How to generate a vagrant file to replicate an existing (non-vagrant) VirtualBox running Debian?

Question

I have a VirtualBox VM, created "by hand" (i.e., without using vagrant at all), which runs Debian.

What is the simplest way to generate a vagrant file that would replicate this box? Is there an automated way to do this?

Answer 1

You can try following the steps reported in the github page "Convert a VirtualBox .ova VM into a Vagrant box #7", skipping the first one because you already have your VM (and you are not starting from an ova file)...

1. Individuate the internal name, ID, reading it from the GUI or by commandline with the VBoxManage command:

   VBoxManage list vms
   "UCS 4.1" {acef4c0a-35be-4640-a214-be135417f011}

   You are interested in acef4c0a-35be-4640-a214-be135417f011, that on your computer will be different (instead of UCS 4.1 you have to select the VM name you given to your debian system).

2. Package that VM as a Vagrant box

   vagrant package --base acef4c0a-35be-4640-a214-be135417f011 --output UCS.box

   Take the unique ID found before and write instead of acef4c0a-35be-4640-a214-be135417f011 in the above command line. Note that you can change the output filename as you want (instead of UCS.box you can use whatever.box), but you will need to use the same name in the next command.

3. Add to the list of your local Vagrant boxes

   vagrant box add UCS.box --name UCS

   With the file name chosen before you can add the box to vagrant, choosing even the human readable name (in the above case UCS). The name has to be reported in the next file.

4. Create a Vagrantfile to use this box, or modify one you already have:

   Vagrant.configure("2") do |config|
   config.vm.box = "UCS"
   # ...
   end

5. vagrant up