virtualbox.org

I am wondering if anyone knows how to successfully register the software if one is _only_ running a virtual XP guest. This thread seems to assume that one has XP running natively somewhere. I have a Vista partition on a computer that I can boot natively, but nothing native that currently has XP.

I have an old XP reinstall disc from a computer that I no longer have (have used Linux exclusively for years now) and want to know if a) anything funky will happen if I simply go ahead and register it, and b) if there is any way to get around the registration if a) is in fact problematic. Can I get this file from another computer somewhere? Anyone know how the process changes if you're not immediately able to have a Host that matches the Guest?

@thesun, if it is a retail installation (i.e. not OEM/SLP ("system locked preinstallation")), it should be fine.

If it is an OEM/SLP disc...I'm not sure.

I've a problem:

I have 3 partitions in one harddisk, my situation is:

When I boot XP "native mode":
- C: WinXP (NTFS)
- D: Data (NTFS)
- E: CDROM

When I use Ubuntu "native mode":
- sda1: WinXP (NTFS) (not used/accessed)
- sda2: Ubuntu (ext3)
- sda3: Data (NTFS)

When I use XP "VBox guest mode":
- C: WinXP (NTFS)
- sda3 Data ntfs partition: mapped as network drive (using VBox guest additions). The disk is mapped as "D:" to keep the same path as in "XP native mode" (for applications to work).

The problem is:
- If I use "D:" label to map data partition in XP guest mode, when I boot XP in native mode there is a conflict because "D:" is the same label as the physical data partition and I can't use it. I must disconnect the mapped drive, reboot the system and then use data partition correctly.

Hello Everyone,

For everybody who have problem to boot XP natively after installing into the VM (or booting into the VM after installing natively). With just a black screen (before the ntldr starts) or the "error loading operating system" message.

Try to change the value into the vmdk file:

From ddb.geometry.biosHeads="255" to ddb.geometry.biosHeads="240"

This help me a lot. You can also try 16. This value must fit the real hard drive one, otherwise the windows bootloader cannot locate the ntldr correctly (I supposed).

Have a nice day

Thanks alcantor, that helps!

Now Windows XP runs both natively and in VB on my Thinkpad T400, even with integrated fingerprinter and camera!

However, my problem now is that, after installing guest addition in VB, mouse is out of control in native windows, it moves and clicks randomly ...
I have disable VBox guset service in services.msc, and vboxtray in register. But run into safemode, I found vboxguest.sys is still started in native mode.
Then I tried to uninstall guest addition, and manually install the display and guest support, mouse is ok in native mode, but nerver found a way to make the shared folder working ...

any help?

I can't get the vmdk to work unless I run chmod 666 on the /dev/sdb itself (the disk). Is that how this is supposed to work? Otherwise I can't add the disk via the GUI or if I do, then revert the permissions, I get access denied. I've setup the raw account and permission son the vmdk file for it to have access but without a permission change on the disk itself it doesn't work. Just wanted to make sure. It reads as though c) is a separate option b) when setting up the vmdk.

Thank you btw for a great guide! Control and security are 2 big reasons I dumped Windows recently for Linux, these guides really help!

In your Howto you have "...DmiSystemVendor, ...DmiSystemProduct" and so on which are not in the handbook. As dmidecode has spit out tons of info, what other commands (variables, or whatever they are called) can be used with "VBoxManage setextradata"?

Update: Hmmm... Interesting what one finds when one looks into the Help file of VirtualBox...

Has anyone tried a similar approach to run Windows 7 both native and in a VM?

My guess is that Windows activation is the biggest hurdle.

Well the activation algorithms are getting smarter and MS would really refer to have this type of user pay for two copies of Win7

Sorry, this is kind of off topic. This thread is about how to install XP through VirtualBox on a raw partition and then add a native profile for native boot. I want to go the other way, since I have a native XP with programs installed that would be difficult for me to reinstall.

I've seen the reference to "HOWTO: manage VDIs and import native installations" at the top of the thread, but unless I'm misreading it, this seems to be about how to copy the native into a separate vmdk. I don't have room for a second copy.

Can anyone give me a hint. I think I need to add a "virtual profile" and driver to the native. I haven't seen any instructions for this.

My efforts are documented in the thread

http://forum.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.p ... 39#p113199

@kmand: My best advise is to try and modify the instructions in the Howto: Windows XP in both VM and native how to.
Yes, those instructions start with a VM and then setup a physical boot, but more importantly: they deal with how to end up with both being bootable.
Sections I, III, VI, VII directly apply to your situation. (Section II Partitioning does not.)

In section IV Installation, try ignoring the instruction to: 'Boot your Windows XP CD in VirtualBox and install to your chosen partition (or disk).', because that has already been done.

In section IV Installation and V Booting Natively, just swap 'Native' with 'VM' and visa versa.

This works great, the only issue I faced after following these instruction was a blue screen while booting the virtual machine. (see attached image).

There seemed to be some problem in intelppm.sys. I am using VirtualBox 3.0.12 r54655, on a ubuntu 9.10 host. I googled a bit, and found a proposed solution at: http://blogs.msdn.com/virtual_pc_guy/ar ... 84461.aspx

Essentially involves running the command: But what this probably means is that when I boot natively, WinXP does not recognise my two cores, as I think intelppm.sys is related to SMP. But I havent checked that thouroghly yet.

Hope this helps people running into the same problem,
best,
Varun

MarkCranness wrote:@kmand: My best advise is to try and modify the instructions in the Howto: Windows XP in both VM and native how to.
Yes, those instructions start with a VM and then setup a physical boot, but more importantly: they deal with how to end up with both being bootable.
Sections I, III, VI, VII directly apply to your situation. (Section II Partitioning does not.)

In section IV Installation, try ignoring the instruction to: 'Boot your Windows XP CD in VirtualBox and install to your chosen partition (or disk).', because that has already been done.

In section IV Installation and V Booting Natively, just swap 'Native' with 'VM' and visa versa.

Section IV basically installs IDE drivers for the native profile (from VM). I don't need to do that.
It then optionally installs SATA drivers for the VM profile (from VM). Apparently the XP install has already installed IDE drivers suitable for the VM and the SATA drivers are an optional optimization.

To reverse the procedure I need to install proper disk drivers for the VM profile while running native. I don't know how to install what would have been installed by XP for the VM. I could follow the instructions for the optional SATA drivers. Unless someone has a hint on how to get proper IDE drivers for the VM, I guess that SATA drivers are what I need to try.

Re VM IDE drivers, the MergeIDE utility will ensure the correct IDE drivers for the VM are installed.
See the link to MergeIDE from here: http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Migrate_Windows

The key point buried in all the MergeIDE registry nonsense is that you need Atapi.sys, Intelide.sys, Pciide.sys and Pciidex.sys present in your C:\Windows\system32 folder. If you don't have them, you need to get them there, by expanding them off your OS install media, or "C:\Windows\Driver Cache\i386" folder or C:\i386 folder if you happen to have one.

Just confirm please, snapshots cannot be used in this kind of environment, right?
tnx!