How to attach a virtual hard disk using VBoxManage?

Question

What is the best method for setting the virtual hard drive (VDI) of the primary controller for an existing virtual machine?

Does the syntax change if the VDI is really a child differencing disk of some other parent disk? Do you need to attach the parent VDI and then the child VDI in some way?

Situation:

I have an existing VM --- I want to replace the hard drive it uses to boot - with either another normal virtual HD or possibly a differencing disk. Can this be done with VBoxManage?

score 28 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 22 '13 at 03:04

Pretty old question but here is how I do it:

VBoxManage storageattach my-vm-name \
                         --storagectl "SATA Controller" \
                         --device 0 \
                         --port 0 \
                         --type hdd \
                         --medium /path/to/my-new.vdi

This assumes you want to replace the old disk. If you want to want to just add another disk use another port, for example 1 if you have only 1 disk (on port 0). Please note you could also add disks (or cd/dvd images) to "IDE Controller".

score 4 · Accepted Answer · edited Jun 26 '14 at 16:35

4

I believe this should do it for a virtual hard drive.

VBoxManage modifyvm winxp-web-dev --hda "/home/vbox/.VirtualBox/HardDisks/my_new_disk.vdi"

(That is how I do it when I create vm's from the console)

edited Jun 26 '14 at 16:35

Sencer H.

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answered Nov 12 '10 at 10:28

Jontas

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I think this is not valid way to done. While I try your suggestion, I get `VBoxManage: error: Unknown option: -hda` error. – Sencer H. Dec 06 '13 at 19:45
2

Should be double minuses there. (Worked on 4.1.6) – Jontas Dec 10 '13 at 08:07

rüff0 · Answer 3 · 2020-05-10T06:46:01.110

2

You need first add de contoller on your vm machine:

vboxmanage storagectl YourVMNameOrID --name "SATA Controller" --add sata --controller IntelAHCI --portcount 1 --bootable on

and then attach the virtual disk image to the storage controller:

vboxmanage storageattach YourVMNameOrID --storagectl "SATA Controller" --device 0 --port 0 --type hdd --medium YourVirtualDiskImage.vdi

edited May 10 '20 at 06:46

answered Nov 05 '19 at 18:45

rüff0

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score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Jan 14 '15 at 14:15

Just want to add to @calas with a VM managed by vagrant (run in VM's folder and replace sandbox_default_ with your VM name prefix):

VBoxManage storageattach `VBoxManage list vms | grep \"sandbox_default_ | awk '{print $2;}'` --storagectl SATA --port 0 --type hdd --medium box-disk1.vmdk

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Aug 25 '10 at 11:04

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I'm not sure if you can do it though VBoxManage, I've always changed it through the GUI after using CloneHD, you answer may be in the VBoxManage Manuel

answered Aug 25 '10 at 11:04

Mr Shoubs

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score 0 · Answer 6 · edited Jan 02 '20 at 13:15

In case this is helpful for anyone else working with a BootCamp partition that you have to make a new .vmdk for each boot, I had to do this in order to attach the image and avoid the annoying UUID mismatch problem:

Disconnect the medium from the virtual machine VBoxManage storageattach YourVMNameHere --storagectl "IDE" --device 0 --port 0 --type hdd --medium none

That way it doesn't complain when you remove the medium VBoxManage closemedium disk /path/to/your/medium.vmdk

Then when you attach the recreated medium you don't get checksum errors VBoxManage storageattach YourVMNameHere --storagectl "IDE" --device 0 --port 0 --type hdd --medium /path/to/your/medium.vmdk

How to attach a virtual hard disk using VBoxManage?

6 Answers6