VboxManage: steps to create a headless Win2012 guest on CentOS7 host

VirtualBox syntax for creating a headless Win2012 guest on a CentOS7 host

The virtual machine name is "Cindarella". The user owning the files is vboxadmin.

• To check your possible operating system types:

  vboxmanage list ostypes

• Make a VDI drive, 120gb

  VBoxManage createhd --filename /home/vboxadmin/vboxes/Cindarella/Cindarella_OS.vdi --size 120480

• (repeat as needed; this example used some VDI files that were already available)
• Create the machine, then adjust settings

  vboxmanage createvm --name Cindarella --ostype Win2012_64  --register   --basefolder /home/vboxadmin/vboxes
  VBoxManage modifyvm Cindarella  --memory 2000 --acpi on --nic1 bridged --bridgeadapter1 enp2s4

• Enable the remote desktop "VRDE" feature (after having controlled the firewall for the selected port)

  VBoxManage modifyvm Cindarella  --vrde on  --vrdeport 4321
  vboxmanage storagectl Cindarella  --name "SATA Controller" --add sata --portcount 3 --bootable on
  

• Make use of some existing VDI images
• Note port changes from 0 to 1 to 2 for each of these hard disks.

  VBoxManage storageattach Cindarella --storagectl "SATA Controller" --device 0 --port 0 --type hdd --medium /home/vboxadmin/vboxes/Cindarella/Cindarella_OS.vdi
  VBoxManage storageattach Cindarella --storagectl "SATA Controller" --device 0 --port 1 --type hdd --medium /home/vboxadmin/vboxes/Cindarella/Data_DriveD.vdi
  VBoxManage storageattach Cindarella --storagectl "SATA Controller" --device 0 --port 2 --type hdd --medium /home/vboxadmin/vboxes/Cindarella/Scratch_DriveE.vdi

• Put an ISO in the CD drive

  VBoxManage storagectl Cindarella --name "IDE Controller" --add ide
  VBoxManage storageattach Cindarella --storagectl "IDE Controller" --port 0 --device 0 --type dvddrive --medium /home/vboxadmin/vboxes/9600.16384.WINBLUE_RTM.130821-1623_X64FRE_SERVER_SOLUTION_EN-US-IRM_SSSO_X64FRE_EN-US_DV5.ISO
  VBoxManage modifyvm Cindarella --boot1 dvd

• Start VirtualBox in Headless mode

  vboxmanage startvm Cindarella --type headless

• Reset the VirtualBox

  vboxmanage controlvm Cindarella reset

• Power off the VirtualBox

  vboxmanage controlvm Cindarella poweroff