Pb with FAT32 and Win9x guest under Virtualbox 6.1.22

Discussions about using Windows guests in VirtualBox.
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izno23
Posts: 3
Joined: 14. Jun 2021, 09:30

Pb with FAT32 and Win9x guest under Virtualbox 6.1.22

Post by izno23 »

Hi all

I'm trying to install all Win3x windows version as guest under virtualbox 6.1.22 (host Windows 10 insider latest build)
It seems activating large drives support in fdisk produce à buggy FAT32 system (scandisk looping on errors without be able to correct them (wrong file size, wrong space size)
Fat16 is ok.
I've tested with and without IO-APIC option, on 2 différent PCs (same WIN10 host)
latest Virtualbox testing build does not work at all, so I'm unable to test.

Any ideas?
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Pb with FAT32 and Win9x guest under Virtualbox 6.1.22

Post by mpack »

VirtualBox doesn't know anything about the filesystems which various guest OS may install. That includes the partitioning schemes and related tools and limitations thereof.

VirtualBox simulates hardware and therefore works at a hardware level. It is up to you to configure a hardware "recipe" that your chosen guest can handle.

VirtualBox provides template settings suitable for the guest OS. If you deviate from the template then you had better know what you're doing!

It would help if you said what size of drive you tried to create. My own Win98SE VM has a 2GB drive, which would have been decent for the time. I think I once had 6GB, but that was split over at least two drives.
izno23
Posts: 3
Joined: 14. Jun 2021, 09:30

Re: Pb with FAT32 and Win9x guest under Virtualbox 6.1.22

Post by izno23 »

Even using default template, Win9X install fails due to bad FAT32 filesystem. I've already installed many times Win9x previously without problem. The problem occurs on Linux host with vitualbox 6.1.16 too.

I understand virtualbox only emulate hardware and doesn't know anything about the filesystems. However, filesystem uses emulated hardware...

I'm using default Windows 95 template with a 2Gb virtual harddrive
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Pb with FAT32 and Win9x guest under Virtualbox 6.1.22

Post by mpack »

izno23 wrote:However, filesystem uses emulated hardware...
All VMs use the same simulated hardware. Win98 does not get special treatment, so unless you are saying that no VirtualBox guest can handle "large" drives then I would look to the guest OS configuration for an explanation.
izno23
Posts: 3
Joined: 14. Jun 2021, 09:30

Re: Pb with FAT32 and Win9x guest under Virtualbox 6.1.22

Post by izno23 »

That's the case : all Os based on FAT32 fails (Win 95, Win98, Win ME)
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Pb with FAT32 and Win9x guest under Virtualbox 6.1.22

Post by mpack »

izno23 wrote:That's the case : all Os based on FAT32 fails (Win 95, Win98, Win ME)
I refer you to what I said earlier about guest filesystems.

Filesystem choice is irrelevant to VirtualBox or any other hardware. The sooner you absorb this, the sooner you can find the actual problem.
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