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How do I resize my virtual disk space? I'm running Ubuntu 10.04 LTS with only 8GB (which is the default allocated size) but it's running low on disk space. Thanks.


Here's the screenshot. Thanks to @Suhaib for the +points in reputation.

How to Resize Virtual Disk Image

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  • virtual disk space, you mean ubuntu is running as a guest in virtual box?
    – Sam
    Nov 20, 2012 at 18:04
  • yes.. only 1GB left, there's a window that pops up, giving a warning..
    – Jez
    Nov 20, 2012 at 18:10
  • @suhaib, that is running on WinXP..mine is Ubuntu..
    – Jez
    Nov 20, 2012 at 18:20
  • @Jane did you look at the 2nd solution. Which is the command line solution ? that one is used for any hardisk. whether it is Xp or Ubuntu
    – Suhaib
    Nov 20, 2012 at 18:21
  • 1
    I already resolved it, but I can't upload a screenshot of what I did..need to earn more than 10 reputation..
    – Jez
    Nov 21, 2012 at 17:44

2 Answers 2

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The last 2 comments in this forum greatly helped me, which said:

Oxwivi

Do I do that on Windows? Because if I do that it says: 'vboxmanage' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

sean.dybob June 8th, 2011, 09:07 AM

vboxmanage is found inside the virtualbox installation directory, should be inside C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\ directory.

These are the steps I did (Host OS is Windows):

1) File >> Virtual Media Manager >> Select VDI >> Release

2) Copy the location of the VDI inside the Properties box. In my case, it's:

C:\Users\Se7eN\VirtualBox VMs\LUCID_LYNX\JH.vdi

3) Go to Google.com and type your desired size in gigabyte to be converted to megabyte. For example: 10 GB = MB

The result would be 10240.

4) Open the command line and type/copy this:

cd C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox

This is the location of the VirtualBox software you installed in your computer.

Notice that you have two VirtualBox folders, 1) "VirtualBox VMs", which contains your virtual machines, and 2) "VirtualBox", which is the program.

5) Lastly, run:

VBoxManage modifyhd YOUR_VDI_LOCATION --resize SIZE_IN_MEGABYTES

VBoxManage modifyhd C:\Users\Se7eN\VirtualBox VMs\LUCID_LYNX\JH.vdi --resize 10240

I have screenshots for all of the above steps, but need to earn more than 10 reputation to upload the image. Hope this helps. Thanks.

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  • Hey, thanks for the mention. Fixed thread link. :)
    – Oxwivi
    Nov 25, 2013 at 14:25
  • modifyhd has been deprecated for Oracle Virtualbox version: 6.06 the correct way of doing it is to do the following command: VBoxManage modifymedium disk "C:\Users\iin584\VirtualBox VMs\Ubuntu-19-HpL\Ubuntu-19-HpL.vdi" --resize 30720 (obviously replace the vdi URI with your own)
    – Beezer
    Jun 12, 2019 at 8:49
  • The issue however is that the guest Ubuntu does not recognize the addition of the above, even though Oracle Virtualbox succeeds in increasing the limit. I shutdown and restarted Virtualbox. If anyone has any clues it would be appreicated.
    – Beezer
    Jun 12, 2019 at 9:05
  • I am getting a permission error (windows 10 host, on an aadvark guest vdi file): " --resize 60999 VBoxManage.exe: error: Permission problem accessing the file for the medium 'C:\Users\Andy\VirtualBox VMs\ArtfulAadvark_17.10_fresh' (VERR_ACCESS_DENIED) VBoxManage.exe: error: Details: code VBOX_E_FILE_ERROR (0x80bb0004), component MediumWrap, interface IMedium, callee IUnknown VBoxManage.exe: error: Context: "OpenMedium(Bstr(pszFilenameOrUuid).raw(), enmDevType, enmAccessMode, fForceNewUuidOnOpen, pMedium.asOutParam())" at line 179 of file VBoxManageDisk.cpp Jun 28, 2019 at 16:59
1

Thanks for sharing. The downside. It is not implemented for VMDK file type, yet.

PS C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox> .\VBoxManage.exe modifyhd "C:\Users\John\VirtualBox VMs\Ubuntu UZH DS\-disk2.vmdk" --resize 15360
VBoxManage.exe : 0%...
At line:1 char:17
+ .\VBoxManage.exe <<<<  modifyhd "C:\Users\John\VirtualBox VMs\Ubuntu UZH DS
\-disk2.vmdk" --resize 15360
    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (0%...:String) [], RemoteException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : NativeCommandError

Progress state: VBOX_E_NOT_SUPPORTED

VBoxManage.exe: error: Resize hard disk operation for this format is not implem
ented yet!

However, you could first transform the VMDK to VDI and then resize the VDI container.

VBoxManage clonehd original.vmdk new.vdi --format VDI

Analog command applies for Linux.

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