Convert from VMware VMDK to VirtualBox VDI
qemu-img convert image.vmdk image.bin
The resultant file will be a full-sized image, but sparse.
VBoxManage convertfromraw image.bin image.vdi --format=VDI
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
# Linux losetup -f disk.img # FreeBSD mdconfig -a -t vnode -f disk.img
Create a vmdk pointing to it
VBoxManage internalcommands createrawvmdk disk.vmdk -rawdisk /dev/loop0 # Or /dev/md0, wherever the image was attached
Remove the loopback
# Linux losetup -d /dev/loop0 # FreeBSD mdconfig -d -u 0
Edit the vmdk thus created, and change the path to point to the file
# Extent description -RW 2097152 FLAT "/dev/loop0" 0 +RW 2097152 FLAT "disk.img" 0
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)
# Enable VNC extpack VBoxManage setproperty vrdeextpack VNC # Turn on VNC for a VM VBoxManage modifyvm <name> --vrde on --vrdeport 5900 --vrdeproperty VNCPassword=password