Fix VirtualBox UUID Errors

The error looks like this:

Oracle has a chapter in the VirtualBox manual that covers UUID problems, which may reveal how to fix this. Or you can just follow the steps below. Cannot register the hard disk ‘E:\VirtualBox VMs\Windows 8 \Windows 8 Enterprise2.vhd’ {ca2bdc6a-a487-4e57-9fcd-509d0c31d86d} because a hard disk ‘E:\VirtualBox VMs\Windows 8 Enterprise\Windows 8 Enterprise2.vhd’ with UUID {ca2bdc6a-a487-4e57-9fcd-509d0c31d86d} already exists. Result Code: E_INVALIDARG (0x80070057) Component: VirtualBox Interface: IVirtualBox {3b2f08eb-b810-4715-bee0-bb06b9880ad2} Callee RC: VBOX_E_OBJECT_NOT_FOUND (0x80BB0001)”

How to Reset the UUID

To fix this, you’ll need to run some text commands. Open up the Command Prompt. In both Windows 8 and Windows 7, it can be found by typing “cmd” into the Start Menu search box.

Now change the cmd prompt’s directory to the folder you installed VirtualBox in. If you put it in the default the command is this:

Now type in the following command (or copy/paste using right click):

If everything worked, you should see a message saying “UUID change to: …” and then the VirtualBox should work. All fixed! just can directly execute wherever your located a slightly different command: vboxmanage internalcommands sethduuid “newPathto.vdi” thanks for the post, it saved me a lot of reserach and reading! actually i am importing the virtual alliance to VM box … so the moment i change the uuid and start importing again it gives the error cannot create because vmdk already exists.. Then i delete machine and start importing same UUID error occurs then again after fixing vmdk exists … So i am kind of looping in it … I tried with the “” and it gave me the same issue. Not sure what to do if your path has spaces in it. I’d say just move the file to a top level directory with no spaces. That will work for sure. Then I cut the file to the top directory and removed the space in the name like the following: VBoxManage internalcommands sethduuid D:\Windows7.vdi Then it worked c:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox>VBoxManage internalcommands sethduuid D:\Windows7.vdi UUID changed to: 9257de09-2a9c-4c13-ac6d-00d9fea8dcea (Win 10 64bit Pro) VBoxManage.exe does still exist in Virtualbox v 5.1.6. You need to run the commandlline from the install location of Virtualbox (default is C:\Program files\Oracle\Virtualbox – I believe) or you can add the Virtualbox path to the path environment variable This was a real life-saver. Thanks for saving my sanity! The disk that you moved should appear with a yellow warning symbol (since VirtualBox can’t find it at its previous location). Click the disk, click “Remove”, and confirm. You can now add the disk back to your virtual machine and VirtualBox won’t complain about conflicting UUIDs. VBOXMANAGE.EXE change to your installation path folder eg: “C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage.exe” “pathtovhdfile” put your image path (which folder and which file) eg: C:\Users\VirtualBox VMs\C_OS1908-VB-64bit\CentOS7-1908(64bit).vdi your command should look like this » “C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage.exe” internalcommands sethduuid “C:\Users\VirtualBox VMs\C_OS1908-VB-64bit\CentOS7-1908(64bit).vdi” hope it works for you Comment

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