Category: Windows 7

Resizing a Fixed Virtual Machine VHD (VirtualBox)

Resizing a Fixed disk

Resizing can only be done on dynamically allocated disks. So one must first convert the disk to dynamic then resize.

In reality there is no way to change between Fixed-size and dynamic disks. However one may clone the existing Virtual Machine form one format to the other. This works with VHD (Virtual Hard Disk) format

The tool one needs for the said conversion and resizing is VBoxManage.exe and this can be found in:

C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox

Dynamic to fixed Cloning

VBoxManage clonehd [Current_VHD] [New-VHD] –variant Fixed

 

Fixed to Dynamic Cloning

VBoxManage clonehd [Current_VHD] [New-VHD] –variant Standard

 

Resizing

VBoxManage modifyhd [New-VHD] –resize [megabytes]

 

Note that resizing only works with increasing the size

1

Open a Command Prompt near the VHD (using Shift + Right Click)

2

C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage clonehd Win7.vhd Win7D.vhd –variant Standard

3

And wait for it to finish.

4

“C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\VboxManage” modifyhd Win7D.vhd –resize 40000

5

 

Importing the new Virtual Machine

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9

Locate the new VM and Create and Power it up

10

The VM will still show the old size

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That’s everything that is required

 

Get Command prompt to Full Screen in Windows 7

Ever faced the situation where you required to copy text from a Command Prompt and ended up copying the text manually just because you bump at the dialog in Fig:1 when you attempt Alt+enter ?

This System does not support full screen mode
Fig:1

Here is the solution:

Right Click My computer (Either on the Desktop or in the Windows Menu)

Manage My Computer
Fig:2

Click Manage as shown in Fig:2

Click Device Manager (which can be found in the Computer Management on the left of the window)

Disable Display Adapter
Fig:3

Expand Display Adapters and right click and disable your Display Adapter  as shown in Fig:3 and click yes

Open the Command Prompt and press Alt+Enter and it should go full Screen

Known Issues:

  • Do not run anything in Admin mode or you may not proceed. ( If you happen to do it Alt+F4 till u can use the system again)
  • Only CMDs opened after Disabling Display Adapter are allowed to go full screen.