ChatGPT said:
ChatGPT
Okay, let’s break down the output of virtualbox --help-all in a simple, easy-to-understand way with bullet points, just like we’re chatting! I’ll explain each part clearly, without repeating the same words too often.
General Commands
--help: Shows basic help info about VirtualBox commands.--help-all: Displays all commands and their descriptions (that’s what we’re going through right now).--version: Shows the installed version of VirtualBox.
VM (Virtual Machine) Operations
--startvm <name|uuid>: Starts a virtual machine by its name or unique ID (UUID).--controlvm <name|uuid> <command>: Sends a command to an active VM (like pause, reset, or power off).--stopvm <name|uuid>: Stops a VM that’s running.--pausevm <name|uuid>: Pauses the VM (like putting it on hold).--resumevm <name|uuid>: Resumes a paused VM.--savevm <name|uuid>: Saves the state of a VM (basically, hibernating it).--restorevm <name|uuid>: Restores the saved state of a VM.--resetvm <name|uuid>: Resets the VM (like restarting it).--snapshot <name|uuid> <command>: Manages snapshots (create, delete, restore).--showvminfo <name|uuid>: Displays detailed info about a VM, including resources and settings.
VM Creation and Management
--createvm <name|uuid>: Creates a new virtual machine with the name/UUID provided.--modifyvm <name|uuid> <options>: Changes the settings of an existing VM (e.g., RAM, CPU, etc.).--list: Lists all VMs, their states, and other details.--unregistervm <name|uuid>: Unregisters a VM from VirtualBox but doesn’t delete it from the disk.--registervm <name|uuid>: Registers a VM (useful if you’ve moved it or want to add an existing one back).
Storage and Media Operations
--createhd <path>: Creates a new virtual hard disk at the specified location.--storagectl <name|uuid> <controller>: Adds a storage controller to a VM (like SATA, IDE, or SCSI).--storageattach <name|uuid> <controller> <port> <device>: Attaches storage media (e.g., hard drive, CD/DVD) to a VM.--removemedium <path>: Removes a medium (disk) from a VM.
Network and Display
--nic <1|2|3|4> <type>: Configures network adapters for the VM (e.g., NAT, bridged, etc.).--vram <size>: Sets the video memory for the VM (for GUI-heavy OSes).--monitor <name|uuid>: Starts a VM’s console (for managing virtual monitors).--clipboard <mode>: Defines the clipboard behavior for copying/pasting between host and guest (options:hosttoguest,guesttohost, orbidirectional).--draganddrop <mode>: Controls the drag-and-drop feature between host and VM (options:disabled,hosttoguest,guesttohost, orbidirectional).
USB and Devices
--usb: Enables USB support for the VM.--usbdevice <device>: Attaches a USB device to the VM.--usbfilter <name|uuid>: Defines a filter to capture a specific USB device for a VM.
Guest Additions and Integration
--additions: Manages Guest Additions (for better integration between host and guest OS, like shared folders and clipboard).--audio <type>: Configures audio support for the VM (e.g., ALSA, PulseAudio).--sharedfolder <name>: Sets up shared folders between the host and guest OS.
Other Operations
--export <name|uuid> <path>: Exports a VM to an OVF (Open Virtualization Format) file.--import <path>: Imports a VM from an OVF file.--snapshot <name|uuid> <command>: Command to manage VM snapshots (create, restore, delete).
Additional Options
--headless: Starts a VM without a graphical interface (runs in the background).--type <gui|separate|headless>: Specifies the type of display for the VM.--uuid: Use this to refer to a VM by its unique ID (UUID) instead of its name.
Miscellaneous
--version: Displays the current version of VirtualBox.--help-all: Displays all commands and options available for VirtualBox (that’s the one we’re discussing).
Example Usage:
- Start a VM:bashCopy code
virtualbox --startvm "UbuntuVM" - Create a new VM:bashCopy code
virtualbox --createvm "NewVM" --ostype "Ubuntu_64" --register - Modify an existing VM:bashCopy code
virtualbox --modifyvm "UbuntuVM" --memory 4096 --cpus 2 - Take a snapshot:bashCopy code
virtualbox --snapshot "UbuntuVM" take
This is a breakdown of all the available commands and options in VirtualBox. You can use these commands in combination to create, manage, and control your virtual machines. If you need more details on any specific command or want help with something else, just let me know!