]

For future reference, perhaps you should read Howto: Move a VM.

In the meantime you probably can't do much because you already destroyed the VM by removing it from its control environment. Best you can do is create a new VM around the existing VDI file, trying to get the recipe as close as possible. Assuming that you have now upgraded to VBox v4.x (your error message involving a "HardDisks" folder implies a v3.x layout) then try to ensure that the VDI ends up in the VM folder.

[stefanaalten]

Thanks for speedy post mpack.

That is in fact what I tried to do: I created a new machine and indicated it should use an existing hard drive (VDI file, right?) The machine appears in my VirtualBox Manager list, "powered off", and when I try to start it I receive the error I posted.

Is there any other way of "re-using" the existing hard drive/VDI?

[mpack]

No, there is no way to use a hard disk outside of a PC.

The error message says that the VDI is read only, which can mean that it literally is marked read only (check in file properties), or that your current user doesn't have write access to the named folder. IMHO you should move the VDI into the VM folder which you definitely do have permission to access.