[vbox-dev] tool for converting .vdi to .img raw format

[Klaus Espenlaub]

François,

On 14.05.2014 18:23, François Revol wrote:
> On 14/05/2014 18:12, Mgr. Janusz Chmiel wrote:
>> Dear developers,
>> Do You think, that somebody of us would try to develop little
>> application, which would be able to convert .vdi virtual harddisk image
>> to Theraw image format?
>> .img My next Question is.
>> Why it is not possible to change The size of virtual harddisk if it is
>> created by using Oracle vmvirtual box GUI?
>> Thank You very much for Yours answer.
>> If You know about free procedure for Windows or Linux, which would
>> enable me to convert .vdi harddisk to .img raw image format please let
>> me know.
>
> While the VBoxManage "convertfromraw" subcommand is documented in the
> manual, there is also the opposite but it is stuffed in a
> developper-related subcommand:
>
> vboxmanage internalcommands converttoraw

nooo... don't point people at very limited and deliberately 
hidden/undocumented commands. This command can't handle image chains 
(which means it will produce complete garbage if you point it at some 
file corresponding to a snapshot).

I can't undo this well meant (but unfortunately not ideal) advice, but 
please don't go this way.

VBoxManage clonehd <src> <dst> --format RAW

is the proper way, and documented.

Klaus

> Typing this on the command line should give you the usage info.
>
> Also, qemu-img should be able to do this as well.
>
> François.