Export Proxmox VE VM for Use With VirtualBox 🌱

NOTE: In this tutorial I'll be backing up the VM to an existing network share. For details on how to add a network share to Proxmox, check out this tutorial https://youtu.be/hkrFZoiYX_0?t=47

Export the VM from Proxmox VE

1. Log into the Proxmox VE web UI
2. Select the VM from the left navigation menu
3. Select Backup from the left sub-navigation menu
4. Click the Backup now button towards the top of the page
5. Set the destination location, the Mode to Stop and the Compression to none > Click Backup
6. After the backup operation has completed, select the Proxmox node from the left navigation menu
7. Select Shell from the left sub-navigation menu
8. Change directory to the location of the vma backup file, this will vary based on your specific setup
   # change directory to view mounted shares
   cd /mnt/pve
   # list mounted shares
   ls
   # cd into dump directory on the specific share, ISOs in this example
   cd ISOs/dump
   # list the files in the share
   ls
9. The backup .vma file and a .log file should be displayed
10. Extract the .vma file using the vma command line tool
    # extract the .vma
    # usage: vma extract -v <vzdump-filename.vma> <destination directory>
    vma extract -v filename.vma ./export
11. Wait for the .vma to be extracted, resulting in a .raw disk image

Converting and Importing the Disk to VirtualBox

1. Launch VirtualBox Manager
2. Create a new VM, using the same/similar hardware specifications as the Proxmox VM
3. Choose to not create a virtual hard disk
4. With the VM created, right click the VM in the left navigation menu > Show in Explorer
5. Copy the exported .raw disk image to the VirtualBox VM folder
6. Hold the SHIFT key and right click in the white space > Open PowerShell window here...
7. Run the following command to convert the .raw disk image to .vdi
   # list .raw files
   Get-ChildItem -File -Filter *.raw |Select Directory, Name, Extension
   # usage: vboxmanage.exe convertfromraw <input-filename.raw> <output-filename.vdi>
   Invoke-Expression ('& "'+ $Env:Programfiles +'\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage.exe" convertfromraw ".\input-filename.raw" ".\output-filename.vdi"')
8. Back in VirtualBox Manager, select the VM and Click Settings
9. Select Storage from the left navigation menu
10. Click Add Storage Attachment > Add Hard Disk > Choose existing disk
11. Click Add and browse to the newly converted .vdi file
12. Click OK to all open VirtualBox dialog windows
13. Right click the VM > Select Start > Normal