how can I import from virtual box or vmware?

Discussion in 'Installation and Configuration of Parallels Desktop' started by david q, Sep 12, 2011.

  1. david q

    david q Member

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    In Parallels 6 you could import from other desktop virtualization programs but in Parallels 7 it's missing?
     
  2. DeShawnB

    DeShawnB Hunter

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  3. david q

    david q Member

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    hi i did that already prior to installing v7 and after lion came out but how do u import virtualbox to parallels 7?
     
  4. JesterbeanA

    JesterbeanA Banned

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    Depends on where you would want to import into.[​IMG]
     
  5. DavePropellerHat

    DavePropellerHat Bit poster

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    VirtualBox How to migrate from Vbox .vdi to Parallels

    VirtualBox How to migrate from Vbox .vdi to Parallels

    I have a bunch of VirtualBox VMs that work fine under VBox, and I'd like to use them with Parallels Desktop 8 on Macintosh. Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac is not able to import them as-is, and researching this via the Parallels KB has not been effective. Searching the web I find plenty of instructions of how to transfer from Parallels to VirtualBox, but not how to migrate from VirtualBox to Parallels. So we’re doing the Salomon going upstream thing again. In the Parallels website I found a KB article about making the Library folder visible, but that is not the problem, as my files are not stored in an invisible library folder.

    I believe the correct procedure is:

    In VirtualBox:
    * Launch the VM that you’d like to convert and make sure the guest OS is shut down properly.
    * In the VirtualBox Manager, right-click on this VM and Clone. Make a Full, complete clone that will NOT have any snapshots. This is an important step because Parallels can not import a VM that includes snapshots, but you may not want to lose the saved snapshots in case you need to revert to them. So making a clone is a good way to get both. This step can take several minutes or more. You will want to give this version of your VM a descriptive name so it will be easy for you to tell them apart. Cloning will require plenty of available hard drive space, make sure you have at least 3x the size of the VM, including all parts. Make sure you pay attention to where you save the clone - you’re going to need to know where it is.
    * Launch the new clone of your Vm, and un-install the VBox Guest Additions. For example; if the VM is Win7, you’ll find them off the Start-> All Programs-> Oracle VM Virtual Guest Additions -> Uninstall
    * Shut down the guest OS properly. Sleep/hibernate will not work here.

    In Parallels Desktop 8 For Mac:
    * Launch Parallels, but do not start any VMs.
    * File -> Open... Select your new clone the file name will end with VBox, and there will be a much larger .VDI file next to it.
    * Parallels ought to import this without problems, then automatically install the Parallels tools which are similar to VBox Guest Additions.
    * A couple more dialog boxes & guest OS restarts & you ought to be good to go. You’ve migrated your VBox virtual machines to Parallels.

    BTW: I’m not necessarily endorsing either Parallels nor Virtual Box here, nor saying one is better than the other. I just wanted to try Parallels and the first problem I encountered was how to convert the VMs I already have set up to use again. I couldn't find this answer anywhere in the Parallels docs nor website, so here you go.

    http://www.nathanson.org/davesays/2013/migrate-from-virtualbox-to-parallels/
     

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