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iPhoneApple

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 24, 2011
417
0
I tried to use VirtualBox to add a virtual disk for Windows 8. After deciding not to use it anymore, I used the included uninstall terminal file from Virtualbox to get rid of it, but I am stuck with this 17.8 GB file (Windows 8 Consumer Preview.vdi). Where can I delete this file, because I only see it in spotlight and finder doesn't show it.

Thanks
 
Last edited:

mrapplegate

macrumors 68030
Feb 26, 2011
2,818
8
Cincinnati, OH
I tried to use VirtualBox to add a virtual disk for Windows 8. After deciding not to use it anymore, I used the included uninstall terminal file from Virtualbox to get rid of it, but I am stuck with this 17.8 GB file (Windows 8 Consumer Preview.vdi). Where can I delete this file, because I only see it in spotlight and finder doesn't show it.

Thanks

You can delete it from terminal. I don't remember VirtualBox making the disk hidden though.
 

Nermal

Moderator
Staff member
Dec 7, 2002
21,014
4,592
New Zealand
I'm not at my Mac right now to check this, but I think you can drag straight from Spotlight to the Trash.
 

mrapplegate

macrumors 68030
Feb 26, 2011
2,818
8
Cincinnati, OH
What do I type in terminal to get rid of it?

Use spotlight to find the location

If you hover over the preview of the document and hold the command key down spotlight will scroll the file location on the bottom of the preview

Then open terminal navigate to the location by typing "cd /location" and hit enter
then type "sudo rm Preview.vdi"

It will ask for your password.

----------

I'm not at my Mac right now to check this, but I think you can drag straight from Spotlight to the Trash.

You're right you can. That would be the quickest solution.
 

iPhoneApple

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 24, 2011
417
0
I'm not at my Mac right now to check this, but I think you can drag straight from Spotlight to the Trash.

This file won't let me.

Use spotlight to find the location

If you hover over the preview of the document and hold the command key down spotlight will scroll the file location on the bottom of the preview

Then open terminal navigate to the location by typing "cd /location" and hit enter
then type "sudo rm Preview.vdi"

It will ask for your password.
.


I can't find the location. I wonder if redownloading VirtualBox will let me delete this .vdi file
 

mrapplegate

macrumors 68030
Feb 26, 2011
2,818
8
Cincinnati, OH
This file won't let me.



I can't find the location. I wonder if redownloading VirtualBox will let me delete this .vdi file

Strange, it's just a file. Even hidden ls -a will list it. In terminal go to Documents and look for VirtualBox, and then look in that folder.

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From their website
https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch10.html#idp17581408

Starting with version 4.0, by default, each virtual machine has one directory on your host computer where all the files of that machine are stored -- the XML settings file (with a .vbox file extension) and its disk images.

By default, this "machine folder" is placed in a common folder called "VirtualBox VMs", which VirtualBox creates in the current system user's home directory. The location of this home directory depends on the conventions of the host operating system:

On Windows, this is %HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH%; typically something like C:\Documents and Settings\Username\.

On Mac OS X, this is /Users/username.

On Linux and Solaris, this is /home/username.

For simplicity, we will abbreviate this as $HOME below. Using that convention, the common folder for all virtual machines is $HOME/VirtualBox VMs.

As an example, when you create a virtual machine called "Example VM", you will find that VirtualBox creates

the folder $HOME/VirtualBox VMs/Example VM/ and, in that folder,

the settings file Example VM.vbox and

the virtual disk image Example VM.vdi.



It looks like the location is /Users/username.
So it is not in Documents, but at the root of your home directory.
 

iPhoneApple

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 24, 2011
417
0
Use Find Any File. This tool finds all files. :)

Wow! Great app! It found some

Strange, it's just a file. Even hidden ls -a will list it. In terminal go to Documents and look for VirtualBox, and then look in that folder.

----------

From their website
https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch10.html#idp17581408

Starting with version 4.0, by default, each virtual machine has one directory on your host computer where all the files of that machine are stored -- the XML settings file (with a .vbox file extension) and its disk images.

By default, this "machine folder" is placed in a common folder called "VirtualBox VMs", which VirtualBox creates in the current system user's home directory. The location of this home directory depends on the conventions of the host operating system:

On Windows, this is %HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH%; typically something like C:\Documents and Settings\Username\.

On Mac OS X, this is /Users/username.

On Linux and Solaris, this is /home/username.

For simplicity, we will abbreviate this as $HOME below. Using that convention, the common folder for all virtual machines is $HOME/VirtualBox VMs.

As an example, when you create a virtual machine called "Example VM", you will find that VirtualBox creates

the folder $HOME/VirtualBox VMs/Example VM/ and, in that folder,

the settings file Example VM.vbox and

the virtual disk image Example VM.vdi.



It looks like the location is /Users/username.
So it is not in Documents, but at the root of your home directory.

I attached a picture of what it looks like in Spotlight.
 

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iPhoneApple

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 24, 2011
417
0
It was hidden for in the Application Support folder. Still not sure how it got there.
 
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