Virtual Box (.vdi) image optimization

About Virtual Box:

Virtual box is a virtualization product developed by sun micro system. You can create a 64 bit guest machine and host it on a 32 bit OS using virtual box. For more information on virtual box visit: http://www.virtualbox.org/

Optimize Image

Below steps explain the required procedure to compact the size of a virtual box image (.vdi).

1. Zero free space in .vdi image:
   

   The first step in the optimization process is to free up the unallocated space from the image. You need to follow below mentioned steps for the same:
   

   1. Start the virtual box image.
      
   2. Download the SDelete tool from http://download.sysinternals.com/Files/SDelete.zip & extract it to a folder say C:\SDelete drive in the image.
      
   3. Run the command prompt and type following command to run the SDelete utility:
      

      sdelete –p 3 –c C:
      

      Note: If you have multiple drives then run the utility for both of the drives. For more information on SDelete utility visit: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897443.aspx
      

   4. Shut down the virtual box image.
      
2. Compact Virtual Box image:
   

   Second & final step in optimization process is to compact the virtual box image size using VBoxManage utility. VBoxManage utility can be found at the installation folder of virtual box usually "C:\Program Files\Sun\VirtualBox".
   

   1. Run the command prompt and run the following command:
      

      C:\Program Files\Sun\VirtualBox\VBoxManage modifyhd "D:\Virtual Box\Server.vdi" –-compact
      

   2. You will get the optimized virtual box image after this step. Notice that you will be able to free up some good amount of space from the imageJ.