We extract data from *.vdi files. "Filling" with your own hands

Are you having trouble opening .VDI files? We collect information about file formats and can explain what VDI files are. Additionally, we recommend programs that are most suitable for opening or converting such files.

What is the .VDI file format used for?

Home Extension Association .vdi belongs to the Oracle VirtualBox Virtual Disk Image (VDI) file type/format. VirtualBox is the generic name for a robust, all-in-one open source virtualization solution from Oracle, Inc. VirtualBox is available for a range of platforms and allows you to create virtual machines (VMs) to run guest operating systems (OS) in the sandbox of the primary OS.

VDI acts as a binary container format used by VirtualBox to store guest OS disk device images. File .vdi is a large binary file containing a disk image, as well as some metadata for a specific VM. All hard drives used by a VirtualBox VM have their corresponding files .vdi.



The VDI image can contain any file system and can be dynamically expanded (depending on VirtualBox settings). For use with other virtualization solutions (e.g. VMware) files .vdi can be converted to other disk image formats (.iso, .vmdk) - and vice versa.

In another context, the extension .vdi also used to refer to the VirtualDub Information (VDI) file type/format used by VirtualDub, a generic free program (typically named "VirtualDub .vdi") is a binary disassembler module used for debugging purposes to collect information in the event of a program crash.

In a similar sense, the extension .vdi also used to refer to debug resource files ( .vdi) as part of StepMania, a free, multi-platform interactive dance game. These VDI files are binary modules used to collect information when preparing reports in cases of game software crashes.

Programs for opening or converting VDI files

You can open VDI files with the following programs: 

Since I often have to install OSes on different computers, I decided to make my own assembly for quick installation (the so-called “fill”) using Acronis True Image with the Universal Restore module. The assembly was done by installing a clean OS on the Virtual Box virtual machine, followed by installing the necessary software.


A few notes on installing the WinXP system on a virtual machine for subsequent creation of a universal image:

  1. Install drivers (HAL) - "Computer with ACPI". Control Panel > System > Hardware > Device Manager > Computer > right-click on the installed HAL driver > Update driver > No, not this time > Install from a specified location > Do not search. I will select the required driver myself > Computer with ACPI > Next > Done!
  2. Install the driver - "Standard dual-channel PCI IDE controller". Control Panel > System > Hardware > Device Manager > IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers > right-click on the installed IDE controller > Update driver > No, not this time > Install from a specified location > Do not search. I will select the required driver myself > Standard dual-channel PCI IDE controller > Next > Done!
  3. Remove references to old drives in the registry by clearing the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices registry key.
  4. Remove references to the Intel processor driver in the registry. Start > Run > Regedit > HKLM > SYSTEM > ControlSet001 > Services > delete the Intelppm partition. Repeat the same for ControlSet002.
  5. Disable all unnecessary devices.
  6. Do not install Guest addons in Virtual Box under any circumstances.
  7. Do not install drivers. Do not install Alcohol and DaemonTools. Do not connect virtual CD-ROMs.
  8. Clean up the following directories:
    C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\dllcache\
    C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch\
    C:\WINDOWS\Temp\
    C:\Documents and Settings\ \Local Settings\Temp\
    C:\Documents and Settings\ \Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\
    C:\Documents and Settings\ \Local Settings\History\
    C:\Documents and Settings\ \Cookies\
    C:\Documents and Settings\ \NetHood\
    C:\Documents and Settings\ \Recent\
    C:\RECYCLER\
    C:\System Volume Information\
  9. Defragment the partition with the installed OS.
I created a new hard drive in the virtual machine on which Acronis made a backup copy of the installed system.
Then I created a bootable USB flash drive with Acronis True Image Echo Enterprise Server 9.7.8398 with Acronis Universal Restore Rus. There is a DRP folder on the flash drive which contains a selection of hard drive controller drivers. This selection is called Driver Pack “Mass Storage”. You can download its latest version from the website http://driverpacks.net/.
However, it was not possible to transfer the prepared image directly to a flash drive from a virtual machine. Virtual Box OSE was installed, but it does not support working with USB =((. Of course, it would be possible to burn an image from a virtual machine to DVD, but this path is not for me =)).
There is an image of a virtual hard disk in *.vdi format - which means I can extract the file I need from it!
After searching for a program that would allow such an operation, or a way to mount a *.vdi file, a solution was finally found.
Firstly, if a dynamically expanding image was selected when creating a hard disk in Virtual Box, it must be converted to a static one. A dynamic image means that the file system blocks are arranged in chronological order rather than the order the file system driver expects. You need to convert to static with the command:

vboxmanage clonehd --variant static WinXP.vdi temp.vdi

The converted static image (if you do not specify a path before temp.vdi) will be located in /home/ /.VirtualBox/.
Then this image can be mounted as regular media with the commands:

modprobe nbd max_part=8 nbds_max=1
qemu-nbd --connect=/dev/nbd0 temp.vdi
fdisk -l /dev/nbd0
mount -t ntfs-3g /dev/nbd0p1 /media/CD

That's all =))) - now I have access to the “hard drive” of the virtual machine.
For Win users, you can work with *.vdi files using a wonderful program - UltraISO.

Today we will tell you what the VDI format is, how to open it and how to work with it. Most often, such materials are related to Virtuo CD.

VDI format: how to open it - Windows applications

If you encounter a similar file on your personal computer, most likely it contains disk images. This is one use case for the VDI extension. The following programs will help you figure out how to open such data: WinMount (multifunctional software that allows you to open from an archive, a separate directory or image; it also implements virtualization capabilities that can significantly save space), MagicISO, UltraISO. You can also use other imaging applications.

VirtualBox

Now we will discuss rarer options for using the VDI extension than opening such a file if it is not related to virtual disks, we will also consider below. For example, such data may be associated with VirtualBox for x86-64 platforms. The developer of this solution was Oracle, and it is capable of running on various operating systems. VDI files are stored in VirtualBox and have their own format. Such materials are used to save virtualized OS and other data on a single physical disk. VirtualBox has a command line tool called VBoxManage. This makes it possible to change various parameters and convert VDI files. The described software is used by embedded and desktop PCs, as well as servers for professional-level virtualization. VirtualBox allows you to run an operating system using the windowed mode of another OS. In this case, VDI files are treated as separate hard drives. The VM VirtualBox application will help you open such materials.

Other options

Sometimes files with the VDI extension can be used by the VirtualDub program, which provides everything for processing and capturing digital video. In conclusion, let's look at the last option for using this format. The VDI extension uses StepMania. In this case we are talking about a rhythmic dance program. This is a special decision. It provides support for all kinds of dance floors. The file contains debugging information that is used to track program failures on Windows. All data is stored in a special binary format, and is also usually named StepMania.vdi. So we figured out what the VDI extension is, how to open it, and what applications will help you interact with it.

VDI file summary

The VDI file extension includes four main file types and can be opened with Oracle VM VirtualBox(developed by Oracle Corporation). In total, there are only seven software(s) associated with this format. Most often they have the format type VirtualBox Virtual Disk Image. The bulk of VDI files relate to Disk Image Files, however they can also refer to Uncommon Files or Data Files.

VDI files are found on mobile and desktop platforms and can be opened on Windows, Mac, and Linux. The VDI file extension has a popularity rating of "Low", which means that these files are typically not found in most user file stores.

However, keep in mind that there is a lot more information to know about VDI files; The following provides only the most important details regarding these file types. If you are having trouble opening these files or want more information, please review the details below.

Popularity of file types
File Rank

Activity

This file type is still relevant and is actively used by developers and application software. Although the original software of this file type may be overshadowed by a newer version (eg Excel 97 vs Office 365), this file type is still actively supported by the current version of the software. This process of interacting with an old operating system or outdated version of software is also known as " backward compatibility».

File status
Page Last updated


VDI File Types

VDI Master File Association

VDI is a virtual disk format associated with Oracle VM VirtualBox, which is virtualization software. Virtualization software can be used as a CD, DVD, hard drive, and/or an actual physical device. You can use virtualization instead of the main disk type. It also allows users to run programs related to the operating system rather than the main one they use. Eg, if you are using windows and want to run a Linux related program, you can use virtual disks.


Other VDI file associations

VDI is a file extension associated with Virtue CD Manager software, which is CD/DVD space virtualization software that allows you to run a program using CD/DVD functionality without the need for actual CD or DVD hardware. VDI extension The file is a CD image.

TsKP is a file extension associated with the game Stepmania. A game where you use the keyboard to type ordered buttons to give a dance beat. The VDI file extension is used to store debugging information when we have problems with the game.

VDI is the file extension associated with VirtualDub. VirtualDub is software used for capturing and processing video. It doesn't specialize in editing videoes, but it is very useful for doing simple edits as well as capturing. The VDI file extension represents a debugging information file if the program gets problems crashing or stopping to work.


Try a universal file viewer

In addition to the products listed above, we suggest you try a universal file viewer like FileViewPro. The tool can open over 200 different file types, providing editing functionality for most of them.

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Troubleshooting problems opening VDI files

Common problems opening VDI files

Oracle VM VirtualBox not installed

By double clicking on the VDI file you can see a system dialog box telling you "This file type cannot be opened". In this case, it is usually due to the fact that Oracle VM VirtualBox for %%os%% is not installed on your computer. Since your operating system doesn't know what to do with this file, you won't be able to open it by double-clicking on it.


Advice: If you know of another program that can open a VDI file, you can try opening the file by selecting that application from the list of possible programs.

The wrong version of Oracle VM VirtualBox is installed

In some cases, you may have a newer (or older) version of the VirtualBox Virtual Disk Image file. not supported by the installed version of the application. If you do not have the correct version of the Oracle VM VirtualBox software (or any of the other programs listed above), you may need to download a different version of the software or one of the other application software listed above. This problem most often occurs when working in an older version of the application software With file created in a newer version, which the old version cannot recognize.


Advice: You can sometimes get a general idea of ​​the version of a VDI file by right-clicking the file and then selecting Properties (Windows) or Get Info (Mac OSX).


Summary: In any case, most problems that occur while opening VDI files are due to not having the correct application software installed on your computer.

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Other causes of problems opening VDI files

Even if you already have Oracle VM VirtualBox or other VDI related software installed on your computer, you may still encounter problems while opening VirtualBox Virtual Disk Image files. If you are still having problems opening VDI files, it may be due to other problems preventing these files from being opened. Such problems include (presented in order from most to least common):

  • Invalid VDI file references in the Windows registry (“phone book” of the Windows operating system)
  • Accidental deletion of description VDI file in the Windows registry
  • Incomplete or incorrect installation application software associated with the VDI format
  • File corruption VDI (problems with the VirtualBox Virtual Disk Image file itself)
  • VDI infection malware
  • Damaged or outdated device drivers hardware associated with the VDI file
  • Lack of sufficient system resources on the computer to open the VirtualBox Virtual Disk Image format

Quiz: What type of image file is the most popular format used on websites?

Right!

Close, but not quite...

PNGs are only slightly more popular than JPEG files (74.5% vs. 72.8% of websites using them) according to usage data from W3Techs.com.


Best Operating Systems

Windows (82.33%)
Android (11.56%)
iOS (3.43%)
Macintosh (1.71%)
Linux (0.60%)

Event of the day

A lesser known but very important compression method on early computers was called LZW. Back in 1978, LZW was a common compression tool used by almost every computer user. Today, the compression method can still be found in GIF, TIFF and PDF files.



How to fix problems opening VDI files

If you have installed on your computer antivirus program Can scan all files on your computer, as well as each file individually. You can scan any file by right-clicking on the file and selecting the appropriate option to scan the file for viruses.

For example, in this figure it is highlighted file my-file.vdi, then you need to right-click on this file and select the option in the file menu "scan with AVG". When you select this option, AVG Antivirus will open and scan the file for viruses.


Sometimes an error may occur as a result incorrect software installation, which may be due to a problem encountered during the installation process. This may interfere with your operating system associate your VDI file with the correct application software, influencing the so-called "file extension associations".

Sometimes simple reinstallation of Oracle VM VirtualBox can solve your problem by linking VDI correctly with Oracle VM VirtualBox. In other cases, problems with file associations may result from bad software programming developer and you may need to contact the developer for further assistance.


Advice: Try updating Oracle VM VirtualBox to the latest version to ensure you have the latest patches and updates.


This may seem too obvious, but often The VDI file itself may be causing the problem. If you received a file via an email attachment or downloaded it from a website and the download process was interrupted (such as a power outage or other reason), the file may become damaged. If possible, try getting a new copy of the VDI file and try opening it again.


Carefully: A damaged file can cause collateral damage to previous or existing malware on your PC, so it is important to keep your computer up-to-date with an up-to-date antivirus.


If your VDI file related to the hardware on your computer to open the file you may need update device drivers associated with this equipment.

This problem usually associated with media file types, which depend on successfully opening the hardware inside the computer, e.g. sound card or video card. For example, if you are trying to open an audio file but cannot open it, you may need to update sound card drivers.


Advice: If when you try to open a VDI file you receive .SYS file error message, the problem could probably be associated with corrupted or outdated device drivers that need to be updated. This process can be made easier by using driver update software such as DriverDoc.


If the steps do not solve the problem and you are still having problems opening VDI files, this may be due to lack of available system resources. Some versions of VDI files may require a significant amount of resources (e.g. memory/RAM, processing power) to properly open on your computer. This problem is quite common if you are using fairly old computer hardware and at the same time a much newer operating system.

This problem can occur when the computer is having trouble keeping up with a task because the operating system (and other services running in the background) may consume too many resources to open a VDI file. Try closing all applications on your PC before opening VirtualBox Virtual Disk Image. Freeing up all available resources on your computer will provide the best conditions for attempting to open a VDI file.


If you completed all the steps described above and your VDI file still won't open, you may need to run equipment update. In most cases, even when using older versions of hardware, the processing power can still be more than sufficient for most user applications (unless you're doing a lot of CPU-intensive work, such as 3D rendering, financial/scientific modeling, or intensive multimedia work) . Thus, it is likely that your computer does not have enough memory(commonly called "RAM" or random access memory) to perform the task of opening a file.

Try refreshing your memory to see if this will help you open the VDI file. Today, memory upgrades are quite affordable and very easy to install, even for the average computer user. As a bonus, you you'll probably see a nice performance boost while your computer performs other tasks.


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