VDI file cannot be transferred from external to internal hard disk

[steffen.austerlitz]

Dear Community,

I have a problem I just can't get solved. Last week I created my first virtual machine. And I probably made a mistake: I saved the machine (vbox) to my internal HD and the corresponding hard disk (vdi) to an external HD. This weekend I was able to install a new, larger HD in my MacBook and wanted to save the VDI file on my computer to make the guest system run better.

But I can't transfer the VDI file to the internal HD without getting an error message when starting Windows.

This is what I did (Terminology: "external VDI" = VDI file on external hard drive; "internal VDI" = VDI file on internal hard drive)

1. I copied the VDI file to internal HD; I removed the external VDI from the machine, released it in the global tools and deleted it; I added the new internal VDI to the machine. RESULT: The machine starts, but stops immediately at the following message: "Preparing automatic repair".
2. I have reallocated the external VDI to the machine: RESULT: No problems, Windows starts quite regularly.
3. I created a new VM and assigned the new internal VDI to it. RESULT: The machine starts, but stops immediately at the following message: "Preparing automatic repair".
4. I created a new VMand assigned the old external VDI to it. RESULT: No problems, Windows starts regularly.
5. I created a clone of the old external VDI on the internal disk and assigned the new one to the VM. RESULT: The machine starts, but stops immediately at the following message: "Preparing automatic repair".
6. I created a new VM and added the old external VDI, which worked. I cloned this machine completely (including the external VDI) to the internal HD. RESULT: The machine starts, but stops immediately at the following message: "Preparing automatic repair".
7. In all variants I selected and deselected the SSD option for the VDIs.
8. I also experimented with the attitude to paravirtualization - without result.

Summary: If I select the vdi file on the external hard disk, everything works immediately, if I select the exact same file on the internal hard disk, I cannot start Windows.

I'm running out of ideas - I've done everything that came to my mind. Can anyone help?

I already have my Windows license (OEM) on the virtual machine and therefore cannot reinstall...

Kind regards
Steffen
----
I tried it with VirtualBox 5.2.17 and 5.2.18.
I'm using Windows 10 on a Mac with High Sierra.
Attached my log file.

[socratis]

1. You have got to use the correct terminology for "memory/RAM" with "hard disk (HD)". The contents of the RAM are not permanent, the contents of the HD are there even if you reboot your computer, like your files, for example your VDI. Could you please edit your message and replace several instances of "memory" with "hard disk". It's a little bit confusing...
2. Please do not use "odd" test releases like 5.2.13, .15, .17. Stick to the official "even" releases, like 5.2.14, .16, .18, etc.
3. Read the proper procedure for Moving a VM.
4. Always shut down the VM before ZIPPING the VBox.log, it's incomplete otherwise.
5. You are assigning memory to your guest, that you do not have available. Either close some applications on the host, buy more RAM for the host, or reduce the amount of RAM assigned to the guest.

   00:00:02.382994 Host RAM: 8192MB (8.0GB) total, 2721MB (2.6GB) available
   00:00:02.487777 RamSize <integer> = 0x0000000100000000 (4 294 967 296, 4 096 MB, 4.0 GB)

6. Your hard drive seems to be in your internal hard disk, in its "correct"/default location:

   00:00:02.439444 File system of '/Users/steffenausterlitz/VirtualBox VMs/Windows 10v6/Windows 10v6-disk1.vdi' is hfs

[steffen.austerlitz]

Hey socratis,

thank you for your answer. I'm sorry for the confusing message... (I'm not English and tried it with Deepl... ) I optimized the message now!

Some comment to your message:
2. -> I tried it with .17 only at the end, the whole process run under .18, But thank you for this information!
3. I read the thread. The problem is: VBOX and VDI were in different folders, they are even on differend HDs (VBOX internal, VDI external). Now I can't merge it on my internal HD.
4. I only sent the first log (which should have been complete, as I think that the VM has been shut down – but maybe not with "Power off" because I could only force quit the process...). When I'm home later, I will send the other three Logs too. The VM has been shut down.
5. Thank you for this hint. I started with 2048 MB but one of my tries was to increase the memory (=RAM ). But yes, you're totally right – I will reduce it again.

Best,
Steffen

[steffen.austerlitz]

As promised my log files. I have two of them.

VBox-Error.log: The VDI on my internal hard drive is selected. Windows doesn't boot. I had to force quit the VM therefore the log maybe isn't complete.
VBox-Success.log: The VDI on my external hard drive is selected. Windows boots.

Both log files are created with the same virtual machine. I just registered/unregistered the VDI-files.

I hope this helps for trouble shooting?

[socratis]

Open up a Terminal. Post the output (including the commands) from the following two commands:

• 
  VBoxManage showmediuminfo "/Volumes/TEMP_MAC/VMs/Win10-90GB Kopie.vdi"
  VBoxManage showmediuminfo "/Users/steffenausterlitz/VirtualBox VMs/Windows 10v6/Windows 10v6-disk1.vdi"
  

00:00:02.229801 File system of '/Volumes/TEMP_MAC/VMs/Win10-90GB Kopie.vdi' is hfs

00:00:02.431154 File system of '/Users/steffenausterlitz/VirtualBox VMs/Windows 10v6/Windows 10v6-disk1.vdi' is hfs

This is not even the same VDI! At least in name. How exactly are you moving the VDI? The proper procedure is:

• Shut down the VM completely. Go to your Media Manager. Under the "Hard disks" tab, find the "Win10-90GB Kopie.vdi" entry. "Release" it from the VM. "Remove" the VDI from the list of known hard disks. Do NOT delete the file.
• At the same page, see if there is an entry for "Windows 10v6-disk1.vdi". "Release" (if it's attached), "Remove" it, but this time, "Delete" the "Windows 10v6-disk1.vdi", you don't need it. That's on your internal hard disk.
• Using the Finder, copy the "Win10-90GB Kopie.vdi" to the "/Users/steffenausterlitz/VirtualBox VMs/Windows 10v6/" folder. Rename it as you want, but I would suggest to rename it to "Windows 10v6.vdi" so that it matches your VM name.
• Go to the VM Settings » Storage » select your SATA controller » click the "+" icon (with the HD) on the left side » Choose existing disk » point it to "/Users/steffenausterlitz/VirtualBox VMs/Windows 10v6/Windows 10v6.vdi".
• Done.

You can delete the "Win10-90GB Kopie.vdi" file from your external hard drive, but I would definitely keep it as a backup.


PS. The "Error" log ends prematurely. You didn't shutdown the VM before grabbing it. I thought we already went through this...