Questions relating to downgrading VirtualBox or else uninstalling a new version of VirtualBox

[2014User]

I have upgraded Oracle Virtual “Machine” (VM) VirtualBox (VB) on numerous occasions by in a 64-bit Windows operating system double-”clicking” on the downloaded installation file for the newer version of VB. As I recall then that installation computer program detected my installation of VB and, in effect, “asked” me if I wanted to upgrade VB. Then I could “click” on a software “button” labeled with the word “Upgrade.” And the upgrade of VB from the installed to the new version of it generally and gratefully worked well without me saving anything, such as settings, from the old version of VB prior to performing such an upgrade.

Question 1: Is there a similar feature in reverse such that with VB 6.1.12 installed in Windows 10 after double-”clicking” on the Windows installation file for VB 6.1.10 that the installation of VB 6.1.12 would be detected by the VB-6.1.10 installation program; I would, in effect, be “asked” if I would like to downgrade VB; if I agreed to that purpose, I could “click” on a software “button” labeled with the word “Downgrade”; and afterward VB 6.1.12 would be downgraded to VB 6.1.10?

I assume that the file VirtualBox.xml includes settings for all of VB and that each .vbox file for each VM installed within VB by a computer user includes settings specific for that particular VM.

Question 2: Is this imagination of mine correct?

I learned of a procedure in VB in which one can save all or some parts of a VM installed within VB. It is via clicking VB’s “File” menu and then on “Export Appliance…” Unless one chooses otherwise, I think this procedure is designed to produce a .ova file via which one can later recover a VM within VB via “File, Import Appliance...”

Question 3a: What part of each VM would be saved in such a .ova-file-production process, every part of it, including its .vbox settings file?
Question 3b: When later “clicking” on “File, Import Appliance…” in VB would the .vbox file for a VM automatically be placed where it should be in a Windows 10 “host” operating system? Or would one have to choose the directory in which the .vbox file would be saved?

Question 4: I usually have an extension pack, for example Oracle_VM_VirtualBox_Extension_Pack-6.1.12.vbox-extpack, installed for an installation of VB. Should such extension packs first be uninstalled before downgrading or uninstalling VB?

The software package Oracle_VM_VirtualBox_Extension_Pack-6.1.12.vbox-extpack is not listed among the installed “Apps” in my installation of Windows 10. Yet my notes show that I installed VB 6.1.12 and that extension pack for it in Windows 10 on July 17, 2020. I can imagine three possible ways to uninstall only that extension pack: a) in Windows 10 by “clicking” the Windows symbol on the left side of my Windows-10 taskbar, located below my Windows-10 “desktop” screen, then by “clicking” on the icon, which looks like a gear, for Windows settings, then on “Apps,” then on “Oracle VM VirtualBox 6.1.12” in the list of “Apps”. Those actions yielded the display of the two software “buttons” “Modify” and “Uninstall”. Perhaps if I would “click” on “Modify” I might have the opportunity to uninstall just the extension pack for VB 6.1.12. b) By double-”clicking” on the downloaded file Oracle_VM_VirtualBox_Extension_Pack-6.1.12.vbox-extpack maybe the installation of that software package would be detected in VB; and afterward maybe there would be presented to the computer user an option to uninstall that extension pack from VB 6.1.12. c) I have a computer program called IObit Uninstaller installed in Windows 10. It is designed to remove all traces, if desired, of an installed computer program at least in Windows 10. Perhaps if I would execute that computer program I might have an option to uninstall just the extension pack for VB6.1.12. But if I would not have that option with IObit Uninstaller in that situation, instead all of VB 6.1.12 might be uninstalled by executing IObit Uninstaller on VB 6.1.12. And hoping for the “Downgrade” software “button” in VB, I would consider IObit Uninstaller uninstalling all of VB6.1.12 undesirable; but if there is no “Downgrade” software “button” available in VB, then I would consider IObit Uninstaller uninstalling all of VB 6.1.12 a possible way to uninstall all of VB 6.1.12.

Question 5: Concerning protecting computer software and without leaving traces of the software package Oracle_VM_VirtualBox_Extension_Pack-6.1.12.vbox-extpack behind, what is a safe way to uninstall only the software package Oracle_VM_VirtualBox_Extension_Pack-6.1.12.vbox-extpack from a VB-6.1.12 installation in Windows 10 without uninstalling all of VB 6.1.12?

[2014User]

In my previous posting in this "thread" of postings I referred to the computer code IObit Uninstaller. On the Web page corresponding to the hyperlink https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/2 ... -property/ I found negative writing concerning the company IObit, which I think produced and/or made available the computer codes IObit Uninstaller and Advanced SystemCare. I used the computer code Revo Uninstaller, which is probably available from within (mod edit - link removed), to uninstall IObit Uninstaller and Advanced SystemCare from my 64-bit Windows-10 installation.

[scottgus1]

double-”clicking” on the downloaded installation file for the newer version....As I recall then that installation computer program detected my installation of VB and, in effect, “asked” me if I wanted to upgrade VB.

On my Windows 10 host I don't get a "you have 6.1.10 installed, do you want to upgrade". It just starts the install. Virtualbox itself can ask if you want to upgrade, but the downloaded installer doesn't, over here.

Question 1: Is there a similar feature in reverse.... I would, in effect, be “asked” if I would like to downgrade VB

Not that I am aware.

You can just whatever installer you want to install. But the forum gurus recommend that for downgrades or for major version upgrades (changes in the first or second numbers, like 5.2.x to 6.1.x or 6.0.x to 6.1.x) you should uninstall Virtualbox first and reboot, then install the downgrade or major upgrade version.

If you are updating within a major version, increasing only the last number, like 6.1.8 to 6.1.12, simply starting the installer is sufficient.

For Windows hosts, it is recommended by forum gurus to start the installer by right-clicking the installer and choose Run As Administrator. Though the installer asks for an Admin password during the install, information from the forum is that right-click-run-as-admin from the beginning fixes problems that regular-run doesn't.

Question 2: save all or some parts of a VM installed within VB. It is via clicking VB’s “File” menu and then on “Export Appliance…”

Export is for sending a Virtualbox VM to another hypervisor, like Hyper-V or VMware. Import is the reverse, bringing a Hyper-V or VMware etc. VM into Virtualbox. To move or copy a Virtualbox VM to another Virtualbox host, see Moving a VM (This process is perfect for backing up a VM, too.)

Question 3a: What part of each VM would be saved in such a .ova

There are wizards that show you what gets saved. Typically everything that makes up a VM, guest settings and all guest disk files. You can put multiple VMs in one OVA. All the UUIDs change, though, so activation and grub loaders might fail. So Export/Import is not good for moving VMs to other Virtualbox hosts or for backups.

[scottgus1]

Question 3b: When later “clicking” on “File, Import Appliance…” in VB would the .vbox file for a VM automatically be placed where it should be in a Windows 10 “host” operating system?

The guest goes in the folder chosen in the main Virtualbox window, File menu, Preferences, General, Default Machine Folder. Change this folder before importing. Or you can move the VM afterwards by right-clicking the guest in the guest list and choosing Move.

Question 4: I usually have an extension pack...Should such extension packs first be uninstalled before downgrading or uninstalling VB?

Changing the Virtualbox version does not change the EP version.
You can switch the EP before or after the up/downgrade. But you should always match the EP version to the Virtualbox version.

The software package Oracle_VM_VirtualBox_Extension_Pack-6.1.12.vbox-extpack is not listed among the installed “Apps” in my installation of Windows 10.

Correct. The EP is not an "app" installed via Microsoft's installation systems, like Virtualbox is. The EP is really a gzip file that is unpacked by Virtualbox and stored inside the Virtualbox installation folder, usually C:\Program Files\Oracle\Virtualbox.

You install or uninstall the EP from the main Virtualbox window, File menu, Preferences, Extensions.

You need to be running the main Virtualbox window as Administrator to install the EP. Close the main Window after running as Admin. You should not run guests as Admin except in very exceptional circumstances.

Since the EP is not part of a Windows installation, the "IObit" program probably won't find it.

[2014User]

Thank you, scottgus1, for kindly taking some time to post your responses to some of my questions in this “thread” of postings. Sorry, based on your writing I suppose it was when installing a VirtualBox (VB) extension pack that I may have seen an “Upgrade” software “button” instead of when installing a higher-numbered version of VB when a lower-numbered version of it was installed in Windows.

Regarding whether a “Download” software “button” exists or not when executing an installation file for VB, in your reply reading “You can just whatever installer you want to install,” I suppose it should have instead read, “You can just” execute or run “whatever installer you want to install.”

What is attractive about executing an installation file for VB 6.1.10 while VB 6.1.12 is installed as a VM in VB is the hope that nothing would have to be done to my Linux VMs or the VirtualBox.xml or .vbox files for my Linux VMs in VB in that process. And later, after making a test in an openSUSE VM in VB 6.1.10, when executing the installation file for VB 6.1.12 to upgrade VB 6.1.10 back to VB 6.1.12, I expect that my Linux VMs would again work fairly well in VB 6.1.12 without me doing anything to the VirtualBox.xml and .vbox files for the Linux VMs. Based on your writing, my past experience in upgrading VB, and because the changes in the version numbers in these downgrade and upgrade processes are not in the first or second numbers of, for example “6” and “1” in the VB versions 6.1.10 and 6.1.12, it appears likely that the whole downgrade and upgrade process I have just described would have no problems with me doing nothing to the .xml and .vbox files in VB.

Question: Do you agree with this expectation of mine?

You also wrote: 1) “This process” (“File, Export Appliance…” in VB) “is perfect for backing up a VM, too.” Then later you wrote, 2) “So Export/Import is not good for moving VMs to other Virtualbox hosts or for backups.”

Please write me if I interpreted your writing correctly. In “1” your context was backing up just one VM installed in VB in a .ova file. In “2” your context was backing up multiple VMs in just one .ova file. So using “File, Export Appliance…” in VB is good for backing up each VM installed in VB in its own .ova file, but not for backing up multiple VMs in just one .ova file, right?

[scottgus1]

Yes, this is what I was driving at, sorry.

it should have instead read, “You can just” execute or run “whatever installer you want to install.”

nothing would have to be done to my Linux VMs or the VirtualBox.xml or .vbox files for my Linux VMs in VB in that process....it appears likely that the whole downgrade and upgrade process I have just described would have no problems with me doing nothing to the .xml and .vbox files in VB.

Correct. These files are not changed during a version change. This leaves your guests and main settings intact. BTW you should not manually change anything in Virtualbox's files, Virtualbox handles that all automatically. (There are rare conditions that require a manual edit to a .vbox file, emphasis on "rare", but doing so is an expert task that should be cross-checked with forum gurus and requires certain procedure to carry out successfully.)

“This process” (“File, Export Appliance…” in VB) “is perfect for backing up a VM, too.”

No, that's more like:

“This process” (Moving a VM) “is perfect for backing up a VM, too.”

using “File, Export Appliance…” in VB is good for backing up each VM installed in VB in its own .ova file, but not for backing up multiple VMs in just one .ova file, right?

Exporting is not good for backing up any number of VMs. Don't use Export for backups. Exporting is only used for transferring one or more VMs to another hypervisor, Hyper-V, VMware, etc.

"Moving a VM" means finding the guest folder and guest disk files that reside outside the folder, if any, and copying the whole group of files and folders to backup media. The copy can be 'FC' file-compared to check the integrity of the backup. No UUIDs are changed, so activation and grub loaders are not broken. Such a backup can be taken to another Virtualbox host of the same host OS and run. If the guest disk files are all in the folder next to the guest .vbox file, the guest can be taken to any capable Virtualbox host with any supported host OS and run.

[2014User]

Thanks again, scottgus1, for kindly taking some time to post clarifications and comments for me. For "Moving a VM" from viewtopic.php?f=35&t=55003 on the Internet, based on the comment there reading, "Perhaps you are backing up your VM or restoring from a backup," I suppose that a more apt description of the process of right-"clicking" on a listed Virtual "Machine" (VM) in VirtualBox and then selecting "Move" would instead be "copy" to copy a VM instead of to move a VM. When one moves from Michigan to Florida he afterward won't be living in Michigan. So likewise after one moves a file from directory one to directory two, that file won't be in directory one any longer. On the other hand, if one copies a file from directory one to directory two, that file will be in both directories one and two. Sure, copying a file is the first step in moving a file; the second step in completing the move is to delete the file in its original location; until that deletion occurs, it would be a copying rather than a moving process. So do you agree with me that "copy" would be a better description of the process described on viewtopic.php?f=35&t=55003 than move? Assuming so, I can see why that process could be a good way to make a backup copy of a VM installed within VirtualBox.

Oh, I just saw "Clone" also listed after right-"clicking" on a listed VM in VirtualBox! That appears to be a copying process as well. Is there any functional difference between "Clone" and "Move" right now there? If so, what is that difference?

[scottgus1]

"Perhaps you are backing up your VM or restoring from a backup,"

This sentence actually doesn't quite fit the concept of "moving" the VM as described in the tutorial.

The Move command definitely moves, it does not make a copy.

"Clone" is not an exact copy for backup purposes and should not be used for backups. Cloning makes a copy of the guest with changed UUIDs as needed, which also bungs up activation and grub loaders like Export does. Cloning also registers the clone with Virtualbox.

Copying the VM for backup purposes is not a function programmed into Virtualbox. (It could be and might be useful, though, but it is not there now.) Copying is a manual process of finding the guest folder (the "Show in Explorer/Finder/File Manager command) and copying it. Copying for backups also means finding all the guest disks if they are outside the guest folder and copying them too.

A manual backup copy cannot be registered with Virtualbox if the original is still registered. Restoring the manual backup copy involves simply copying the backup folder and files over the original files.