[Solved] Windows XP: Guest addition, boot in safe mode

[Plagrö]

Hello,

I was not able to install the guest addition in my windows XP guest.
So I read, that we have to install it in save mode.
I tried to boot Windows XP in save mode, but was not successful.
I have tried by pressing F5 and F8 while booting. But this was useless.

How can I install the guest addition?


Thank you.

[scottgus1]

Booting in Safe Mode involves hitting that F8 key twice as fast as you can. That's all there is to it. Nothing in Virtualbox blocks F8. Keep trying until you hit the key during the window of time allowed by XP.

Keep in mind that if you are using Virtualbox 6.1.x, you will get no benefit from installing the Guest Additions in Safe Mode. Safe Mode GA install is to allow 3D acceleration drivers for XP, and XP does not have 3D acceleration drivers in 6.1.x. Virtualbox 6.0.x still has them, though.

[mpack]

I have to disagree about the "hit F8 twice" advice.

In my experience you have to start hitting F8 as soon as the VM window appears, and keeping hitting it twice a second until XP notices that a key was struck. AFAIK it's harmless if XP registers the key more than once. But don't hold down the key either: you want lots of distinct events, not a FIFO that gets quickly filled and then flushed during boot.

[Plagrö]

Thank you all.

What I want to have is "Guest Additions", because I want to use the clipboard for the exchange between guest and host, and because I want to use a shared folder of the guest and host system.

My fault was, that I have just hold F8 during booting. Now I was keeping hitting it twice a second until XP notices that a key was struck.
I was successful booting into "save mode".

But:
I also was not able to install "Guest Additions" in save mode. Also I was not able to install it with "save mode" and admin rights.

Error message:

Code: Select all

something like: windows-logo-test not successful.

Question:
Should I ignore this message?
How can I install "Guest Additions" ?

Thank you.

[mpack]

Ignore that message. Obviously the VirtualBox Guest Additions have never been submitted for the obsolete XP quality testing qualification, nor has any other kind of thumbs up from Microsoft been sought. In general, free software will never do that, nor other software on a rapid release schedule. This is quite separate from digital signing - all GAs executables are digitally signed by Oracle and verified by DigiCert.

[Plagrö]

Thank you.

I was successful.

[scottgus1]

I have to disagree about the "hit F8 twice" advice.

Actually that meant, 'however often you're mashing that key, double the speed. Hit it faster & more often.'