Virtualbox and Portability

DeaconFrost · 25 Jul 2012

I'm wondering how portable the VMS of Virtualbox are across two different machines with smiliar hardware? For example, if I create a VM on my work tower, is it possible to move the files home, add them into my VM folder on my home tower, and boot them up? Both systems are Intel setups with first gen Core i processors. Both have VT enabled, etc in the BIOS.

I don't see myself moving them back and forth much, if at all. I'm basically wondering if I could create them at work, and then bring them home. I'm the I.T. Director, so permissions, etc are a non-issue, and I would be using my own licenses.

Kari · 25 Jul 2012

VBox VMs are quite hardware independent, using the VBox own hardware drivers such as display, sound USB etc. As such the VMs are portable in the sense that you can easily import an vm to VirtualBox running on another computer than the one it was created in.

Create the VM as usually, just select Use existing hard disk when asked and browse to where you have stored the imported vhd selecting it:

Kari

FerchogtX · 28 Jul 2012

In my case, I got my XP machine backed up in my external HDD, I just copied every file on the XP folder, then, in virtualbox you choose the Machine->Add option, choose the config file and wuala!!! my XP machine is back... quite simple.

See ya!!!

kado897 · 29 Jul 2012

You can also export the VM as an Appliance (File->Export Appliance) and import it into your new VBox.