Clone a virtual machine in VirtualBox

I have a 'standard' virtual machine with XPsp3 running under Sun's VirtualBox. Now I want to test Mule ESB, so I need a clone of this virtual machine to build Mule ESB on. I have the virtual hard disk file in .VHD format to keep it compatible with the company's standard (but less good) VirtualPC.

I started simple by copying the WinXPtest.vhd to WinXPMule.vhd. Then into VirtualBox, New Virtual Machine, use existing harddisk, add the WinXPMule.vhd to the device list, BANG! ERROR! Problem turns out to be that both have the same id.

Luckily some guy Stuart explained on his blog how to do this by way of the vBoxManage.exe. He suggested the use of the clonevdi command, but checking the commandline help of vBoxManage I found the clonehd command. So I entered (include the double quotes):
"c:\program files\sun\VirtualBox\VBoxManage.exe" clonehd WinXPtest.vhd WinXPMule.vhd --format:VHD --variant:Standard --type:normal.
I actually don't know the meaning of the --variant and --type parameters, but Standard and normal sounded quite right. It took some time (copying a file of nearly 4GB always takes some time), but then the command returned with "Clone hard disk created in format 'VHD'. UUID: (some not very interesting GUID)"

Back to the VirtualBox program, New Virtual Machine, use existing harddisk, add the newly created WinXPMule.vhd to the device list - no error this time - and you're done.

Contact from Nokia to Windows Mobile HTC

My wife has bougt a HTC phone on Windows Mobile. Now she would like her contacts from her old Nokia imported. Could you do that?

Well, it can indeed be done, without the use of Outlook (I was afraid of messing up my own contacts that are in sync with Outlook). Here's how.
Mind you that the PIM backup tool will ask you to map the incoming columns (from your csv) to the internal contact fields. So make sure you tidy up your data prior to restoring, using Excel or OpenOffice Calc. And keep a copy of the data open on your computer while doing the restore, so you can see which columns to map where.
Be aware that whereas Nokia calculates the displayname from the first- and lastname, WM6 does not. So while tidying up, also add a column "displayname" in which you combine first-, middle-, last- and companyname as you see fit.
Fortunately, if you make a mistake, you can easily try again by selecting the restore-option to delete all Outlook-contacts on the phone prior to restoring. It won't touch the SIM contacts, if at all present.

In my case there were contacts on the SIM, and they should be hidden. Microsoft has decided that that should be very difficult (why???) and be done through the registry. Here's how. In case you need a registry editor first (it's not included in WM6), see here for PHM Registry Editor. Choose a version for installation on the device (a .cab file, not through ActiveSync). For both our HTC's (Touch Cruise & Touch Cruise II) I use "Pocket PC 2002,2003 (ARM/PXA)". Copy the downloaded .cab to your phone and doubleclick it there. It will install itself.