How to use the command vboxmanage-createvm (with examples)

The vboxmanage-createvm command allows users to create a new virtual machine in VirtualBox. This command is an essential tool for setting up and managing virtual environments. It provides various options to customize the virtual machine settings according to specific requirements.

Use case 1: Create a new VM with default settings

Code:

VBoxManage createvm --name vm_name

Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to quickly create a new virtual machine using the default settings provided by VirtualBox. It saves time by automatically setting up the basic configurations.

Explanation:

• createvm: Specifies the command to create a new virtual machine.
• --name vm_name: Sets the desired name for the virtual machine. Replace vm_name with the desired name for your VM.

Example output:

Virtual machine 'vm_name' is successfully created.

Use case 2: Set the base folder where the VM configuration will be stored

Code:

VBoxManage createvm --name vm_name --basefolder path/to/directory

Motivation: This use case is helpful when you want to specify a custom directory location to store the virtual machine configuration files. It allows for better organization and control over the virtual environment setup.

Explanation:

• --basefolder: Specifies the desired base folder path where the virtual machine configuration will be stored.
• path/to/directory: Replace this with the actual directory path where you want to store the VM configuration.

Example output:

Virtual machine 'vm_name' is successfully created and the VM configuration is stored in 'path/to/directory'.

Use case 3: Set the guest OS type for the imported VM

Code:

VBoxManage createvm --name vm_name --ostype ostype

Motivation: This use case is useful when you are creating a virtual machine that will run a specific guest operating system. By setting the guest OS type, VirtualBox can optimize certain settings and resource allocation for better compatibility and performance.

Explanation:

• --ostype: Specifies the desired guest operating system type for the VM.
• ostype: Replace this with the appropriate guest OS type. You can refer to VBoxManage list ostypes for a list of available options.

Example output:

Virtual machine 'vm_name' with guest OS type 'Windows7_64' is successfully created.

Use case 4: Register the created VM in VirtualBox

Code:

VBoxManage createvm --name vm_name --register

Motivation: This use case is helpful when you have created a virtual machine outside of VirtualBox and want to register it within the application. Registration allows you to manage and control the VM using VirtualBox’s interface.

Explanation:

• --register: Instructs VirtualBox to register the created virtual machine.

Example output:

Virtual machine 'vm_name' is successfully registered in VirtualBox.

Use case 5: Set the VM to the specified groups

Code:

VBoxManage createvm --name vm_name --group group1,group2,...

Motivation: This use case is beneficial for organizing and categorizing virtual machines into specific groups. Grouping allows for easier management, filtering, and organization of virtual environments.

Explanation:

• --group: Sets the virtual machine to the specified groups.
• group1, group2, ...: Replace these with the desired group names. Separate multiple group names with commas.

Example output:

Virtual machine 'vm_name' is successfully added to groups: 'group1', 'group2'.

Use case 6: Set the Universally Unique Identifier (UUID) of the VM

Code:

VBoxManage createvm --name vm_name --uuid uuid

Motivation: This use case is useful when you need to assign a specific Universally Unique Identifier (UUID) to a virtual machine. UUIDs can be used for identification, tracking, and integration purposes within virtual infrastructure setups.

Explanation:

• --uuid: Sets the desired Universally Unique Identifier (UUID) for the virtual machine.
• uuid: Replace this with the desired UUID for your VM.

Example output:

Virtual machine 'vm_name' is successfully created with UUID '12345678-90ab-cdef-ghij-klmnopqrstuv'.

Use case 7: Set the cipher to use for encryption

Code:

VBoxManage createvm --name vm_name --cipher AES-128|AES-256

Motivation: This use case is relevant when you need to enable encryption for the virtual machine’s disk images. By specifying the cipher, you can choose a security standard to protect the sensitive data within the virtual environment.

Explanation:

• --cipher: Sets the desired cipher to use for encryption. Valid options are AES-128 and AES-256.

Example output:

Virtual machine 'vm_name' is successfully created with AES-256 encryption enabled for disk images.

Conclusion:

The vboxmanage-createvm command is a versatile tool for creating and customizing virtual machines within VirtualBox. With its various options, users can easily configure different aspects of the VM such as naming, storage location, guest OS type, encryption, and more. This flexibility enables efficient management and optimization of virtual environments.