How to use the command 'VBoxManage registervm' (with examples)
The ‘VBoxManage registervm’ command is used to register a virtual machine (VM) in VirtualBox. Registering a VM allows the user to manage it using the VBoxManage command-line interface. This command is useful when you have an existing VM that you want to manage or interact with using VBoxManage.
Use case 1: Register an existing VM
Code:
VBoxManage registervm path/to/filename.vbox
Motivation: You have an existing VM that you want to manage using the VBoxManage command-line interface. Registering the VM will allow you to perform various operations on the VM, such as starting, stopping, and modifying its settings.
Explanation:
- ‘VBoxManage registervm’: This is the command that registers a VM in VirtualBox.
- ‘path/to/filename.vbox’: This is the path to the VM configuration file (.vbox) that you want to register.
Example output:
Virtual machine 'MyVM' has been successfully registered.
Use case 2: Supply the encryption password file of the VM
Code:
VBoxManage registervm path/to/filename.vbox --password path/to/password_file
Motivation: The VM you want to register is encrypted using a password, and you have the password stored in a file. By supplying the password file, you can register the VM without having to manually enter the password.
Explanation:
- ‘VBoxManage registervm’: This is the command that registers a VM in VirtualBox.
- ‘path/to/filename.vbox’: This is the path to the VM configuration file (.vbox) that you want to register.
- ‘–password path/to/password_file’: This option specifies the path to the file that contains the encryption password for the VM.
Example output:
Virtual machine 'MyEncryptedVM' has been successfully registered.
Use case 3: Prompt for the encryption password on the command line
Code:
VBoxManage registervm path/to/filename.vbox --password -
Motivation: The VM you want to register is encrypted using a password, but you don’t want to store the password in a file. By using the “-” as the password argument, VirtualBox will prompt you to enter the password on the command line.
Explanation:
- ‘VBoxManage registervm’: This is the command that registers a VM in VirtualBox.
- ‘path/to/filename.vbox’: This is the path to the VM configuration file (.vbox) that you want to register.
- ‘–password -’: This option tells VirtualBox to prompt for the encryption password on the command line.
Example output:
Enter encryption password: *****
Virtual machine 'AnotherEncryptedVM' has been successfully registered.
Conclusion:
The ‘VBoxManage registervm’ command is a powerful tool for managing and interacting with virtual machines in VirtualBox. Whether you are registering an existing VM, supplying the encryption password file, or prompting for the password on the command line, this command provides flexibility and convenience for VM management.
