Moving virtual discs

[Toothsmith]

Hi,

I am sure that this topic has been explored before but a search hasn't produced the answer I need.

I have a number of VB setups (all XP Pro) installed in the default location under Windows 7 in c:\users\username/VirtualBox VMs. I want to move them to d: where I have more space, c: is getting rather full.

So, I copied the entire "VirtualBox VMs" directory to a new location on d:, released the original c: vdi's, removed them and attached the "new" vdi's on d: to the same virtual machines. I also changed the Default Machine Folder in File/Preferences to the new location.

In theory, this should mean that VB knows nothing of the original vdi's on c:. It can't see them and it can't link to them.

The next step was to rename the old c: folder to something else to test the theory that VB couldn't see them and lo! and behold, VB then signalled all the virtual discs "Inaccessible".

Why is this? Obviously, I can't delete the old discs now as they're needed by the system - this can't be right. Have I missed a setting somewhere that will completely cut the link between VB and the old disc location and set it to the new location?


Toothsmith

[jorgensen]

Only move the vdi files to the other drive.
Best way is to first unmout the vdi files in the storage VM Setting for each guest, move the vdi files and mount them again.

[mpack]

Ignore that advice. Always move the entire VM folder. See here for how.