I have created a new VM (VM1) with a clean install of Windows 10.
I have added the old VDI (VM2) file as an additional hard drive on the new VM.
I can see VM2 in explorer and see that it has the correct storage information on it (see Screenprint 1 - 49 GB free...356 GB +/- used).
Screenprint 1.png (16.05 KiB) Viewed 5409 times
When I view the contents of VM2 in explorer as well as PowerISO, there is a greatly reduced list of file folders, and I cannot find any of my user files from VM2 (see Screenprint 2 - notice the total file size is ~12 GB in PowerISO instead of the 356 GB that shows in Explorer).
I have another favorite one: TakeOwnership. There are complete instructions in this article, but since it's all registry-based, there is a convenient registry file that does it all with a double-click.
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
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I am working on getting the VM2 copied over to my VM1 rather than accessing it on the external drive. For some reason, when I choose properties on the parent folders of the vdi, there is no "security" tab, and it only shows it to be "read-only." I wonder if that is because it is on an external drive?
643.com wrote:I am working on getting the VM2 copied over to my VM1
How? I seriously hope that you're not thinking of simply copying the contents of the programs and/or the system like that. Please explain in detail "what" you want to do, and we might be able to help you with the "how".
643.com wrote:when I choose properties on the parent folders of the vdi
The VDI is a container. It does *not* list your files. You got to mount the VDI in your VM.
643.com wrote:I wonder if that is because it is on an external drive?
Again, you're a little bit light on the details. If the external drive is exFAT, there are no permissions for example.
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
Do NOT reply with the "QUOTE" button, please use the "POST REPLY", at the bottom of the form.
If you obfuscate any information requested, I will obfuscate my response. These are virtual UUIDs, not real ones.
1. Copying VM2 over to VM1 - I am simply copying the vdi from my exFAT external to the desktop of VM1. Just finished and made the changes Martin suggested (previously, I could not access any "security" option when it was only on my external drive). Working now to mount it in PowerISO.
2. Right. I had mounted it to VM1 but it still would not let me see any file folders other than the basic non-user folders.
Martin's suggestion makes sense. For some reason, the system sees that the VDI has tons of data, but I can only see a few basic files on VM2 from VM1.
My challenge is figuring out a way to get access to the files on VM1 vdi within my VM2. I have changed the user name to be what the VM2 user name was. I changed the permissions. It is still only letting me see 12 GB of the 365 GB of data that Explorer recognizes is there.
Also, I tried right clicking and choosing "take ownership". That option is not available on the one I copied to my desktop. And, on the original file that I mounted in VirtualBox settings, when I try to right click it, Explorer always quits on me and refreshes...I can never get a right click menu on that file!
Not sure if this is any help, but I noticed when I mount the VM2 (in VirtualBox Settings) as an IDE or SATA drive, Windows goes through a "Scanning and Repairing Drive"...when it is complete the files aren't there. Why is it scanning and repairing the drive?
Read through the tutorial. Want to make sure I am reading it correctly. It appears this is intruction for adding a virtual machine.
I am trying to access the files on a previous virtual machine from a new one. Is this tutorial for that function as wel?
I just tried to add the vdi (before I read the tutorial) of the first virtual machine from a time machine backup. I am experiencing the same problems...
1. Explorer shows that the files are there (by the size of the “used” portion of the drive.
2. However I am only able to access files from the original vdi from random folders such as MSOCache, System Information, and an HP Printer Driver folder. It does show me a “documents and settings” folder with no contents.
3. I changed the permissions and owner to be the new VM user but it still will not give me access.
I will work on following the tutorial. In the mean time does anyone know of any other step I might be missing? It just seems like the files are all there but for some reason the new VM is not letting me see or access them.
Never move bare VDIs around unless you are an expert. The FAQ is correct and applies to your situation as it does to any other in which a VM is to be moved from one drive to another (whether on the same or different hosts).
Good to know. I will follow the FAQ this evening and post my results.
I am learning the hard way your comment of not moving bare vdi files from one drive to another. My original issue was that I was getting a guru meditation error and unable to access my VM. So I created a clean install of Windows 10 and just thought I would be able to add an IDE controller, mount the vdi after moving it to an external hard drive and just access the files from the new VM.
Nope!
The new VM can see the vdi as an additional hard drive and even has the right “data uses” totals as the original vdi. But I can’t see or access any of the files I need!
UPDATE: I followed the FAQ and now have two VM Machines on the GUI.
VM1 (New Fresh Install...without the files I need from VM2)
VM2 (Old Machine with the files I need...but will not boot)
QUESTION: How do I now access files from VM2 while running VM1?
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND: This whole thing started when I tried to boot VM1 and got a GURU Meditation error and couldn't get past it. I concluded that VM1 was running out of resources (only had approximately 6GB of free space on the VDI). So, I tried two steps:
1. I used a terminal command to expand the capacity of the VDI by 50GB. It showed that it was successful in that the capacity increased on the VirtualBox GUI. However, forum user socratis pointed out that I didn't complete the process with an additional step. So, he recommended I use GPART...
2. I used GPART and tried to expand the partition of the VDI to include the extra space I created in #1. It didn't work in the GUI of GPART. I concluded the reason for that was that there was something showing on the extra space partition I had created in #1 that wouldn't let me expand the primary partition to this area, so I deleted that small partition and then tried to drag the primary partition to take up that unused space. It didn't work.
I have saved a backup of the original VDI - so these attempts on this thread have been a copy of the root folder with all the files (vdi, vbox, etc...).
My ultimate problem is: I can see that the vdi (on the Mac side: in Disk Utility; on the Windows Side: in Explorer) shows that there is over 350GB of data used on the 390GB capacity storage. However, any of my attempts to view those files (PowerISO, Paragon ViMDSK Mounter, etc...) only let me view 12 GB of the 350GB! How do I see and interact with the other 338GB of information?
If you attach the VDI of VM2 as second disk to the VM1 you will have to make sure that the "take ownership" task has been done successfully.
Otherwise you will not get access to the files/directories which are protected for the old original user.
This is the same as with attaching such a disk to a physical system.