[SOLVED] pclos host win xp guest - can't resize VirtualBox hard drive?

[arjay]

Hi all - I am running win xp as a guest in virtualbox PCLos host. I have the dreaded "not enough space on hard drive" (only 10Gb). I want to resize the hard drive.  I am following an amalgam of posts re this issue but can't get past first base.  So far, I have created a new 50 Gb fixed hard disk in VirtualBox 3.2.8.  It shows up in VB as an unattached drive.

Then I have tried to clone the contents of the original HD to the new one.  But either I have got the syntax wrong or something else more stoopid.  First, I have the problem that I named the first HD as Win XP (notice the space).  Not sure if that is the problem or not.  Here is my first attempt:

Code: [Select]

[root@Galaxy .VirtualBox]# VBoxManage clonehd –existing Win XP.vdi newhd.vdi
Oracle VM VirtualBox Command Line Management Interface Version 3.2.8
(C) 2005-2010 Oracle Corporation
All rights reserved.

Usage:

VBoxManage clonehd          <uuid>|<filename> <outputfile>
                            [--format VDI|VMDK|VHD|RAW|<other>]
                            [--variant Standard,Fixed,Split2G,Stream,ESX]
                            [--type normal|writethrough|immutable|shareable]
                            [--remember] [--existing]


Syntax error: Invalid parameter 'XP.vdi'
[root@Galaxy .VirtualBox]#

So, I have tried putting every combination of quote marks around the offending drive name - for example:

Code: [Select]

[root@Galaxy .VirtualBox]# VBoxManage clonehd –existing "Win XP.vdi" newhd.vdi
Oracle VM VirtualBox Command Line Management Interface Version 3.2.8
(C) 2005-2010 Oracle Corporation
All rights reserved.

Usage:

VBoxManage clonehd          <uuid>|<filename> <outputfile>
                            [--format VDI|VMDK|VHD|RAW|<other>]
                            [--variant Standard,Fixed,Split2G,Stream,ESX]
                            [--type normal|writethrough|immutable|shareable]
                            [--remember] [--existing]


Syntax error: Invalid parameter 'newhd.vdi'

I have tried single and double quotes and also run the command in the .VirtualBox folder - all to no avail.

Can someone help me sort this one?

Cheers

RJ

[arjay]

No worries - I got the answer over at the VirtualBox Forum - thanks to dmcgraw.  Just a silly syntax error.  My command "-existing" should have been "--existing".  That is, two dashes not one.  The perils of cutting and pasting from an internet guide.  Should have known better.

For anyone else looking at the post for help, here is the correct generic code (replace the old and new drive names with your own of course):

Code: [Select]

VBoxManage clonehd --existing olddiskname.vdi newdiskname.vdi

If, like me, you had already named a drive with a space in the name then use quotes around the offending name.  It would then look like this:

Code: [Select]

VBoxManage clonehd --existing "Old Disk.vdi" "New Disk.vdi"

Hope this helps someone else.

RJ