Windows 8?

[Twisted Lucidity]

Host: Ubuntu 10.10, 4GB RAM
Guest: Win8 Consumer Preview, no guest additions

Conclusion: Works OK-ish (very slow). But no matter how good VBox may be, it cannot make Win8 any less bad.

[ipig]

I've been tinkering with the Consumer Win8 (32bit & 64bit) releases for a bit today.

Ran into an issue on 2 diff Host machines that are (hardware wise) completely different.

(1) Win7/4GB/Vbox 4.1.4/Intel Q9550/Geforce 210
(2) Win7/16GB/Vbox 4.1.8/AMD X4 645/Gefore GTX 560

On both machines, Win8 exhibits an unusual freezing problem that occurs every couple of minutes and lasts for up to a full minute.

I'd tried tweaking vbox settings all over but have not narrowed the issue down.

Edit: strangely enough.. it seems enabling all cores/cpus (4) resolved this issue, vs setting it to just 1-3 - (at least on the AMD machine, can't test the intel 'till tomorrow)

[pkp413]

I am unable to install Win8 CP. I get error code 0xc0000260 during the install. Anyone run into similar issue and find a solution?

[Arsby]

My host is a weakish Vista machine (3GB), trying to install a 32bit Win8 Consumer Preview guest.

I first got an error message at the very first setup screen (when it asks for country and language) that i neglected to write down, and couldn't go farther.

I powered it down, and tried to restart it. I got nothing on restart, just the initial fishy splash screen, no entry fields.

The log seems to be telling me that there are no devices attached to the IDE controller, however on settings it's clear that the Win8 .iso file is attached as the IDE primary master.

Can anyone suggest a path forward for me? This is my first attempt at VirtualBox.

Thanks!

Arsby

[ipig]

Arsby: make sure the IDE controller is set to ICH6 & [x] Use Host I/O cache - Also make sure Motherboard is set to ICH9

[michaln]

Arsby: make sure the IDE controller is set to ICH6 & [x] Use Host I/O cache - Also make sure Motherboard is set to ICH9

Don't...

Setting the IDE controller to ICH6 makes no real difference (if it does, I'd like to see some hard data). And the ICH9 chipset emulation should only be used with guest operating systems that can't work otherwise. Windows 8 is not one of those.

[drillhead]

Hi, at the second run I managed to get Win 8 CP running under VBox 4.1.8, *with* the Guest Additions and *with* the WDDM Driver installed.

I reserved 256 megs video memory for the virtual machine, enabled 3d and 2d, 4096 meg ram and 2 cores. The rest is standard.

I tried installation in 2 steps. I installed with the standard driver first, without 3d support, rebooted, and then started the additions installer again, then selecting the WDDM driver. Reboot - volia.

However, presentation is sometimes a bit fiddly, especially when switchin between full screen and window mode with <host>+<f>, but it works quite well.

Virtualbox is sooooo cool

[Twisted Lucidity]

I too got Win8CP (64bit) running with GA (sort of).

Steps:
Select "Custom Install" and follow the prompts.
Once Win8 installs it will reboot and chuck and error. Ignore that and reboot manually.
Then select start normally to finish the set-up.
Now reboot and batter F8. Win8 will now hang.
Reboot and let Win8 try to repair itself (this will take some time and it will fail).
Select the various troubleshooting/advanced buttons until you get to one that mentions "Safe Mode".
Reboot and select "Safe Mode"
Install the GAs
Reboot
That should be it.

Observations:
Nothing can be launched from Metro. The initial screen will load and then it will fall back to Metro and there is no app running
Switching to desktop works OK and various items executed.
IE10 will work, but will enter a crash-reload cycle until it gives up.
The system is very, very slow even with 2gb allocated (which should be ample for a bare install).
The OS is basically useless.

I totally accept that Win8CP is not officially supported and I am rather impressed VBox got this far.
Also many of these problems could be down to Win8CP itself and nothing to do with VBox.

[selden]

In my case, the Win8 CP x64 ISO installed from a physical DVD with no problems at all under Win7 Pro x64 with VB 4.1.8. I did make a point of following the instructions in the ZD article at http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/virtually ... lbox/70330

I have not yet managed to install the Additions. My attempt to install them from a local account which had administrator privileges just seemed to hang. I'll try Safe Mode the next time I have time to play with it.

[ipig]

Arsby: make sure the IDE controller is set to ICH6 & [x] Use Host I/O cache - Also make sure Motherboard is set to ICH9

Don't...

Setting the IDE controller to ICH6 makes no real difference (if it does, I'd like to see some hard data). And the ICH9 chipset emulation should only be used with guest operating systems that can't work otherwise. Windows 8 is not one of those.

In my case, the Win8 CP x64 ISO installed from a physical DVD with no problems at all under Win7 Pro x64 with VB 4.1.8. I did make a point of following the instructions in the ZD article at http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/virtually ... lbox/70330

I have not yet managed to install the Additions. My attempt to install them from a local account which had administrator privileges just seemed to hang. I'll try Safe Mode the next time I have time to play with it.

I too followed this ZDnet article which suggests using ICH6.

Last night the AMD machine ran everything very well (after initial issue) - Not tried GE yet

[Perryg]

It works but I don't care for the whole metro thing. Can't disable it like you could in the DP version either that I have found (yet).
WDDM and all GAs features plus aero glass work for me as well but I am using a future version of Vbox & the GAs are 4.1.8.

Win8-CP-wddm.png (614.97 KiB) Viewed 10478 times

[drillhead]

I too got Win8CP (64bit) running with GA (sort of).

Once Win8 installs it will reboot and chuck and error. Ignore that and reboot manually.

Strange. I admit I installed Win8 twice, as I f*d up with the WDDM driver the first time (presumably set too less video ram), but installation was smooth and cozy both times. To be honest, Win 8 works quite well in VBox, as well as switching between windowed and full screen in both Desktop and Metro mode.

However, the Flipper app crashes, and the Metro UI Internet Explorer shuts down active web sites quite often. I managed to get some video playback in IE in Metro for a while, but then IE cancelled the site with an error message ("blablabla harm computer blabla, closed"). BTW it was the MS video on Windows 8 mouse and keyboard usage from the MS website ...

[selden]

The most exasperating user interface problem that I've encountered is sometimes having to click twice on buttons before they're recognized.

[azspeedbullett]

I have tried both the default settings and various settings i found via google and i still get this error message:

VT-x/AMD-V hardware acceleration has been enabled, but is not operational. Certain guests (e.g. OS/2 and QNX) require this feature.
Please ensure that you have enabled VT-x/AMD-V properly in the BIOS of your host computer.

In my bios, i have every intel virtualization setting enable and turn on.Processor is a Intel Core 2 Duo E6850

If i am use Vmware Player/Vmware Workstation, i can install windows 8 in a virtual machine without no problems. Why cant it use Virtualbox?

[Vjetar]

Well, after several tries i managed to install Window 8 CP with working GA INCLUDING VirtualBox Graphics Adapter

First of all, I followed Oracle recomendation to install GA in Safe Mode. To get into Safe Mode in Windows 8 is kind of tricky. You have to select Administrative Tools from Contol Pannel and pick up System Configuration. On second tab (Boot) check "Safe Boot" (aka Safe mode) and check Base Video also. Reboot in Safe Mode, install GA with 3D support. Not basic, full.
When promted to reboot, select to not. Instead go to System configuration again, uncheck Safe Boot and Base video. Restart.