Multiple .VBOX Files

[LoztInSpace]

VirtualBox-4.3.18-96516-Win
Oracle_VM_VirtualBox_Extension_Pack-4.3.18-96516

Guest OS: Windows 2008 without Hyper-V, SP2
Host OS: WIndows 7 Professional, SP1

Log file attached
*****************************************************************
Due to problems with one my Guests, I had to restore from backup, however the folder has 2 ".VBOX" files (below) and I am not sure why or which to use.
Why would there be 2?
Should I launch the one with the later modified date?

\Current_20140927_1\
Clone of Win2008Std64_IB_VM Clone.vdi
Current.vbox
Current.vbox-prev
Current-1.12-windows.vbox
\Logs
\Snapshots

[loukingjr]

I have seen the same behavior on my Mac host. I have many guests but only a couple had duplicate .vbox and .vbox-prev files. Two with 1.12 Mac-OSX added to the names. I have no idea what causes that. Since the majority of my guests don't have .vbox files with the name of the host OS added, I just deleted them. It caused no problem but I can't say it won't.

[socratis]

They're created when the format of the vbox file changes in a later VBox version. So if for some reason you need to downgrade, you still have the old vbox files.

You should use the latest one (if you have the latest VBox version).

[loukingjr]

They're created when the format of the vbox file changes in a later VBox version. So if for some reason you need to downgrade, you still have the old vbox files.

You should use the latest one (if you have the latest VBox version).

Not on my Host they don't. I upgrade every time there is a new version of VB and I have only seen it happen twice. Plus, I have created many guests for example since 4.3.18 was released and all of them still say *.vbox and *.vbox-prev. It must be another reason.

[socratis]

Oh, no, I didn't mean the .vbox and .vbox-prev. That always happens. I meant the <VM>-1.12.vbox ones. That doesn't happen with a VBox upgrade, it happens when the format of the .vbox file changes. Now we're at 1.14. If you had a <VM>-1.12.vbox file, then it would say:

<VirtualBox xmlns="http://www.innotek.de/VirtualBox-settings" version="1.12-macosx">

[loukingjr]

Oh, no, I didn't mean the .vbox and .vbox-prev. That always happens. I meant the <VM>-1.12.vbox ones. That doesn't happen with a VBox upgrade, it happens when the format of the .vbox file changes. Now we're at 1.14. If you had a <VM>-1.12.vbox file, then it would say:

<VirtualBox xmlns="http://www.innotek.de/VirtualBox-settings" version="1.12-macosx">

well, as I said, I've only seen it twice in 5 years and I imagine the format has changed several times since then.
I have no "1.12-macosx .vbox files at the moment to check what they say. I deleted them.

[loukingjr]

My Windows 10.vbox file says:

Code: Select all

<VirtualBox xmlns="http://www.innotek.de/VirtualBox-settings" version="1.14-macosx">

My Windowa 7.vbox file, says:

Code: Select all

<VirtualBox xmlns="http://www.innotek.de/VirtualBox-settings" version="1.13-macosx">

[loukingjr]

I guess what I am trying to say is, I have up to 30 guests at a time some dating back to 2012 and not all of them ended up with a second set of .vbox files. maybe they were suppose to, but they didn't.

[loukingjr]

@socratis: I found a guest I created in 2012 on a backup drive that still has both a "Xubuntu 12.04.vbox" and a "Xubuntu 12.04-1.12-macosx.vbox" file.
The "Xubuntu 12.04-1.12-macosx.vbox" file says:

Code: Select all

<VirtualBox xmlns="http://www.innotek.de/VirtualBox-settings" version="1.12-macosx">

and the "Xubuntu 12.04.vbox" says:

Code: Select all

<VirtualBox xmlns="http://www.innotek.de/VirtualBox-settings" version="1.13-macosx">

Assuming you are correct it looks like the "Xubuntu 12.04-1.12-macosx.vbox" file is the backup. What I don't understand is why all guests didn't get a backup version or why I never had a "*-1.13-macosx.vbox" file when the vbox format changed. But I am easily confused.

[socratis]

Couldn't tell you the exact details. I simply remember that at some point this was mentioned by a "green" person. And I also know that for some of my clients, I have 1.12 and 1.13 vbox files in the folder. On the other hand, some of my vbox files internally are xml version 1.12, some are 1.13 and some 1.14. And all of them get their upgrades with every VBox release.

[loukingjr]

Couldn't tell you the exact details. I simply remember that at some point this was mentioned by a "green" person. And I also know that for some of my clients, I have 1.12 and 1.13 vbox files in the folder. On the other hand, some of my vbox files internally are xml version 1.12, some are 1.13 and some 1.14. And all of them get their upgrades with every VBox release.

Yes, I just found a Debian 7 guest I created in 2013 and it has both 1.12 and 1.13 files as well. I thought perhaps the version number of the vbox files were the year they were changed. Apparently not. and of course the normal .vbox file says:

Code: Select all

<VirtualBox xmlns="http://www.innotek.de/VirtualBox-settings" version="1.14-macosx">

I have to wonder if all these backups are necessary.