Snapshot confirmation after closing virtual machine

[hds]

Hello, I just deleted about 30GB of data restoring a virtual machine, I mistakenly chose "Restore snapshot" from the closing dialog and the application did not poped up a confirmation to restore it.

Thanks...!

[hds]

s/deleted/lost/

[Socratis]

The screenshot that you included is from the confirmation dialog when closing the window of the VM. The highlighted portion has the following text in English:

Restore current snapshot '%1'

Isn't that confirmation dialog enough? You want a second confirmation dialog? In your comment you imply to substitute "deleted" with "lost". There is no "deleted" in the original text. If this is about what you believe to be a wrong translation, please see ticket #4503.

[hds]

Sorry for the wrong translation and the "delete" word.

The option to restore the current snapshot is really close to the shutdown machine option (can't find the purpose of that option if you have it already in the main app), a second confirmation dialog would be really useful to avoid such a user mistakes as the one I made, it will protect dumb users and their data.

I did not notice the lost of the data until I tried to access the machine, I did not even notice when I clicked the option.

I tried to recover the lost data but it was already overwritten by another programs plus it was an encrypted disk making it difficult to recover.

Thanks.

[Socratis]

The option to RestoreSnapshot is an on/off switch. The three options above it are radio controls, so only one of the three can be selected. When the PowerOff is selected, then and only then is the RestoreSnapshot enabled. That's why they're so close, because they are related.

All of the options are in the main application as well, but the PowerOff + RestoreSnapshot combination is not. That dialog is the only place you can do it. I love it and use it all the time.

When I want to make sure I don't want to lose data I don't close my VM's window, I shut it down from the VM, like I would a normal PC. When you're working on GB of data you don't pull the power cable from the PC, do you? Or when you're writing your program you don't close the editor window and wait for the "Save/Don't save/Cancel" dialog, do you? You make sure you've saved before you close the window.

I'm sorry that you lost your work, but in my opinion a single warning is enough. Even if you click "Erase hard drive partition" is selected in an appropriate program, there is only a single warning. You shouldn't put additional warning after warnings to avoid human mistakes.

[Frank Mehnert]

I agree with socratis. Users will always request additional confirmation dialogs. If such a dialog is added, users will learn to ignore it. It's a bit similar to "alias rm='rm -i'" on certain Linux distributions.

[hds]

Thanks for your answers, may we have other opinions?

I personally consider this layout dangerous as the restore checkbox is really close to the shutdown radio control, one mistaken click without a warning can lead to the data loss. e.g. I am used to close the machine directly when the guest gets unresponsive and when I want the host to release ram quickly (I think the snapshot restore option is probably less used than force the machine shutdown), this could happen to anyone.

Is there any way that can help to avoid other users enabling this by accident? We can have some solutions: moving the restore checkbox besides the shutdown radio, adding a data-loss warning label between the checkbox and the radio, a second confirmation dialog similar to the one in the main app, a configuration to disable the option, or other you find useful.

Thanks.

[Socratis]

• Again, I'm afraid that this is the warning dialog.
• The "Restore snapshot" is not enabled by default or accidentaly. It's an option you have selected at some time. Actually not at some time; at the very last time that you were shown this dialog (because it's a sticky option). The whole dialog is a sticky option.
• The last time you closed the VM, you had the exact same options; power off while restoring the snapshot. This time you just pressed "Enter" at that dialog without thinking about it. Only after you realized what you've done, you've considered it a bug/bad design. You hadn't filed the bug before that. It wouldn't matter if the options were 1000 pixels apart, you'd still make the same mistake.
• What you're doing is the equivalent of pulling the power cable out of your computer, so expect consequences. Actually with VirtualBox you are given a warning and options.
• A mistake, is a mistake, is a mistake. No amount of red flashing warning signs can save you from yourself.

[hds]

• I am filling the bug because I already experienced a consecuence of what it seems to be a dangerous layout, I didn't choose consciously to restore the snapshot and lost my 30GB of data, no one would consciously choose to lost that amount of information! moreover, I have asked some friends about what happened to me and some of them agree with what I think. Many bugs are not noticeable until someone found them.

• Also to clarify, I didn't press enter in the dialog, I clicked in the shutdown option and then clicked in the restore snapshot option without being aware of it (this happened because the options are really close), it would not have happened if the checkbox were more distant or besides the shutdown radio.

• In these times when I pulled out the cable from my computer I don't expect 30GB of information lost: hard disks are unlikely to have physical damage, filesystem journaling lower the likehood of have corrupted information, data is not deleted, etc.

In any case, thanks for your time socratis. Please consider this ticket closed.