Resize dynamic HD - XPGuest

[KFlash]

Hi folks,

i've read some threads on this topic and now I know, that 2 steps are necessary to resize my virtual HD. First I have to resize the HD-Image, than I have to adjust the partition on the image.

I have 1 Snapshot of the VM. I heared I need to "get rid of them".

Questions:
1. Can I simply use the button "delete Snapshot" without loosing my current data? Or do I have to do some VM-Voodoo before?
2. Where do I have to enter the command "VBoxManage modifyhd --resize"? Is there a VirtualBox-Shell, or is it to be executed on the host command line?
3. What is the easiest and fastest method to expand my partition. (I have XP home as guest system.)

[mpack]

Perhaps it would be safest and fastest if you simply downloaded CloneVDI and used that. Select the latest snapshot (in the Snapshots subfolder) as the source to clone, click the "Increase drive size" and "Increase partition size" checkboxes, and in fact you may as well select "Compact" as well.

The result will be a clone VDI of the new size, which you must build a new VM around - you can't plug this into the original VM because it still has all kinds snapshot junk in the control file.

Check the new VM out for a while before deleting the old VM.

I would suggest for the future that manipulations of this kind are much easier - or sometimes only possible - if snapshots are not involved.

[HBadorties]

You may want to look at what I did to reduce the size of my dynamic VD.

However, I did not have to deal with the issue of snapshots.

[KFlash]

I don't want to reduce the size, but increase it.
I think I will go for CloneVDI.
But I have a question regarding the tool.

When I use it as mentioned, will changes to the VMs content, that have been made after the snapshot, get lost? The snapshot is some months old and I don't want to lose the data. (espec. eMails)

[mpack]

will changes to the VMs content, that have been made after the snapshot, get lost?

Not if you choose the latest snapshot VDI from the Snapshots subfolder as I mentioned (do NOT choose the base VDI).

[KFlash]

Perhaps it would be safest and fastest if you simply downloaded CloneVDI and used that. Select the latest snapshot (in the Snapshots subfolder) as the source to clone, click the "Increase drive size" and "Increase partition size" checkboxes, and in fact you may as well select "Compact" as well.

I choose all those options. I got an error message "SourceFile is a difference file. Could not clone it (for now)."

[KFlash]

Is there a workaround?

EDIT: I found this post by mpack and try to move my base vdi next to the snapshot file. I think the error message could be improved, if an vdi in the chain is not found.

[mpack]

You should not have seen that error message if all the files were in their usual places (snapshots in Snapshots subfolder, base vdi in parent folder). The error message means what it says: it has nothing but difference information, no base.

[KFlash]

Das base.vdi was in the harddisk folder. (It once was a 3.x VM, was later migrated to 4.x with your tool if I remember correctly, but the HD files was still there).

After moving the file, it starts working. Lets see if it is sucessful.

[mpack]

If the task is completed without errors then it was successful.

[KFlash]

Yes, it worked well. My VM (a new VM with the disk) is up and running again.
After I startet it for the first time I immediately installed the Guest-Extensions and rebootet. Then a CheckDisk showed up and found some corrupted files that could be corrected bei CheckDisk.

This was the only distraction.

Thanks!