How to convert .img to usable VirtualBox format

I have a .img file for Windows 10, and I need to turn it into something which I can use in VirtualBox, such as an ISO, or turning it into a bootable virtual disk for an ICT project.

Anton8000

Posted 2013-02-20T15:48:52.000

Reputation: 1 274

3If this was Linux, I'd suggest qemu-img convert. On Windows, it's more fun to install Win1 yourself from floppy images – user1686 – 2013-02-20T16:05:46.853

Answers

106

Select a virtual machine by clicking its name in the VirtualBox window
Click the Machine menu at the top of the VirtualBox window, and click Settings
Click the Storage category in the Settings window
Right-click in the storage tree pane, and click Add Floppy Controller
Right-click the Floppy Controller device, and click Add Floppy Device
Click the Choose Disk button in the prompt window that appears
Navigate to the floppy disk image file (.IMG) on your computer and double-click it

If that doesn't work, try renaming the .IMG as .ISO and mount it.

If that too doesn't work, use VBoxManage's convertfromraw command as follows:

VBoxManage convertfromraw --format VDI [filename].img [filename].vdi

Mount the VDI as a hard disk.

Karan

Posted 2013-02-20T15:48:52.000

Reputation: 51 857

2Is this reversible? – ThorSummoner – 2014-09-02T23:46:02.227

@ThorSummoner: Try VBoxManage clonehd --format RAW [filename].vdi [filename].img (syntax help for clonehd here).

– Karan – 2014-09-05T23:58:01.187

Thanks! Renaming .img to .iso worked in my case, I had SharePoint 2013 Server. – Amit Bhagat – 2016-02-20T10:12:10.650

The fully quallified command path is: /Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxManage clonehd --format RAW [filename].vdi [filename].img – Jorduino – 2017-03-28T11:02:17.590

convertfromraw was the only way that worked for me to convert a Volumio.img into a VirtualBox vdi and boot from it. – weberjn – 2018-01-03T21:46:46.037

Just a note it will not work if the image file converted is built for a different architecture. For example, you cannot convert a Raspian (ARM) image for use in VirtualBox (x86) using this method. – Josh Habdas – 2018-06-20T11:56:57.327

1Thanks so much! It worked, and a few days before the project was due. – Anton8000 – 2013-02-21T11:05:48.150

Windows 10 can mount .img files as a drive. This drive can then be accessed by a virtual machine.

In Windows Explorer, right click on the .img file, select Mount.
Start the virtual machine
In the Devices menu => Optical Drives => select the Host Drive created in step 1.

Bevan Collins

Posted 2013-02-20T15:48:52.000

Reputation: 181

sometimes it wont , for e.g. i tried to mount an octopi img file in windows 10 and it said the image file is corrupt – Gurpreet – 2020-02-13T20:31:29.960