How to convert img files to virtualbox vdi format

If you use VirtualBox and received a system installed in IMG format, do not despair, because it is possible to transform this format into a VDI file (or the reverse). To do this, follow this Professional Preview mini tutorial.

Before doing the procedure, learn more about these two abbreviations. VDI is the default disk format used in VirtualBox. VDI stands for Virtual Disc Image . The file is a standard virtual disk drive that can be mounted as a separate hard disk, creating a new virtual machine with VirtualBox.

Already the IMG is generally a file that brings a complete image of a disc. Therefore, the file can be used to play the disc on your computer without the need for the physical disc. The format is similar to an ISO file.

You can use IMG files to play video games, run entire systems (for example, the OS X Installer is an IMG file) or the games application without having the actual game disc while you are playing. Aware of this, we will see how to convert between these formats:

Step 1. If you are using Windows 7 or Vista, click on the Start menu and look for the Prompt command. In Windows 8, press "Win + X" and in the menu that appears, select "symbol";

Step 2. Go to the folder where the IMG file is, using the cd command;

Step 3. To convert, use the command "C:\Program Files\oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage" convertdd system.dmg system.vdi , adjusting the file names for your needs. Note that if the Virtuabox folder is not visible on the system, you must enter the path to access the VBoxManage program;

Step 4. Wait for the program to process the file and it will be ready soon.

Step 5. If you need to, you can also do the reverse way and transform a VDI file into IMG. For this, only the sequence of the file names is inverted. So, using the above example as a base, just use the command "C:\Program Files\oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage" convertdd system.vdi system.dmg .

Step 6. To use the converted VDI file in a new virtual machine on the creation screen, select the option "Use an existing virtual hard disk file" and then navigate to the VDI file;

Step 7. To use the converted VDI file in an existing virtual machine, click on the VirtualBox screen and then the "settings" button. Next, select the current disk controller and the icon next to the "hard disk" field, to access the option "Select a virtual hard disk file…" and enter the path of the file for VDI.;

Ready! With this feature, it is possible to take IMG files to be used in VirtualBox. If you have a question, don't hesitate to ask in the comments.