virtualbox command lines

virtualbox comes with it’s own command line utility:

https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch08.html#vboxmanage-list

to make use of this you first have to cd to the vboxmanage.exe which is in the virtualbox program file’s folder:

C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox

here are some examples:

Start a vm
use the following:

.\VBoxManage.exe startvm {vm’s name}

Note: the vm’s name is case sensitive. I think.

e.g.:

[powershell]
PS C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox=> .\VBoxManage.exe startvm Centos7
Waiting for VM "Centos7" to power on…
VM "Centos7" has been successfully started.
[/powershell]

List running vms

This is done like this:

[powershell]
PS C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox=> .\VBoxManage.exe list runningvms
"Centos7" {6cfe3d82-b4ae-46f1-9188-d5e6a603474e}
PS C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox=>
[/powershell]

Shutdown a VM

To shutdown a vm, do:

[powershell]
PS C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox=> .\VBoxManage.exe controlvm Centos7 savestate
0%…10%…20%…30%…40%…50%…60%…70%…80%…90%…100%
PS C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox=>
[/powershell]