Scenario / Question:

How do I modify the parameters of my VM in VirtualBox from the command line

Solution / Answer:

Use the tool VBoxManage

Install VirtualBox

“Install VirtualBox without GUI or Headless”

Create a VirtualBox VM guest

“VirtualBox Headless VM”

VirtualBox Controlling Headless VM

“VirtualBox Controlling Headless VM”

How to Change VM parameters or Modify VM settings

The VBoxManage modifyvm command in VirtualBox lets you change all the settings for your VM

** The VM must be in an off state to modify any paramaters **

The parameters can be combined on one line

vmadmin$ VBoxManage modifyvm <vmname> <parameter>

VM General Settings

Modify VM Name

vmadmin$ VBoxManage modifyvm <vmname> –name <newvmname>

Modify VM OStype

vmadmin$ VBoxManage modifyvm <vmname> –ostype <ostype id>

Modify VM Memory Size

vmadmin$ VBoxManage modifyvm <vmname> –memory <memorysize in MB>

Modify VM ACPI setting (on or off)

vmadmin$ VBoxManage modifyvm <vmname> –acpi <on or off>

Modify VM IOAPIC setting (on or off)

vmadmin$ VBoxManage modifyvm <vmname> –ioapic <on or off>

Modify VM PAE (see more then 3GB of RAM) (on or off)

vmadmin$ VBoxManage modifyvm <vmname> –pae <on or off>

Modify VM Virtualization Extensions (on or off)

vmadmin$ VBoxManage modifyvm <vmname> –hwvirtex <on or off>

Modify VM Intel VT-x TLB VPID (only for Intel CPU on Host)

vmadmin$ VBoxManage modifyvm <vmname> –vtxpid <on or off>

Modify VM NestedPaging

vmadmin$ VBoxManage modifyvm <vmname> –nestedpaging <on or off>

Modify VM Harddrive Devices (hda, hdb, sda, sdb) (none or filename) ** use full path to .vdi file

vmadmin$ VBoxManage modifyvm <vmname> –hda <none or filename>

Modify VM DVD / CD (none or filename or host:drive

vmadmin$ VBoxManage modifyvm <vmname> –dvd <none or filename or host:drive>

VM Network Settings

Modify VM Networking type (nic(#) none or null or nat or bridged or intnet or hostonly)

vmadmin$ VBoxManage modifyvm <vmname> –nic# <none or null or nat or bridged or intnet or hostonly>

Modify VM Network Card type (nictype(#) AM79C970A or Am79C973 or 8254 OEM )

** nictype(#) the # should match the number in nic(#). To change nictype of nic1 would be nictype1.

vmadmin$ VBoxManage modifyvm <vmname> –nictype# <AM79C970A or Am79C973 or 82540EM >

Modify VM Bridged Adapter Host Interface

** The hosts nic adapter that you want to use for bridged networking

** bridgedadapter(#) the # should match the number in nic(#). To change bridgedadapter of nic1 would be bridgedadapter1.

vmadmin$ VBoxManage modifyvm <vmname> –bridgeadapter# <none or host device (eg. eth0) >

VM VRDP Settings

Modify VM VRDP Acess ( on or off)

vmadmin$ VBoxManage modifyvm <vmname> –vrdp <on or off>

Modify VM VRDP Port

vmadmin$ VBoxManage modifyvm <vmname> –vrdpport <portnumber>

Modify VM VRDP Authentication

** null no authentication

** external – Uses PAM and Linux users on the host system

vmadmin$ VBoxManage modifyvm <vmname> –vrdpauthtype <null or external or guest>

Modify VM VRDP Multiple Connections

vmadmin$ VBoxManage modifyvm <vmname> –vrdpmulticon <on or off>