transfer virtual machine to another pc
transfer virtual machine to another pc
to transfer a vm to a different pc, just use the export virtual application (ova) function or do i have to run sysprep generalize first? I am referring to windows 10 guest on windows 10 host.
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scottgus1
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- Posts: 20945
- Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
- Primary OS: MS Windows 10
- VBox Version: VirtualBox+Oracle ExtPack
- Guest OSses: Windows, Linux
Re: transfer virtual machine to another pc
If you intend to use the VM under Virtualbox, just copy the guest's files and folders to the new computer and register the VM's .vbox file with Virtualbox.
A copy of the shut-down (not save-stated) guest folder with all files therein, as well as the guest disk files if they are not in the guest folder, serves as a complete backup of the activated guest, or to transfer it to another PC. You can FC file-compare the backup to confirm the copy. If the original is lost, move a copy of the backup back to the original location and the guest will be ready again. The copy can be used on a different host PC too, just by registering the guest's .vbox file. This process also handles encrypted guests. (note that if the original guest had all the guest disk files in the guest folder, the guest is completely usable on any capable host and host OS. If the disk files are outside the guest folder then the .vbox file has absolute paths to the disk files and these paths must be either reproduced on the new host or the .vbox file must be modified.) Virtualbox 6.0.x and later have the right-click-the-guest Move command to move the guest folder to the same drive the guest drive file is on, and the File menu's Virtual Media Manager's Move command to move the guest's drive file into the guest folder next to the .vbox file, to achieve the optimum guest format.
Exporting is not recommended for backing up or transferring a VM. Exporting changes some guest settings, and a change in the guest means there's no way to confirm the backup. Export tries to match the older OVA format and is intended for using a guest under another hypervisor besides Virtualbox. The OVA format is not compatible with encrypted guests: guests must be decrypted to export.
A copy of the shut-down (not save-stated) guest folder with all files therein, as well as the guest disk files if they are not in the guest folder, serves as a complete backup of the activated guest, or to transfer it to another PC. You can FC file-compare the backup to confirm the copy. If the original is lost, move a copy of the backup back to the original location and the guest will be ready again. The copy can be used on a different host PC too, just by registering the guest's .vbox file. This process also handles encrypted guests. (note that if the original guest had all the guest disk files in the guest folder, the guest is completely usable on any capable host and host OS. If the disk files are outside the guest folder then the .vbox file has absolute paths to the disk files and these paths must be either reproduced on the new host or the .vbox file must be modified.) Virtualbox 6.0.x and later have the right-click-the-guest Move command to move the guest folder to the same drive the guest drive file is on, and the File menu's Virtual Media Manager's Move command to move the guest's drive file into the guest folder next to the .vbox file, to achieve the optimum guest format.
Exporting is not recommended for backing up or transferring a VM. Exporting changes some guest settings, and a change in the guest means there's no way to confirm the backup. Export tries to match the older OVA format and is intended for using a guest under another hypervisor besides Virtualbox. The OVA format is not compatible with encrypted guests: guests must be decrypted to export.