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Hi Everbody... Is it possible to uninstall VBox 4.3.6 & install an older version 4.2.18 if so what are the steps & are there any issues I need to be aware of?

The reason I am compelled to do this is that when I import a virtual appliance ***.OVA using 4.3.6 onto a new Host an applications license key breaks on my WinXP guest, unfortunately the software vendor no longer issues new keys. I didn't have this issue with version 4.2.18

Really appreciate any help

Thanks Chris

There should be no problem uninstalling VBox and installing an older version, especially if you intend to delete any VMs.

That said, I'm not aware of any change between 4.2.18 and 4.3.x which would cause what you describe. Have you confirmed that the import works with 4.2.18 on the intended host?

Thanks for your reply.

I need to retain 1 of the 2 existing VM's, off course I will deleting the VM with the broken license, would retaining some VM cause a problem for them?

Yes the import of the VM (License OK) did worked on the intended machine with VBox Man 4.2.18 , unfortunately when I imported the next VM (Broken License) I had already upgraded VBox Man to 4.3.6

Something I did notice when I ran the VM (subsequently broken license) was that when Win XP guest started for the first time it announced(balloon) in the taskbar that it found new hardware => Hard disk. I don't recall see that before after an import

My Host is Win 8.1

Thanks

christ2 wrote:I need to retain 1 of the 2 existing VM's, off course I will deleting the VM with the broken license, would retaining some VM cause a problem for them?

It shouldn't cause a problem.

christ2 wrote:Something I did notice when I ran the VM (subsequently broken license) was that when Win XP guest started for the first time it announced(balloon) in the taskbar that it found new hardware => Hard disk. I don't recall see that before after an import

When you clone a VM (and export/import counts) then the hard disk UUID changes. That can cause a hardware signature to change. However none of this behaviour changed in any recent version of VirtualBox.

Ok Thanks, besides export/import of ova/ovf are there any other ways to get a VM from one Host to another?

It's easy provided there's no change of OS involved. See Howto: Move a VM.

Be aware that CPU type is visible to the guest, and that alone can change a hardware signature. However, moving the VM in the way described will at least keep all the DMI data and hd UUIDs intact.

mpack wrote:It's easy provided there's no change of OS involved. See Howto: Move a VM.

Be aware that CPU type is visible to the guest, and that alone can change a hardware signature. However, moving the VM in the way described will at least keep all the DMI data and hd UUIDs intact.

I have done the similar operations many times (forth and back) cloning machine or importing/exporting ova wih virtual xp 32 without any problems.