virtualbox.org

I've been using VirtualBox for several years and have a winxp vdi image that was created under an old 1.x.y version which has run fine on the mandriva 2008.1 version of VBox 1.5.6 and all earlier versions of VBox that I tried in the past. However, I can't get this winxp vdi image to run on VBox 2.0.6 include with mandriva 2009 or the sun 2.1.0 version. When attempting to boot this image in the 2.x.y versions VBox starts to run the image but drops to a windows error screen indicating that windows could not boot; that this could be due to a change in hardware or that windows was shut down improperly; and then offering to attempt to reboot in various other modes that you normally get when you hit F8 when booting windows. Booting in safe mode or any other offered modes gives the identical result - i.e. you get dumped back to the same F8 error screen. The wixp vdi image is good as I can still run the same image flawlessly by rebooting into mandriva 2008.1 and running from VBox1.5.6.

I can create new winxp vdi images on both the VBox 2.x.y versions by doing a new insatllation and the new images work fine. However, I have some old software installed on my old winxp vdi and no longer have the installation media. Is there anyway to get VBox 2.x.y to run my old winxp vdi images created with VBox 1.x.y?

This is commonly asked. Please see the VirtualBox FAQ about this. Check the advanced page, PIIX setting. Put it to 3 and you're done.

Thanks, that did it fine. At least I can boot. Since it's not very clear in the FAQ, this is the relevant protion if anyone else has this problem:

Q: I upgraded from 1.5.x to 1.6.x and now my Windows Guests keeps booting with a BSOD.
A: Check your VM settings. Go to General, tab Advanced and make sure that the IDE Controller is on PIIX3 and not PIIX4. Now boot your VM.

However, I didn't get a BSOD; it wouldn't boot at all and kept dumping to that F8 selection screen for safe mode booting.

Now that it boots, I'm having the same weird problem as this guy, i.e. no bottom toolbar:

http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic. ... ht=taskbar

Installed the 2.1 guest additions, tried running full screen in VBox and in the host OS both but still no toolbar. Also, tried every resolution available to no avail. Weirdly, I can launch all my applications fine from desktop icons or by navigating to the executable.

Edit: Further searching indicates this may be a problem with the 2.1.0 guest additions which are apparently pretty much broke at the present time:

http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?t=12701