Getting VirtualBox to read a previously installed drive

[avanrens]

I have my /home folder on a separate drive, is it possible if I do a new install to use the drive created by VirtualBox in my /home in the new install, instead of doing a complete reinstall of Windows XP in virtualBopx.
I will have ubuntu 8.10 as the host and windows XP as the guest.

[Sasquatch]

This is possible. You can use the VDI file on every system that has VB. Be sure to use the same settings that you installed that VDI with, especially for Windows Guests.

[avanrens]

Hi, thanks for the info, how do get VB to recognize the vdi file.

[GW_Bln]

Hello Sasquatch,

I have nearly the same Problem ...

... You can use the VDI file on every system that has VB. Be sure to use the same settings that you installed that VDI with, especially for Windows Guests.

Is it possible to use a VDI file (with Windows XP) with different systems (Suse 10.3 or Ubuntu 8.04) but the same hardware? I will boot Suse or Ubuntu as host system alternatively (Guest system is Widows XP).

I want to keep all modifications (programs, user environments, ...) created with Ubuntu when using Suse and vice versa.

Can I copy the xml files? I have a sym link to folders Machines and VDI under Suse and Ubuntu under ~/.VirtualBox located on an extra partition.

[Sasquatch]

Avanrens:
You have to add the VDI to the Virtual Disk Manager.

GW_Bln:
That's just fine. I can use a VM I create on my AMD PC on my Intel Laptop just fine. PC uses XP, Laptop dual boots with XP and Ubuntu 8.04. Even the Dual Boot can use the same image, as long as it's on a partition/drive that is read/write by both Hosts.

[GW_Bln]

Hello Sasquatch,
thank you for your reply.

GW_Bln:
That's just fine ... Even the Dual Boot can use the same image, as long as it's on a partition/drive that is read/write by both Hosts.

How do it in Detail? Should I copy all the Virtual Box files from ~/.VirtualBox to the other system?

During the inclusion of the VDI file I got an error message. I have to use a different name for virtual XP ('Win XP 2' on Suse and 'Win XP 1' on Ubuntu). Both systems are using the same VDI on extra HDD in rw mode.

On Ubuntu I have 2 Snapshots and no firewall, on Suse I have no snapshot and installed some more programs and a firewall. For this reason I can run XP from both systems but the Environment is different!

How can I improve this? I want to run all programs on both systems and to have the same Desktop.

Is it true that all new programs that I installed on Suse at a later stage are not located in the VDI file?

If I interpret the manual correct, I have to create a new VDI file on Ubuntu with all programs in the VDI, is that true? If I connect to this VDI on Suse, will I have the same Desktop and the same programs I installed under Ubuntu?

[Sasquatch]

Hello Sasquatch,
thank you for your reply.

GW_Bln:
That's just fine ... Even the Dual Boot can use the same image, as long as it's on a partition/drive that is read/write by both Hosts.

How do it in Detail? Should I copy all the Virtual Box files from ~/.VirtualBox to the other system?

Create a new VM and add an existing virtual hard drive. Select your copied VDI.

During the inclusion of the VDI file I got an error message. I have to use a different name for virtual XP ('Win XP 2' on Suse and 'Win XP 1' on Ubuntu). Both systems are using the same VDI on extra HDD in rw mode.

This is because they are stored with the exact same name at the same location. This is not possible, it would destroy the previous settings.

On Ubuntu I have 2 Snapshots and no firewall, on Suse I have no snapshot and installed some more programs and a firewall. For this reason I can run XP from both systems but the Environment is different!

How can I improve this? I want to run all programs on both systems and to have the same Desktop.

Is it true that all new programs that I installed on Suse at a later stage are not located in the VDI file?

If I interpret the manual correct, I have to create a new VDI file on Ubuntu with all programs in the VDI, is that true? If I connect to this VDI on Suse, will I have the same Desktop and the same programs I installed under Ubuntu?

No, you just don't use snapshots. The snapshots are set per Host OS, as it's only registered in the active VM setting. You can 'hack' your way to get it working, but it would be best not to do that.

If you have some spare resources, you could try to create a new VM with hard disk and release that drive from the settings. That way, you will have an XML file that has no reference to any attached media. You can then try to register that settings file on the other Host (only from Linux to Linux or Windows to Windows) using VBoxManage registervm <full path to the xml file>. Then register the VDI and other media and attach it to the VM. See if that might work. You should be able to use Snapshots with it. Really, do this with a test VM, not a live one you have to work with.