Tried to run Windows 7 installed on a physical hard disk but stuck on boot logo

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Monsi
Posts: 2
Joined: 8. May 2021, 15:31

Tried to run Windows 7 installed on a physical hard disk but stuck on boot logo

Post by Monsi »

Hello,

I have a hard disk with Windows 7 installed on it. It's a hard drive from my old laptop that I messed something up after cleaning it so it never boots anymore. It was an HP G42 running on Intel Core I3-380M and ATI Radeon (forgot the model). Anyways, I got a new laptop since I don't have any plans on having the old one fixed (for sentimental reasons) until the pandemic is over and the repair shop that previously repaired it is 40-45 kms. away from where I live.

Anyway, my new laptop is an Acer Nitro 5 with AMD Ryzen 7 3750H and GTX 1650 with 16 GB of RAM. I created a VM in VritualBox without a VHD, ran this script to create a VMDK file that is mapped to the Windows 7 hard drive: "VBoxManage internalcommands createrawvmdk -filename "D:\VirtualBox VMs\HP Laptop\HP Laptop_5.8.2021.vmdk" -rawdisk .PhysicalDrive2". However, after numerous attempts, I just get stuck at the Windows 7 boot screen and nothing else happens.

I wonder if anyone else has done the same thing and was able to boot it successfully. Not sure if it matters if my host runs AMD while the Windows 7 in my old hard disk ran on Intel, which is why I specified them. Thank you in advance.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Tried to run Windows 7 installed on a physical hard disk but stuck on boot logo

Post by scottgus1 »

Monsi wrote:It's a hard drive from my old laptop that I messed something up after cleaning it so it never boots anymore.
Does this mean the laptop's hardware is damaged, or the OS on the drive is damaged? If the OS, then it won't boot in a VM either.

If the OS is still good, then you're trying a Physical To Virtual, or P2V. Web-search "P2V Windows 7 site:forums.virtualbox.org" to see what has happened with he many others who have tried this.
Monsi
Posts: 2
Joined: 8. May 2021, 15:31

Re: Tried to run Windows 7 installed on a physical hard disk but stuck on boot logo

Post by Monsi »

My bad. I meant I messed up something on my old laptop when I was reinstalling the cooler, which is why it won't boot anymore.

And I actually have an update. I was just able to get it working just now by following an answer from superuser. I already set the drive as "writethrough" before I stumbled on the link but it still gets stuck, so I think the step that actually made it work was to take the hard disk offline from the host machine. I finished installing the Guest Additions, and I don't have any issues so far. But thanks for the link. I may need it in the future in case I encounter any other issues.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Tried to run Windows 7 installed on a physical hard disk but stuck on boot logo

Post by scottgus1 »

Monsi wrote:take the hard disk offline from the host machine.
Ah, yes, I forgot about that part!
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