A native VirtualBox file format
Images for testing can be downloaded from
or you can convert images of other formats.
This page hosts a formal specification of VirtualBox Disk Image using Kaitai Struct. This specification can be automatically translated into a variety of programming languages to get a parsing library.
All parsing code for Python generated by Kaitai Struct depends on the Python runtime library. You have to install it before you can parse data.
The Python runtime library can be installed from PyPI:
python3 -m pip install kaitaistruct
Parse a local file and get structure in memory:
data = Vdi.from_file("path/to/local/file.vdi")
Or parse structure from a bytes:
from kaitaistruct import KaitaiStream, BytesIO
raw = b"\x00\x01\x02..."
data = Vdi(KaitaiStream(BytesIO(raw)))
After that, one can get various attributes from the structure by invoking getter methods like:
data.blocks_map # => block_index = offset_in_virtual_disk / block_size actual_data_offset = blocks_map[block_index]*block_size+metadata_size+offset_in_block
The blocks_map will take up blocks_in_image_max * sizeof(uint32_t) bytes; since the blocks_map is read and written in a single operation, its size needs to be limited to INT_MAX; furthermore, when opening an image, the blocks_map size is rounded up to be aligned on BDRV_SECTOR_SIZE. Therefore this should satisfy the following: blocks_in_image_max * sizeof(uint32_t) + BDRV_SECTOR_SIZE == INT_MAX + 1 (INT_MAX + 1 is the first value not representable as an int) This guarantees that any value below or equal to the constant will, when multiplied by sizeof(uint32_t) and rounded up to a BDRV_SECTOR_SIZE boundary, still be below or equal to INT_MAX.
# This is a generated file! Please edit source .ksy file and use kaitai-struct-compiler to rebuild
# type: ignore
import kaitaistruct
from kaitaistruct import KaitaiStruct, KaitaiStream, BytesIO
from enum import IntEnum
if getattr(kaitaistruct, 'API_VERSION', (0, 9)) < (0, 11):
    raise Exception("Incompatible Kaitai Struct Python API: 0.11 or later is required, but you have %s" % (kaitaistruct.__version__))
class Vdi(KaitaiStruct):
    """A native VirtualBox file format
    
    Images for testing can be downloaded from
    
     * <https://www.osboxes.org/virtualbox-images/>
     * <https://virtualboxes.org/images/>
    
    or you can convert images of other formats.
    
    .. seealso::
       Source - https://github.com/qemu/qemu/blob/master/block/vdi.c
    """
    class ImageType(IntEnum):
        dynamic = 1
        static = 2
        undo = 3
        diff = 4
    def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
        super(Vdi, self).__init__(_io)
        self._parent = _parent
        self._root = _root or self
        self._read()
    def _read(self):
        self.header = Vdi.Header(self._io, self, self._root)
    def _fetch_instances(self):
        pass
        self.header._fetch_instances()
        _ = self.blocks_map
        if hasattr(self, '_m_blocks_map'):
            pass
            self._m_blocks_map._fetch_instances()
        _ = self.disk
        if hasattr(self, '_m_disk'):
            pass
            self._m_disk._fetch_instances()
    class BlocksMap(KaitaiStruct):
        def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
            super(Vdi.BlocksMap, self).__init__(_io)
            self._parent = _parent
            self._root = _root
            self._read()
        def _read(self):
            self.index = []
            for i in range(self._root.header.header_main.blocks_in_image):
                self.index.append(Vdi.BlocksMap.BlockIndex(self._io, self, self._root))
        def _fetch_instances(self):
            pass
            for i in range(len(self.index)):
                pass
                self.index[i]._fetch_instances()
        class BlockIndex(KaitaiStruct):
            def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
                super(Vdi.BlocksMap.BlockIndex, self).__init__(_io)
                self._parent = _parent
                self._root = _root
                self._read()
            def _read(self):
                self.index = self._io.read_u4le()
            def _fetch_instances(self):
                pass
            @property
            def block(self):
                if hasattr(self, '_m_block'):
                    return self._m_block
                if self.is_allocated:
                    pass
                    self._m_block = self._root.disk.blocks[self.index]
                return getattr(self, '_m_block', None)
            @property
            def is_allocated(self):
                if hasattr(self, '_m_is_allocated'):
                    return self._m_is_allocated
                self._m_is_allocated = self.index < self._root.block_discarded
                return getattr(self, '_m_is_allocated', None)
    class Disk(KaitaiStruct):
        def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
            super(Vdi.Disk, self).__init__(_io)
            self._parent = _parent
            self._root = _root
            self._read()
        def _read(self):
            self.blocks = []
            for i in range(self._root.header.header_main.blocks_in_image):
                self.blocks.append(Vdi.Disk.Block(self._io, self, self._root))
        def _fetch_instances(self):
            pass
            for i in range(len(self.blocks)):
                pass
                self.blocks[i]._fetch_instances()
        class Block(KaitaiStruct):
            def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
                super(Vdi.Disk.Block, self).__init__(_io)
                self._parent = _parent
                self._root = _root
                self._read()
            def _read(self):
                self.metadata = self._io.read_bytes(self._root.header.header_main.block_metadata_size)
                self._raw_data = []
                self.data = []
                i = 0
                while not self._io.is_eof():
                    self._raw_data.append(self._io.read_bytes(self._root.header.header_main.block_data_size))
                    _io__raw_data = KaitaiStream(BytesIO(self._raw_data[-1]))
                    self.data.append(Vdi.Disk.Block.Sector(_io__raw_data, self, self._root))
                    i += 1
            def _fetch_instances(self):
                pass
                for i in range(len(self.data)):
                    pass
                    self.data[i]._fetch_instances()
            class Sector(KaitaiStruct):
                def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
                    super(Vdi.Disk.Block.Sector, self).__init__(_io)
                    self._parent = _parent
                    self._root = _root
                    self._read()
                def _read(self):
                    self.data = self._io.read_bytes(self._root.header.header_main.geometry.sector_size)
                def _fetch_instances(self):
                    pass
    class Header(KaitaiStruct):
        def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
            super(Vdi.Header, self).__init__(_io)
            self._parent = _parent
            self._root = _root
            self._read()
        def _read(self):
            self.text = (self._io.read_bytes(64)).decode(u"UTF-8")
            self.signature = self._io.read_bytes(4)
            if not self.signature == b"\x7F\x10\xDA\xBE":
                raise kaitaistruct.ValidationNotEqualError(b"\x7F\x10\xDA\xBE", self.signature, self._io, u"/types/header/seq/1")
            self.version = Vdi.Header.Version(self._io, self, self._root)
            if self.subheader_size_is_dynamic:
                pass
                self.header_size_optional = self._io.read_u4le()
            self._raw_header_main = self._io.read_bytes(self.header_size)
            _io__raw_header_main = KaitaiStream(BytesIO(self._raw_header_main))
            self.header_main = Vdi.Header.HeaderMain(_io__raw_header_main, self, self._root)
        def _fetch_instances(self):
            pass
            self.version._fetch_instances()
            if self.subheader_size_is_dynamic:
                pass
            self.header_main._fetch_instances()
        class HeaderMain(KaitaiStruct):
            def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
                super(Vdi.Header.HeaderMain, self).__init__(_io)
                self._parent = _parent
                self._root = _root
                self._read()
            def _read(self):
                self.image_type = KaitaiStream.resolve_enum(Vdi.ImageType, self._io.read_u4le())
                self.image_flags = Vdi.Header.HeaderMain.Flags(self._io, self, self._root)
                self.description = (self._io.read_bytes(256)).decode(u"UTF-8")
                if self._parent.version.major >= 1:
                    pass
                    self.blocks_map_offset = self._io.read_u4le()
                if self._parent.version.major >= 1:
                    pass
                    self.offset_data = self._io.read_u4le()
                self.geometry = Vdi.Header.HeaderMain.Geometry(self._io, self, self._root)
                if self._parent.version.major >= 1:
                    pass
                    self.reserved1 = self._io.read_u4le()
                self.disk_size = self._io.read_u8le()
                self.block_data_size = self._io.read_u4le()
                if self._parent.version.major >= 1:
                    pass
                    self.block_metadata_size = self._io.read_u4le()
                self.blocks_in_image = self._io.read_u4le()
                self.blocks_allocated = self._io.read_u4le()
                self.uuid_image = Vdi.Header.Uuid(self._io, self, self._root)
                self.uuid_last_snap = Vdi.Header.Uuid(self._io, self, self._root)
                self.uuid_link = Vdi.Header.Uuid(self._io, self, self._root)
                if self._parent.version.major >= 1:
                    pass
                    self.uuid_parent = Vdi.Header.Uuid(self._io, self, self._root)
                if  ((self._parent.version.major >= 1) and (self._io.pos() + 16 <= self._io.size())) :
                    pass
                    self.lchc_geometry = Vdi.Header.HeaderMain.Geometry(self._io, self, self._root)
            def _fetch_instances(self):
                pass
                self.image_flags._fetch_instances()
                if self._parent.version.major >= 1:
                    pass
                if self._parent.version.major >= 1:
                    pass
                self.geometry._fetch_instances()
                if self._parent.version.major >= 1:
                    pass
                if self._parent.version.major >= 1:
                    pass
                self.uuid_image._fetch_instances()
                self.uuid_last_snap._fetch_instances()
                self.uuid_link._fetch_instances()
                if self._parent.version.major >= 1:
                    pass
                    self.uuid_parent._fetch_instances()
                if  ((self._parent.version.major >= 1) and (self._io.pos() + 16 <= self._io.size())) :
                    pass
                    self.lchc_geometry._fetch_instances()
            class Flags(KaitaiStruct):
                def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
                    super(Vdi.Header.HeaderMain.Flags, self).__init__(_io)
                    self._parent = _parent
                    self._root = _root
                    self._read()
                def _read(self):
                    self.reserved0 = self._io.read_bits_int_be(15)
                    self.zero_expand = self._io.read_bits_int_be(1) != 0
                    self.reserved1 = self._io.read_bits_int_be(6)
                    self.diff = self._io.read_bits_int_be(1) != 0
                    self.fixed = self._io.read_bits_int_be(1) != 0
                    self.reserved2 = self._io.read_bits_int_be(8)
                def _fetch_instances(self):
                    pass
            class Geometry(KaitaiStruct):
                def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
                    super(Vdi.Header.HeaderMain.Geometry, self).__init__(_io)
                    self._parent = _parent
                    self._root = _root
                    self._read()
                def _read(self):
                    self.cylinders = self._io.read_u4le()
                    self.heads = self._io.read_u4le()
                    self.sectors = self._io.read_u4le()
                    self.sector_size = self._io.read_u4le()
                def _fetch_instances(self):
                    pass
        class Uuid(KaitaiStruct):
            def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
                super(Vdi.Header.Uuid, self).__init__(_io)
                self._parent = _parent
                self._root = _root
                self._read()
            def _read(self):
                self.uuid = self._io.read_bytes(16)
            def _fetch_instances(self):
                pass
        class Version(KaitaiStruct):
            def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
                super(Vdi.Header.Version, self).__init__(_io)
                self._parent = _parent
                self._root = _root
                self._read()
            def _read(self):
                self.major = self._io.read_u2le()
                self.minor = self._io.read_u2le()
            def _fetch_instances(self):
                pass
        @property
        def block_size(self):
            if hasattr(self, '_m_block_size'):
                return self._m_block_size
            self._m_block_size = self.header_main.block_metadata_size + self.header_main.block_data_size
            return getattr(self, '_m_block_size', None)
        @property
        def blocks_map_offset(self):
            if hasattr(self, '_m_blocks_map_offset'):
                return self._m_blocks_map_offset
            self._m_blocks_map_offset = self.header_main.blocks_map_offset
            return getattr(self, '_m_blocks_map_offset', None)
        @property
        def blocks_map_size(self):
            if hasattr(self, '_m_blocks_map_size'):
                return self._m_blocks_map_size
            self._m_blocks_map_size = (((self.header_main.blocks_in_image * 4 + self.header_main.geometry.sector_size) - 1) // self.header_main.geometry.sector_size) * self.header_main.geometry.sector_size
            return getattr(self, '_m_blocks_map_size', None)
        @property
        def blocks_offset(self):
            if hasattr(self, '_m_blocks_offset'):
                return self._m_blocks_offset
            self._m_blocks_offset = self.header_main.offset_data
            return getattr(self, '_m_blocks_offset', None)
        @property
        def header_size(self):
            if hasattr(self, '_m_header_size'):
                return self._m_header_size
            self._m_header_size = (self.header_size_optional if self.subheader_size_is_dynamic else 336)
            return getattr(self, '_m_header_size', None)
        @property
        def subheader_size_is_dynamic(self):
            if hasattr(self, '_m_subheader_size_is_dynamic'):
                return self._m_subheader_size_is_dynamic
            self._m_subheader_size_is_dynamic = self.version.major >= 1
            return getattr(self, '_m_subheader_size_is_dynamic', None)
    @property
    def block_discarded(self):
        if hasattr(self, '_m_block_discarded'):
            return self._m_block_discarded
        self._m_block_discarded = 4294967294
        return getattr(self, '_m_block_discarded', None)
    @property
    def block_unallocated(self):
        if hasattr(self, '_m_block_unallocated'):
            return self._m_block_unallocated
        self._m_block_unallocated = 4294967295
        return getattr(self, '_m_block_unallocated', None)
    @property
    def blocks_map(self):
        """block_index = offset_in_virtual_disk / block_size actual_data_offset = blocks_map[block_index]*block_size+metadata_size+offset_in_block
        The blocks_map will take up blocks_in_image_max * sizeof(uint32_t) bytes; since the blocks_map is read and written in a single operation, its size needs to be limited to INT_MAX; furthermore, when opening an image, the blocks_map size is rounded up to be aligned on BDRV_SECTOR_SIZE. Therefore this should satisfy the following: blocks_in_image_max * sizeof(uint32_t) + BDRV_SECTOR_SIZE == INT_MAX + 1 (INT_MAX + 1 is the first value not representable as an int) This guarantees that any value below or equal to the constant will, when multiplied by sizeof(uint32_t) and rounded up to a BDRV_SECTOR_SIZE boundary, still be below or equal to INT_MAX.
        """
        if hasattr(self, '_m_blocks_map'):
            return self._m_blocks_map
        _pos = self._io.pos()
        self._io.seek(self.header.blocks_map_offset)
        self._raw__m_blocks_map = self._io.read_bytes(self.header.blocks_map_size)
        _io__raw__m_blocks_map = KaitaiStream(BytesIO(self._raw__m_blocks_map))
        self._m_blocks_map = Vdi.BlocksMap(_io__raw__m_blocks_map, self, self._root)
        self._io.seek(_pos)
        return getattr(self, '_m_blocks_map', None)
    @property
    def disk(self):
        if hasattr(self, '_m_disk'):
            return self._m_disk
        _pos = self._io.pos()
        self._io.seek(self.header.blocks_offset)
        self._m_disk = Vdi.Disk(self._io, self, self._root)
        self._io.seek(_pos)
        return getattr(self, '_m_disk', None)