Recover a Deleted VirtualBox VDI Disk on Windows

Updated on Oct 21, 2026 | by Qiling

Quick Navigation:

Understand the Missing .vdi File
Check Copies and Protect the Source
Recover with Qiling Deep Data Recovery
Verify the Recovered File
Frequently Asked Questions

A .vdi is a VirtualBox virtual disk image stored on the Windows host. A VM may also depend on snapshots and configuration files, so restoring the disk alone may not reproduce its last state.

Understand the Missing .vdi File

Power off the VM and inspect VirtualBox's media list and the VM folder. Confirm whether the missing item was the base VDI or a snapshot-related differencing image. Check backups before attempting a host-drive scan.

There are three different situations: the file was deleted, its folder or storage location changed, or the file still exists but does not open. Find out which happened before running a scan. A disk scan can find some deleted local files; it cannot create content that was never saved or repair every damaged file.

Check Copies and Protect the Source

Record the VM name, registered disk path and snapshot state without removing media entries.
Search the VM folder, Recycle Bin and backups for the VDI and related snapshot files.
If only the guest files are missing but the VDI exists, use guest backup or guest-file recovery instead of host VDI recovery.

Do not start the VM, discard snapshots or create a replacement disk on the affected host drive. Recover to another physical disk.

If the disk disconnects repeatedly, clicks, or shows severe read errors, avoid repeated scans and seek a stable copy or professional help. Results also depend on whether the deleted blocks have been overwritten, especially on SSDs.

Recover with Qiling Deep Data Recovery

Qiling Deep Data Recovery can scan storage visible to Windows for deleted local files. Start only after checking existing copies. A result in the file list is a candidate, not proof that the file is complete.

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Step 1. Check the Best Available Copy

Open the likely backup or version-history location first. Copy any surviving .vdi and related files to a safe destination. If no complete copy is available, close applications that write to the source and launch Qiling Deep Data Recovery.

Step 2. Choose the Scan Mode

Run Fast Scan on the host volume for recent deletion; consider a deeper scan only when stable. If the first pass misses the file and the device remains stable, use the deeper scan option in the results rather than repeatedly writing to the source.

Choose Qiling recovery scan mode for .vdi

Step 3. Select the Source Location

Select the Windows host disk where VirtualBox stored the VDI, not the virtual C: drive seen inside the VM. Confirm the disk model, capacity and drive letter before starting the scan. Never select the recovery destination as the source by mistake.

Select original storage location for .vdi recovery

Step 4. Review Matching Files

Compare disk image sizes, dates and associated snapshot files. Keep every plausible version. If the original folder is not shown, also search by file type and date. Do not discard earlier versions solely because one preview looks promising.

Review matching .vdi recovery candidates

Step 5. Recover to Another Drive

Select the best candidates, click Recover, and save them to a different physical drive. Keep the recovered originals unchanged; test copies so a failed open or import cannot damage your only result.

Save recovered .vdi files to another drive

Verify the Recovered File

Attach only a recovered copy to a test VM after preserving the original. Verify partitions and guest files without changing the source.

If a recovered file is incomplete, compare older backups and alternate scan results. Do not rename an unrelated file to .vdi and assume its contents have been restored. Once you have a verified copy, include both the native file and any required companion files in a separate backup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover only the base VDI when snapshots exist?

It may not contain the latest guest state. Preserve the snapshot chain too.

Should I run the VM during scanning?

No. Writes on the host can reduce recovery chances.

Why does VirtualBox report an inaccessible medium?

The path, disk image or snapshot dependency may be missing; verify each separately.