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I'm having a problem during installation when I go to choose the operating system disc (Windows 7), the setup.exe file is grayed out and I can't select the operating system to install. Not sure if this is an issue with Mountain Lion, or if something else is wrong. Not sure if I've included enough relevant information (probably not), but I'd appreciate any help.

djonez wrote:I'm having a problem during installation when I go to choose the operating system disc (Windows 7), the setup.exe file is grayed out and I can't select the operating system to install.

I am guessing that the scenario is

• 1. Created new virtual machine for Window 7 32 bit
  2. Attached the Window 7 32 bit cd image
  3. Started the virtual machine
  4. Window 7 installation started up from the disc
  5. The Windows 7 installation program is asking you to pick the disk for Windows 7

Yes, it is asking me to "Select start-up disk".

But when I go to the drive containing the Windows 7 (Home Edition) I am not able to select any of the files.

djonez wrote:Yes, it is asking me to "Select start-up disk".

My Windows 7 install does not present such a prompt. I recall that Repair has such a prompt, but you are doing Install Now.
You need to list the prompts and your responses to the prompts once you punched the Install Now button.

I have looked but have not seen an "Install now" button. Where would I find that option?

Here are the steps I've taken:

From the Main Window (Oracle VM VirtualBox Manager)
Click "New"

Create Virtual Machine---(I then enter name as "Windows 7", type as "Microsoft Windows", and version as "Windows 7")
after hitting "continue" I am asked to enter Memory size which I set to 1024MB and hit "continue".
Next is the "Hard Drive" options and I select "Create a virtual hard drive now" and click "create".
The next window is Hard drive file type and I select VDI (virtualbox disk image) and hit continue
Next is Storage on physical hard drive and I chose "Dynamically allocated" and hit continue.
Next is File location and size (which I set to 30GB) and hit create.

Then I'm back at the Oracle VM VirtualBox Manager window and the Windows 7 machine is highlighted.
I hit start.

Up pops a "Select start-up disk" box.

In the list above, you have competed Step #1.
Now procede to Step #2.

That's where my problem starts. When I'm in the "Select Start-up disk" box I go to the drive containing the Windows 7 (Home Edition) but I am not able to select the setup.exe file.

How do I proceed with Step #2?

djonez wrote:When I'm in the "Select Start-up disk" box I go to the drive containing the Windows 7 (Home Edition)

I have no idea where you are.

Attach the Window 7 32 bit cd image

• 1. In the Oracle VM VirtualBox Manager pane, select the virtual machine
  2. Punch the Settings icon at top
  3. Select the Storage pane
  4. Under Storage Tree, under Controller: IDE, click on the CD/DVD icon
  5. Under Attributes (on the right), click on this CD/DVD icon
  6. Select Choose a virtual CD/DVD disk file . . .
  7. Navigate to the Windows 7 DVD Install ISO image, select it and press Open

Your lack of basic computer skills is surprising.

That brings me back to my original problem, which is that when I've navigated to the Windows 7 disk I cannot select the necessary file. All of the files are grayed out. I've looked for a "Windows 7 DVD Install ISO image" but don't see any file by that name. I'd expect to open "setup.exe" but like the other files it is grayed out.

Could it be that the setup.exe file is a Windows self extracting archive? And that it needs to be extracted by another program before it is able to be opened by Virtualbox? If so, what Mac program is able to extract a Windows file?

Thanks for all your help.

ISO files are bootable in their own rights. The problem is you do not have an installable ISO. Where did you get this file and is it a legal install?

Its a Windows 7 Home Premium disk with Product Key and everything, so it is legal. The odd thing is, I'd installed a Virtualbox machine with this same disk, but after I upgraded my Mac Operating system to Mountain Lion something went wrong and I've been having trouble reinstalling it ever since.

I need to see the following:

From the hosts terminal/command window type VBoxManage showvminfo <VM Name> --details and post here. Replace <VM Name> with the actual name of the VM. Use " " if the name has a space in it.

Post the guests log file (as an attachment)
See Online Users Manual for the location of the file.

David-Joness-iMac:~ davidadministrator$ VBoxManage showvminfo <"Windows 7"> --details
-bash: Windows 7: No such file or directory

David-Joness-iMac:~ davidadministrator$ VBoxManage showvminfo <"Windows 7"> --details

You don't really use the <>
Run this
David-Joness-iMac:~ davidadministrator$ VBoxManage showvminfo "Windows 7" --details

Looking at the log file it looks like it should be booting. Post the results of the above and a screen shoot of what it looks like after you start the guest and it stops. Do Not stop it your self.

djonez wrote:That brings me back to my original problem, which is that when I've navigated to the Windows 7 disk I cannot select the necessary file.

The ISO image is the desired file, not any old random file on the image
Now procede to Step #3!!!