virtualbox.org

Hi,
Is it possible to re-run the first run wizard with VirtualBox?

I'm trying to set up a VM to run Windows 7 with TrueCrypt encryption and hidden O/S. To set up a hidden O/S with TrueCrypt you:
1) Install base O/S (in this case Windows 7).
2) Install TrueCrypt.
3) Create encrypted containers and get TrueCrypt to copy base O/S to encrypted container.

At the point TrueCrypt wipes the base installs, removing all traces of TrueCrypt being installed/the hidden O/S wizard run.

After that you re-install the base O/S from scratch but starting the VM triggers the TrueCrypt boot password protection (something you the reinstall intentionally over-writes). I need a way to avoid that, making VirtualBox treat the virtual disk like it's brand new and running the first run wizard to reinstall Windows 7.

If it makes any difference I've done the following:
1) Created new virtual disk, fixed size/60Gb.
2) Installed Windows 7 from first run wizard.
3) Via Windows re-partitioned hard disk to create two partitions, one with the base Windows 7 install on it, the second free.
4) Created the necessary TrueCrypt bits and cloaned the O/S from one partition to the other.
5) Run the wipe to remove all traces of the base O/S from the first partition.

Thanks for any help,

Mark

So you're not asking to get the New VM Wizard, but the Out of Box Experience of Windows itself? Then we can't help you, as it's something you get on bare metal too. This means it's off-topic here. Since it's specific to TrueCrypt, ask on their forum how to get the setup wizard of Windows again.

Sasquatch wrote:So you're not asking to get the New VM Wizard, but the Out of Box Experience of Windows itself? Then we can't help you, as it's something you get on bare metal too. This means it's off-topic here. Since it's specific to TrueCrypt, ask on their forum how to get the setup wizard of Windows again.

If this was a bare metal install I'd just use the BIOS to set the boot order, boot from DVD and run a Windows install.

This isn't a bare metal install but a VirtualBox VM so I'm trying to find out how to run the equivalent process. From the initial VM build the first run wizard is the function that enables me to install an O/S, equivalent to booting from a DVD in bare metal terms and it's this process that I need to replicate to continue with the build.

This isn't a TrueCrypt specific question and I could ask it more generally - how do you reinstall/install a different O/S on an existing virtual disk?
Say I've created a 200Gb fixed-sized virtual disk, partitioned it in two (via Windows) and installed Windows XP on one partition.saved data to the second. I then decide I want to replace XP with Windows 7 from a fresh install. I want to wipe the XP partition and install Windows 7 on it. I don't want to have to delete the whole virtual disk and loose my data on the second partition though. How would you do this with VirtualBox, as that's effectively the step I need to perform to complete my VM build.

Thanks

You use exactly the same sequence. First shut down the vm.
From the Settings screen, go to System and change the boot device to the CD/DVD.
From Storage, select the Windows install disk (ISO file or physical drive).
Start the vm.
Press any key to boot from CD/DVD.