guest XP,black screen with blinking cursor

Discussions about using Windows guests in VirtualBox.
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sophivan
Posts: 8
Joined: 17. Apr 2017, 13:26

guest XP,black screen with blinking cursor

Post by sophivan »

I am trying to virtualize a Windows XP(32bit) installation.
I used AOMEI Backupper Pro to backup the XP installation and then restore/create a VHD disk
My host machine is running Windows 10.
I'm using VirtualBox 6.1.36
When I start the VM,I have a black screen with a blinking underline cursor at its top-left corner......
What is wrong,what can I do ? I attach the Log file
Thnk you for your help
Attachments
XPpre-2022-08-01-10-50-37.zip
(23.1 KiB) Downloaded 16 times
multiOS
Volunteer
Posts: 800
Joined: 14. Sep 2019, 16:51
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: WIN11,10, 7, Linux (various)
Location: United Kingdom

Re: guest XP,black screen with blinking cursor

Post by multiOS »

The Log shows;
00:00:05.364623 Host RAM: 8083MB (7.8GB) total, 3060MB (2.9GB) available
but
00:00:05.715953 RamSize <integer> = 0x000000013bc00000 (5 297 405 952, 5 052 MB, 4.9 GB)

00:00:05.716181 VRamSize <integer> = 0x0000000008000000 (134 217 728, 128 MB)
Apart from the fact that 4.9 GB is more RAM than a 32-bit OS can handle, it's also significantly more than you have available for VM use.

I suggest, as a first step, reduce the RAM allocation to 2 GB, which should be more then enough for XP; and try rebooting the VM.
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: guest XP,black screen with blinking cursor

Post by mpack »

You should convert the VHD to VDI before doing anything else. VHD is prone to corruption, especially so in a new VM. I'm dismayed that something that calls itself a "pro" backup tool will offer this obsolete format.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
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Re: guest XP,black screen with blinking cursor

Post by scottgus1 »

XP can give trouble transferring to a different PC, which is what a VM is. See How to migrate existing Windows installations to VirtualBox

You can probably ignore all the "dd" stuff, as you already have a method to get the OS into a VM disk (and yes you should definitely clone the VHD over to a VDI).

The biggest thing that you need to do, which would actually be easiest done on the running XP PC before copying to a virtual disk file, is the MergeIDE upgrade.

Also, try toggling Virtualbox's IO APIC checkbox. IO APIC may not have been set on the original XP, then it cannot be set on the VM. However, if the old PC had a multi-core processor, then IO APIC was probably set.
sophivan
Posts: 8
Joined: 17. Apr 2017, 13:26

Re: guest XP,black screen with blinking cursor

Post by sophivan »

Thanks to all for your help
1)I reduced the RAM allocation to 2 GB : No change
2)I convert the VHD to VDI : No change (I attach the Log file)
3)I use MergeIDE and create a new VHD disk,but when I try to convert to VDI...CloneVDI says for the Validation "Source file alreay in use"
What should I do ?
Thank you for your help
Attachments
XPpre-adi-2022-08-02-11-38-48.zip
(24.86 KiB) Downloaded 4 times
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: guest XP,black screen with blinking cursor

Post by mpack »

The full error message will have been "Source file already in use (is VirtualBox running?)", which hopefully gives sufficient clue to how the problem can be solved!
sophivan
Posts: 8
Joined: 17. Apr 2017, 13:26

Re: guest XP,black screen with blinking cursor

Post by sophivan »

Thank you for your optimistic reply...
But Source file was not in use and Virtual box was not running !
Any other clue would be most welcome.
sophivan
Posts: 8
Joined: 17. Apr 2017, 13:26

Re: guest XP,black screen with blinking cursor

Post by sophivan »

Excuse me : I reboot and now all is OK
sophivan
Posts: 8
Joined: 17. Apr 2017, 13:26

Re: guest XP,black screen with blinking cursor

Post by sophivan »

I use MergeIDE and create a new VHD disk,I convert the VHD to VDI : No change (I attach the Log file)
What should I do now?
Thank you for your help
Attachments
XPpreMerge-2022-08-02-23-09-59.zip
(23.68 KiB) Downloaded 8 times
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: guest XP,black screen with blinking cursor

Post by scottgus1 »

00:00:06.475138 IOAPIC <integer> = 0x0000000000000001 (1)
scottgus1 wrote: try toggling Virtualbox's IO APIC checkbox.
sophivan
Posts: 8
Joined: 17. Apr 2017, 13:26

Re: guest XP,black screen with blinking cursor

Post by sophivan »

Thank you for your help
I toggle Virtualbox's IO APIC checkbox : No change (I attach the Log file)
please what should I do now?
Attachments
XPpreMerge-2022-08-04-11-16-06.zip
(23.14 KiB) Downloaded 4 times
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