This makes virtualbox works in a portable mode:
- if you have any installed virtualbox then uninstall it first
- download https://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/7.0.8/VirtualBox-7.0.8-156879-Win.exe or any newer or older version
- click on
Download ZIP
above to download the scripts needed - create a folder inside your USB/external drive or whatever, name it
myVMBOX
(ex.F:\myVMBOX
if your USB is inF:\
). - inside
F:\myVMBOX
put the virtualbox exe we just downloaded (VirtualBox-7.0.8-156879-Win.exe
) and rename it toVirtualBox.exe
. - inside
F:\myVMBOX
put the following filesstart_virtualbox.bat
anduninstall_virtualbox.bat
, you will find them inside the zip you just downloaded. - now everytime you want to start virtualbox use
start_virtualbox.bat
.
If you want to uninstall virtualbox use the Control Panel or uninstall_virtualbox.bat
(this is optional).
That is all, now everytime you start virtualbox using start_virtualbox.bat
it will start in a portable mode, the virtual machines we create will be saved to F:\myVMBOX
inside your USB, and you can use the USB in any machine now, virtualbox will always find your virtual machines from your USB, but you have to always start virtualbox from start_virtualbox.bat
.
If you download a newer virtualbox executable, then uninstall the old one and do the same steps again.
if you want to migrate your old created virtual machines to the new portable folder myVMBOX (for example your old virtual machines created with virtualbox), do the following:
- start virtualbox using
start_virtualbox.bat
. - now close the virtualbox we just started.
- open
c:\myVMBOX
folder (c:\myVMBOX
is just a symlink shortcut to your USB folderF:\myVMBOX
), you have to openc:\myVMBOX
for this trick to work notF:\myVMBOX
. - inside
c:\myVMBOX
create a folder and name itMachines
if it does not already exist. - now inside
c:\myVMBOX\Machines
put all your old virtual machines folders, so you will have at the end something like that for example:
c:\myVMBOX\Machines\win10VM
c:\myVMBOX\Machines\win7VM
c:\myVMBOX\Machines\UbuntuVM
- now enter to every folder inside
c:\myVMBOX\Machines
and doble click the file that ends with.vbox
extension (it have a blue icon).
that is all, all your older virtual machines are now registred in virtualbox database and are saved inside your USB. you will find them inside your USB F:\myVMBOX
.
this gist was created for this discussion: vboxme/Portable-VirtualBox#89 (comment)
hi Badr, the new 7.0.12 vers has issued
so if i've understood i should have to dl it, rename to virtualbox.exe
then start yr unistall.bat and then start.bat...am i wrong?...
a silly question...: but if i simly renamed my old 7.0.10 vers to virtualbox_old.exe....??
so in my folder i should have it and the new virtualbox.exe (vers 7.0.12) and i easly will be able to switch from the new 7.0.12 to the old 7.0.10...have i say a very big silly thing...??
and another couriosity..: why you said ext pack is not needed...??...i thought it was important for VB and its working fine
...so why you do not mind about extentsion pack...??
apologize me again for my very few and bad level and skills...
cheers