VDI and OVF file - what is the difference?

[lukasz21]

Hi,

Can someone explain to me what is the difference between VDI and OVF file for VirtualBox? I know that they are both types of files for setting a virtual machine. I downloaded a VDI file for one machine and then a OVF file for another machine. For me they seem to be the same. The only difference is how you upload them to VirtualBox. With OVF file you have to use "Import" and with VDI you choose "New" from the menu.
But is there any important difference between them? Something that can cause trouble for me later if I choose to use only one file type ( for ex. VDI)?

Thanks for any help.

[socratis]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Virt ... ion_Format

[mpack]

This is apples and oranges. You can't perfectly recover a VM from either an OVF or a VDI. Both are just part of their corresponding file sets, and it's important that you think of the complete file set as the VM, and not mentally label some files as unimportant.

The OVF file is part of a VM appliance file set (specifically, the descriptor part). This describes a VM in such a way that (hopefully) makes it portable between VM platforms (VMWare, VirtualBox, etc). Since you presumably won't be using these other VM platforms, OVF will be irrelevant to you.

VDI is the native virtual disk format in VirtualBox. It is one file in a VirtualBox VM folder, but the file which actually describes the VM is the .vbox file. Put another way, VDI is the disk drive while the .vbox file is the motherboard.

[lukasz21]

Since you presumably won't be using these other VM platforms, OVF will be irrelevant to you.

Yes, I only plan to use VirtualBox, so VDI file should be enough for me.

Thanks for your answers, it now explained me the case. So I need only VDI files. Thanks again.

[mpack]

Thanks for your answers, it now explained me the case. So I need only VDI files. Thanks again.

You need an entire VM file set, which in the VirtualBox case includes the VDI, yes. A disk drive on its own does not equal a PC.