Cloned VM has a much larger disk size than the original VM?

[Fizza]

Hi everyone,
I am creating a Ubuntu JeOS VM on VirtualBox using a vmdk image. The VM created has an actual size (on disk) 59 MB, but when I clone the VM, the actual disk size of the cloned VM is 1.73 GB. However, virtual size of both the actual VM as well as the cloned VM is 2.00 GB.

My question is why does the clone has a much larger size than the original VM? Is this normal?



Thank you.

[socratis]

... The VM created has an actual size (on disk) 59 MB...

That is way too small to hold a VM. My guess is that you took a snapshot of the machine at an early stage of the installation and then you continued to install more software. When you cloned the VM (I guess) that you chose a full-clone, current-state and VirtualBox merged all of the changes to the HD, thus resulting in the 1.73 GB. Check the "Snapshots" folder of your original VM...

[Fizza]

I know 59 MB is too small to hold a VM, but this VM is a minimal version of Ubuntu. That's why it is named JeOS(Just Enough Operating System). It is completely installed and fully functional and even then has a disk size of 59 MB. I simply stop the running VM, Clone it and when I check the size of the cloned VM it is 1.73 GB.

[mpack]

Minimal or not (on installation), when running it's going to need more than 59MB. Socratis' analysis is certainly correct. I can assure you that cloning does not change the logical disk size.