advice on moving data in Parallels VM to Virtual Box VM

[jonathan_david]

i have decided to move to Virtual Box for reasons having nothing at all to do with Parallels. i simply have an in-house issue where i have been told i need to do this.

i know i am going to have to re-install all my software but i would like to also make sure that i have MOVED everything that i have some painfully set up in Parallels to the new virtual machine.

since i only am storing data (that i know of) on the Parallels DESKTOP am i correct in thinking that all i need to do is copy files from the Parallels desktop to the Virtual Box desktop?

or is there more i should think about moving over?

TIA

p.s. i plan on keeping the Parallels install for use at home.

 

[Tony Carreon]

VB includes a feature that will convert a parallels virtual machine to a VB virtual machine (if i remember correctly). if you want (or have to) install windows fresh, use windows itself to backup and restore.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/backup-and-restore

 

[jonathan_david]

hi tony. many, many thanks.

so correct me if i am wrong here - but, if i want to create a backup of my /existing/ windows 7 installation i can run this backup routine as described (while in Parallels) and then i can get into the VB version of windows 7 (which i have already installed) and i can RESTORE this backup?

or am i missing something here? i mean, presumably windows 7 in VB is going to want to find a file somewhere on my hard drive to restore from?

also, does any of this change if i am going to remove parallels from this work machine?

THANK YOU