Locked What is a good/best way to backup Guest Windows in Oracle Virtual?

[PalCobra]

Hello Team OS,

It took me about 72 hours to install every piece I need on VirtualBox guest machine. And I am the one who rely and spent many many hours on it. I am looking for a guaranteed and working method to fully backup the Guest machine without facing disastrous problen when restoring it.

Any help is very appreciated,
Thank you Team OS!

 

[Cyler]

You can either make a copy of the virtual machine folder you created (each VM has its own folder) or even better use snapshots. For more info VM manual or google will be your friend.

 

[PalCobra]

You can either make a copy of the virtual machine folder you created (each VM has its own folder) or even better use snapshots. For more info VM manual or google will be your friend.

Thanks for reply, I googled indeed, but I got confused when I read about cons and pros. So I asked if someone has a good experiences with such issues.

 

[Cyler]

The only con is disk space wasted but if you value your work... There is no other way. I dont even think there is another way to take a backup. 100% safer but needs more space is making a folder copy of the VM. With snapshots, you can have several stages or steps of backup. For exmaple snap1 when installing program1, snap2 when installing program2, and then like multiple undo you can revert back to whichever snapshot you like.

What other cons do they say apart from disk space?

 

[PalCobra]

The only con is disk space wasted but if you value your work... There is no other way. I dont even think there is another way to take a backup. 100% safer but needs more space is making a folder copy of the VM. With snapshots, you can have several stages or steps of backup. For exmaple snap1 when installing program1, snap2 when installing program2, and then like undo you can revert back to whichever snapshot you like.

What other cons do they say apart from disk space?

such as I have to manage some folders manually and edit many others since there maybe the same path of other folder.
To not bother you much, If I have to chose, I will use export appliance. Do you prefer this method?

 

[Cyler]

I dont think you can use the export appliance as a backup method. I mean you can but it's not wise. Export Appliances is mostly used if you want to transfer the content (apps) of a VM to another user or environment that may have a different VM setup than yours, like different No of cores, different memory, and/or additional virtual hardware.

In my opinion Clone (it will generate different UUIDs which is useful if you want to run concurrent VMs in a virtual network for testing) or snapshots is the way to go.
Additionally, you can make a copy of your current VM and test all 3 methods. Take a snapshot for example and then mess with the VM (erase/remove files and programs etc) and use the snapshot to see how it can restore files. Do the same with appliances and compare efficiency and time needed.

If anything it will be a valuable experience.

 

[Toadiller]

Yeah cloning and snapshots are your way to go. (personally I recommend you also get a NVME RAID 1 that's decently large to store all these VMs)

 

[Proteus]

The only con is disk space wasted but if you value your work... There is no other way. I dont even think there is another way to take a backup. 100% safer but needs more space is making a folder copy of the VM. With snapshots, you can have several stages or steps of backup. For exmaple snap1 when installing program1, snap2 when installing program2, and then like multiple undo you can revert back to whichever snapshot you like.

What other cons do they say apart from disk space?

I use DISM++ and make a backup WIM, then create an ISO and substitute my WIM for the WIM or ESD in the sources folder, and voila, instant install with your total OS intact as is.

EDIT: Make sure the ISO you are using is the same as the one you installed or WIM wont work when inserted and new ISO created.

 

[PalCobra]

I dont think you can use the export appliance as a backup method. I mean you can but it's not wise. Export Appliances is mostly used if you want to transfer the content (apps) of a VM to another user or environment that may have a different VM setup than yours, like different No of cores, different memory, and/or additional virtual hardware.

In my opinion Clone (it will generate different UUIDs which is useful if you want to run concurrent VMs in a virtual network for testing) or snapshots is the way to go.
Additionally, you can make a copy of your current VM and test all 3 methods. Take a snapshot for example and then mess with the VM (erase/remove files and programs etc) and use the snapshot to see how it can restore files. Do the same with appliances and compare efficiency and time needed.

If anything it will be a valuable experience.

Although I exported appliance yesterday, I hate this method because of time consuming. So after I read your priceless comment which made my mind clear completely. I decided to clone it and take snapshots when needed. So bear me for my last question: If I create snapshot 1, 2,3..etc, and let say for some reason the snapshot 1 collapsed. Does it affect the other ones, or each snapshot is independent for its own?

I use DISM++ and make a backup WIM, then create an ISO and substitute my WIM for the WIM or ESD in the sources folder, and voila, instant install with your total OS intact as is.

EDIT: Make sure the ISO you are using is the same as the one you installed or WIM wont work when inserted and new ISO created.

It seems another great method. Please do you have a good video that explains this step by step?
Thanks a lot.

 

[Cyler]

Although I exported appliance yesterday, I hate this method because of time consuming. So after I read your priceless comment which made my mind clear completely. I decided to clone it and take snapshots when needed. So bear me for my last question: If I create snapshot 1, 2,3..etc, and let say for some reason the snapshot 1 collapsed. Does it affect the other ones, or each snapshot is independent for its own?

I haven't used Virtualbox for a while as I'm using VMWare due to some performance and technological advantages especially when it comes to SR IOV so please double check this by googling.

Virtualbox uses a sector-based approach when it comes to snapshots and so it only stores the sectors that have different data between 2 snapshots and therefore the newer snaps depend on the older ones much like the multiple undo system in several programs. If you have 3 snapshots named A, B, and C, you can select any one of those but you will disable every snapshot after that. If you choose A, then B and C will be disabled, if you choose B, then C will be disabled.

I suppose you can use a mix of Snapshots and Clone. Use a clone for every significant update and snapshot to the experimental steps. You can always add Deepfreeze workstation in the Virtual Machine to really avoid any changes or use a sandbox.

Mix and match is the secret but to be honest you will find that after a while your VM build won't have as many changes as you might think. After all, once you are finalized to a particular build, there is no point keeping the older ones.

 

[PalCobra]

I haven't used Virtualbox for a while as I'm using VMWare due to some performance and technological advantages especially when it comes to SR IOV so please double check this by googling.

Virtualbox uses a sector-based approach when it comes to snapshots and so it only stores the sectors that have different data between 2 snapshots and therefore the newer snaps depend on the older ones much like the multiple undo system in several programs. If you have 3 snapshots named A, B, and C, you can select any one of those but you will disable every snapshot after that. If you choose A, then B and C will be disabled, if you choose B, then C will be disabled.

I suppose you can use a mix of Snapshots and Clone. Use a clone for every significant update and snapshot to the experimental steps. You can always add Deepfreeze workstation in the Virtual Machine to really avoid any changes or use a sandbox.

Mix and match is the secret but to be honest you will find that after a while your VM build won't have as many changes as you might think. After all, once you are finalized to a particular build, there is no point keeping the older ones.

I installed both VMWare and Virtualbox at the same time. And I used the former for one day. But I decided to uninstall it and keep using the latter due to its
abundance tutorials. But before I post this question, I was thinking to return to VMWare because I had an idea after many reads that it has many advantages over Virtualbox. Anyway, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me a clear answer about virtual backup related issues.

All my regards to you.

 

[Proteus]

Can we assume issue is resolved? If so thread will be closed soon. Glad you got some good answers.

 

[PalCobra]

Can we assume issue is resolved? If so thread will be closed soon. Glad you got some good answers.

Of course I have got a fast response and great answers. You can close the thread.

 

[vdogeek]

Closed as per your request @PalCobra