Could not find an open hard disk with UUID on new computer

[phrayzur]

I apologize if this is a duplicate post, but I can't find any answer that I can make sense of. I've seen forums filled with people asking questions about UUID errors. Each one seems to be different. I'm not proficient with VirtualBox, but I know enough to create the virtual machines that I need.

I've built a new Windows 10 Pro computer and I have the directory where I stored all my virtual machines on a new drive. For the life of me, I can't figure out a way of getting them to work. Each one I try add, I get a "Could not find an open hard disk with UUID" error. And I can't seem to add any disk images to the Virtual Media Manager.

Is there a utility or step by step simple instructions for importing them? I assumed (probably incorrectly) that by coping the directory where they are all stored that that would work.

If there's a solution that applies, please let me in on the secret. There must be a way to do this.

[noteirak]

Moving to "Windows Hosts".

I assumed (probably incorrectly) that by coping the directory where they are all stored that that would work.

You assumed right. What I would do is:
1. Start VirtualBox, remove all VMs currently registered( without deleting files), go in the Virtual Media Manager, remove the references to any disks still in there. Close VirtualBox.
2. Make sure VBoxSVC is not running anymore before doing the next step
3. Open VirtualBox again, and register all the VMs from the GUI, using the .vbox file present in each VM directory. If any fail, please provide the verbatim error message.

[phrayzur]

Thanks for your help noteirak

I tried your suggestion, but no joy.

This is a completely fresh install of Windows 7 Pro. New hard drive, everything. I have the old drives imaged, and I've copied all my machines to another new drive. I've installed Virtualbox and I can't get any of my machines to recognize. I can't import them, even using the .vbox files. It just gives me the UUID error I previously mentioned. Is there no way to import these machines?

[loukingjr]

You might want to take a look at this thread and make sure you followed the instructions. Moving a VM

[phrayzur]

I'm not sure what to say. Thanks loukingjr. I did try to register the machines with the .vbox extention. But wouldn't you know every one that I tried wan't one that would import. The vast majority of the other ones that I tried did however

I still can't figure out why those others won't import, but I can definitely work with these.

Thanks guys!

[loukingjr]

Welcome. Were any of the VMs that wouldn't add, linked clones?

[mpack]

At a guess, I'd say that some VMs were "borrowing" the hard disks of other VMs, meaning they needed to store absolute paths. Fine until the path changes.

[loukingjr]

Hence the saying, "never a lender nor a borrower be". j/k

[phrayzur]

Thanks again guys!

They were linked clones...

Hence the saying, "never a lender nor a borrower be". j/k

Lol! Looks truer than ever. Would there be any way to link them again? Or recover those machines?

[loukingjr]

If you can add them in the correct order it should work. First the original then the first clone, etc.