CDNWiki - View Source: VirtualBoxNotes

!! Convert from VMware VMDK to ~VirtualBox VDI

<verbatim>
qemu-img convert image.vmdk image.bin
</verbatim>

The resultant file will be a full-sized image, but sparse.

<verbatim>
VBoxManage convertfromraw image.bin image.vdi --format=VDI
</verbatim>

The resultant file will be a growable image, though it was significantly larger on mine than either the raw bin (allocated) or the vmdk.

!! Attach a raw (dd-style) disk image to a VM
First, attach it to a loopback device
<code brush="bash">
# Linux
losetup -f disk.img
# FreeBSD
mdconfig -a -t vnode -f disk.img
</code>

Create a vmdk pointing to it
<code brush="bash">
VBoxManage internalcommands createrawvmdk disk.vmdk -rawdisk /dev/loop0 # Or /dev/md0, wherever the image was attached
</code>

Remove the loopback
<code brush="bash">
# Linux
losetup -d /dev/loop0
# FreeBSD
mdconfig -d -u 0
</code>

Edit the vmdk thus created, and change the path to point to the file
<code brush="diff">
 # Extent description
-RW 2097152 FLAT "/dev/loop0" 0
+RW 2097152 FLAT "disk.img" 0
</code>

Make sure the two files are always in the same directory.

Attach to VM and test.

!! Configure VNC ext pack (4.2.6 OSE or later)
<code brush="bash">
# Enable VNC extpack
VBoxManage setproperty vrdeextpack VNC

# Turn on VNC for a VM
VBoxManage modifyvm <name> --vrde on --vrdeport 5900 --vrdeproperty VNCPassword=password
</code>