vitualbox which has the same UUID as an existing virtual machine

VirtualBox allows you to work with virtual machines (VMs) based on their unique identifiers, known as UUIDs. If you're trying to open a VM configuration file in VirtualBox and it references a UUID that already exists, this usually means you're attempting to load or modify a VM that was previously created. Here's what you can do:

1. **Identifying the Existing VM**: First, navigate to the `VirtualBox` directory, typically located at `/var/lib/virtualbox` on Linux systems[^1]. Look for a folder with the UUID matching the one you have.

   ls /var/lib/virtualbox | grep -i "your_UUID"

2. **Opening the Correct Configuration**: Once you find the correct folder, locate the `.vbox-prev` or `.vbox.xml` file within that folder. This is where the VM settings are stored.

3. **Opening the VM**: In the VirtualBox UI, go to `Machine` > `Load Machine`. In the file selection dialog, browse to the folder containing the `.vbox.xml` file, select it, and click `Open`.

4. **Modifications**: If you want to modify the existing VM instead of opening it, make sure you're aware that editing its configuration directly may overwrite saved changes from the original machine. Instead, consider creating a new clone or snapshot[^2].

   vboxmanage clonevm "existing_VM_name" --mode machine --name "new_VM_name" --uuid your_new_UUID

If you encounter issues or need further assistance, consult the VirtualBox documentation or online forums like Super User.