virtualbox.org

I am running on a Vista Enterprise Host and have a Windows Server 2003 Std guest. My system restarted while I had the guest active. Now when I try to start the guest I get the error "PIIX3 cannot attach drive to the Secondary Master." and the guest doesn't start. Any suggestions?

That means that somehow the CD configuration was destroyed (or the permissions to the CD drive were somehow changed on the host OS - or the image file is no longer accessible). Secondary Master is currently always the VM's CD drive. So the easiest solution is to check the CD config and if necessary re-do it.

On my system, XP on a Ubuntu 7.10 host, I saw the same error. To fix I changed the CD/DVD-ROM to "image" and to "VBoxGuestAdditions.iso"

Step by Step, power the VM off, then under WinXP Settings -> CD/DVD-ROM -> select Mount CD/DVD Drive and select radio button ISO Image File then in the drop down select VBoxGuestAdditons.iso

If you don't see the option to select VBoxGuestAdditions.iso, search for the instructions to install it in this forum.

My guess is that M$ uses a non standard Installation CD which requires that VBoxGuestAdditions be available on the vm secondary master (CDRom) in order to allow the windows (xp or whatever) vm image on your HD to boot. (Just a guess on my part).

LJ

I recently tried to install Virtualbox (Windows XP) on a Ubuntu 7.01 but the CD could not be detected (it's a new computer and the CD is all right). The message was complaining about permissions, which are all right (I also tried as sudo/root but to no change.
I poted a message in the Italian Ubuntu usergroup and checked this suggestion:

Code: Select all

http://wiki.ubuntu-it.org/Emulatori/VirtualBox/RisoluzioneProblemi#head-b6f69006f05e191f14e035d7898278f68208f3ba

but nothing changed.

It occurred to me that the problem might be related to the fact that I am using this computer (a notebook) on a docking station. I tried again without the docking station and the installation of XP was easy.
Now, trying again to use the virtual machine with the docking station, the program complains with the message:
PIIX3 cannot attach drive to the Secondary Master
The complete error message (some words in Italian):

Code: Select all

PIIX3 cannot attach drive to the Secondary Master.
VBox status code: -102 (VERR_FILE_NOT_FOUND).
Codice&nbspd'uscita: 
0x80004005
Componente: 
Console
Interfaccia: 
IConsole {1dea5c4b-0753-4193-b909-22330f64ec45}

I read this suggestion posted by LarryK:

Step by Step, power the VM off, then under WinXP Settings -> CD/DVD-ROM -> select Mount CD/DVD Drive and select radio button ISO Image File then in the drop down select VBoxGuestAdditons.iso
If you don't see the option to select VBoxGuestAdditions.iso, search for the instructions to install it in this forum.

And here I hanged...
Should I use XP only without the docking station or can I have any hope to use it 'normally'?

Thanks!
guido, italy

I noticed that the message is in the wrong page -- it should be in the page devoted to Virtualbox on Linux. Sorry. My apologies to the moderators.

guido, italy

Thanks a lot LarryJ

your solution solved my problem!

virtualbox.org

PIIX3 cannot attach drive to the Secondary Master.

PIIX3 cannot attach drive to the Secondary Master.

Possible solution?

thank you