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#1 2008-10-07 10:28:26

genisis300
Member
From: Uk
Registered: 2008-01-15
Posts: 284

copy current install to a Virtalbox machine

Hi All,
i want to copy my current Arch linux install from my Hard drive to a Virtual box machine so i can try out modifications without messing up my install.

Is there any easy way to do this?

Thanks
Matthew


"is adult entertainment killing our children or is killing our children entertaining adults?" Marilyn Manson

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#2 2008-10-07 15:03:52

kett
Member
Registered: 2008-04-21
Posts: 104

Re: copy current install to a Virtalbox machine

One way would be to use dd on your hard disk and then convert it to a vdi (virtual box's disk image format).  You could try something like this:

dd if=/dev/sda | VBoxManage convertdd /path/to/something.vdi

Make sure that you are sending the file to a hard drive other than the one you're copying.  Though, this copies the entire harddrive, which might not be practical if you have a large hard drive, or you don't have a second hard drive.

Alternatively, you are going to have to copy the files into an existing virtual machine.  With this, you are probably going to have to setup a virtual machine with a host interface for the network.  And then boot the virtual machine to a boot disk, and then use scp to copy the files from your computer into your virtual harddisk over the 'network'.

Honestly though, I would install arch from scratch in a virtual machine, and then copying your config files into it .  I say this because the hardware as seen by a virtual machine is significantly different from what your current Arch install sees.  Though linux should be to handle it fairly smoothly, I can't imagine it would go perfectly.

Last edited by kett (2008-10-07 15:04:08)

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#3 2008-10-07 15:38:48

genisis300
Member
From: Uk
Registered: 2008-01-15
Posts: 284

Re: copy current install to a Virtalbox machine

Hi Kett,
thanks for the sugestion
   i'll try the dd way 1st hopefully that will work that alot easier that the way i was thinking of doing it.

Last edited by genisis300 (2008-10-07 15:39:00)


"is adult entertainment killing our children or is killing our children entertaining adults?" Marilyn Manson

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#4 2008-10-07 21:17:28

fukawi2
Ex-Administratorino
From: .vic.au
Registered: 2007-09-28
Posts: 6,217
Website

Re: copy current install to a Virtalbox machine

I've had this article sitting in my inbox for months with the thought it could be useful one day big_smile
http://www.howtoforge.com/how-to-virtua … ux-machine

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