Trouble using system drive from previous computer.

[JJJones]

Windows 7 doesn't work with Virtualbox's EFI.

Web-searching "FATAL: INT18: BOOT FAILURE" led me around to this: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=43939#p209004 Maybe some more Google-fu might help you get the VM going?

Thanks scottgus1. I have already reviewed the relevant parts in that post and can find nothing that helps me.

Disappointed that this is so difficult on what seems to me to be an everyday use of P2V /w VirtualBox. And that clear-cut instructions for solving this error do not seem to exist. Of the dozens of posts I have read on various sites, everyone is trying something different and getting different results; but most seem to be just stabs in the dark. Perhaps it is my lack of breadth in this area that is preventing me from seeing the light.

I did find a dark-net download of VMware vCenter Converter that I am going to try later. I will update with those results.

[scottgus1]

We've had a lot of text in this topic, so I haven't found whether this has been discussed yet:

Have you tried booting the VM from a Windows 7 CD of the appropriate flavor and running a repair install of the OS?

[JJJones]

We've had a lot of text in this topic, so I haven't found whether this has been discussed yet:

Have you tried booting the VM from a Windows 7 CD of the appropriate flavor and running a repair install of the OS?

Thanks Scottgus1. I see that recommendation a lot, but I admit that I wouldn't have any idea how to execute what you are saying.

Are there step-by-step instructions for this process anywhere?

NOTE: I do not have a Windows 7 CD.

Thanks again.

[scottgus1]

Microsoft used to allow downloading an ISO of Windows 7 if you entered your product key. That ended literally 6 days ago...
Without a Windows 7 CD or ISO of the same flavor (Home, Pro, etc) I don't know what else to do.

You may be able to exert some searching and find your dead laptop's install/recovery media. Or borrow/buy a CD from a friend/eBay/etc.

Once you get the CD, put it in your host's CD drive, set the VM's CD drive to point at the host's CD drive, boot the VM from the CD, then follow the web's very-well-established methods for running the repair install.

[JJJones]

Found an installer for VMware vCenter Converter Standalone v6.2. Installed it. Cannot figure out how to make a VHD, or other type of virtual drive, using this. So dead end.

I have searched Dell's website for P2V issues. They don't seem to state any known specific issues and no hits for the error INT18.

[fth0]

In the whole discussion so far, I think that one topic hasn't been explicitly mentioned yet, which probably is key here: MBR vs. GPT. Let me elaborate:

In the MBR (Master Boot Record) code, INT 18H is used as a fallback to the ROM BASIC of the original IBM PC from 1981, when no partition is marked as bootable. The latter happens either when the MBR partition table is empty or damaged, or when a disk is formatted with GPT (GUID Partition Table) and uses a Protective MBR.

On a physical PC, the legacy BIOS and the UEFI both can (often) boot from MBR and GPT. AFAIR, the VirtualBox legacy BIOS only boots from MBR disks, and the VirtualBox (U)EFI only boots from GPT disks.

IIRC, I've seen @mpack and/or @scottgus1 provide a possible solution to switch from GPT to MBR involving a backup and restore procedure in the past ...

[JJJones]

Thx @fth0!

This OS drive came from a Win7 computer that was 8-10 years old. So probably pre-dates UEFI - right?

Are you saying that this would be using MBR, and that I need to convert it to GPT before P2V or before using the VHD by VirtualBox?

Learning as I go here.

[scottgus1]

this would be using MBR, and that I need to convert it to GPT

Strike that, reverse it. Thank you.

I've seen @mpack and/or @scottgus1 provide a possible solution to switch from GPT to MBR

Windows 7 is not compatible with Virtualbox's EFI, according to the manual. So your VM will have to stay with legacy BIOS boot.

The fix presented before may be the only thing to do: Get a windows 7 CD blah blah repair install blah blah etc.

[fth0]

This OS drive came from a Win7 computer that was 8-10 years old. So probably pre-dates UEFI - right?

Wrong! Googling for Windows 7 GPT gives hits from 2011/2012 in the top 10 results.

Are you saying that this would be using MBR, and that I need to convert it to GPT before P2V or before using the VHD by VirtualBox?

Rather the other way around. Google for "Macrium Reflect GPT MBR" to find results for both directions. And check your P2V software if it tells what the original disk uses. Alternatively, provide the 1st sector of the original hard disk or a hexdump thereof, and I'll tell you.

[mpack]

I highly doubt that a 10 year old Win7 computer used UEFI, regardless of when UEFI was introduced. Basically only Macs used UEFI/GPT back then.

And EFI support should not be enabled in the VM settings.

As usual, there is no need for speculation. If there is any doubt then view the disk image using CloneVDI. It will tell you if the partition map is MBR or GPT.

[fth0]

I highly doubt that a 10 year old Win7 computer used EUFI, regardless of when EUFI was introduced. Basically only Macs used EUFI/GPT back then.

I'm bad at remembering dates in the past, so I resort to information sources like Wikipedia: Unified Extensible Firmware Interface - Platforms using EFI/UEFI. Bottom line IMO is that major adoption of UEFI took place between 2008 and 2011. In late 2012, Windows 8 certification already required UEFI. Intel-based Macs were earlier (2006).

But as you said: There is no need for speculation, so let's wait ...

[mpack]

In late 2012, Windows 8 certification already required UEFI. Intel-based Macs were earlier (2006).

IMO, that is the real bottom line. That real life adoption of UEFI in the Windows market post-dated the Win7 era. Note that by adoption I mean in the OS. I don't doubt that some manufacturers added support in their BIOS before that, defaulting to off. Apple made the switch and required EFI/GPT a couple of years earlier, and that's the only reason VirtualBox added EFI when they did.

I note also that Win8 takeup was poor, so the real push to UEFI/GPT began IMO when Win10 was released. One of the main drivers for adoption of GPT is that it supports drives larger than 2TB without having to use awful hacks (e.g. 4K sectors). But IME, even today those drives are a rarity (directly attached - I'm not talking NAS devices, which in any case are not running Windows). My own home and office PCs use 1TB and 2TB internal drives. They use UEFI, but they didn't need to.

I didn't feel the need to add support for GPT in CloneVDI until late 2019 (v4, released Jan 2020), but VM hardware does tend to lag behind physical by a few years.

[JJJones]

Wow - guys, I really appreciate the continued support on this. It would be so beneficial to me to get this old disk running in a VM.

Now, for my questions on your latest posts. Remember, I just barely understand what you guys are saying above without some further step-by-step clarifications.

It seems, from reading your responses, that you want me to provide you with more info from my old OS Win7 disk.

... view the disk image using CloneVDI. It will tell you if the partition map is MBR or GPT. ...
But as you said: There is no need for speculation, so let's wait ...

I am happy to do anything that might get this closer to a resolution and positive outcome. Can you please provide specific step-by-step and what it is you want and how I go about getting it? I have looked at the CloneVDI tool link by @mpack and am happy to download and run, just unsure of exactly what you want me to provide and how to get it using CloneVDI.

check your P2V software if it tells what the original disk uses. Alternatively, provide the 1st sector of the original hard disk or a hexdump thereof, and I'll tell you.

The only software I have found (unless I am forgetting something) that is producing VHD files is SysInternals Disk2VHD; and VBoxManage allows me to create a raw disk VMKD which also doesn't work.

As for providing the 1st sector of the original hard disk or hexdump thereof, how do I go about providing that? Is that what CloneVDI does?

I am a long-time software developer, so quite technical, just out of my element here with boot records, disk sectors, partitions etc.

[mpack]

just unsure of exactly what you want me to provide and how to get it using CloneVDI.

Just run CloneVDI, select your disk image file as the source, and (if no errors are reported) click the "Partition info" button. If the partition info has mention of GUIDs, and has primary and backup/secondary partition maps - then you are looking at a GPT partition map and the VirtualBox EFI setting is required to run a VM which uses this disk. If CloneVDI lists CHS addresses then it's the legacy/MBR partition map and you must NOT enable the VirtualBox EFI setting.

There's no need to resort to hex dumps so far as I can see, though yes: CloneVDI does have that function (see sector viewer button).

[JJJones]

Thanks for the specifics @mpack.

No errors reported when selecting my Disk2VHD-created VHD file.

Partition info shows CHS addresses.

I can't see how to provide screenshots in these forums, so I will reproduce below the first 3 columns of what Partition Info is showing. If you need more than just the first 3 cols, let me know.

n   Boot?  Partition Type
1   N      0xde
2   N      0x07
3   N      0x07
4   N      0x00