NEWBE! Help understanding this prog + Ubuntu + Winxp

[sandman3838]

Hello

I came across this product in a search. Interesting!!!!

If I understand it correctly the whole think behind VirtualBox 214 OSE is so that one can install an alternate OS in another, so I should be able to install My WinXP right in Ubuntu?

From there I can run most window applications....
Is this correct?

My concern is this....

I have three HD.

1.WinXP Pro SATA
2.Ubuntu 904 SATA
3.Files IDE_100Gb free

Now I did a partial install and setup of VirtualBox 214 OSE to see where it would install the OS and it started to install to my 3rd HD (FILES). I canceled it as I was worried that it might alter my boot options!

At the moment I dual boot using the Grub Menu. To go to and from one OS to the other I have to reboot. For the moment I don't want to loose this! VirtualBox OSE with Winxp Home (I have both the Home & Pro Edition) will not touch the Grub menu or Boot files of either OS if I install it, correct? I still need to get to either OS!

Also, if this all still looks good would you have any suggestions for setting this up?

Thank you all for all your help.

Sincerely,

[Perryg]

VBox will install on the drive of the host that you install it on. You can tell it during the install if you want it in a different location but it will be dependent on the drive that your (Host) is using. I would then install an OS there and learn the ins-and-outs before you proceed further. Read the manual that came with it, Google for more information, and read as many posts as you can find time to read to learn the software. Also there are some guides and howto's here that will help. Browse the main groups and they will be at the top of the sections.

Here are some to get you started
http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?t=8208 --- http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?t=8669 --- http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8580

[bikodog]

It doesn't matter where virtualbox is installed or what your physical HD configuration is. Follow the prompts in virtualbox and create a virtual disk on which you will install the Guest OS of your choice.

In your case, from Ubuntu (host OS) you would create a virtual disk on your FILES partition (size of your choosing) and then install XP onto that virtual disk (guest OS). From within the guest OS XP running inside of virtualbox, the virtual disk would be seen as partition c:\. Once you have the guest OS up and running, install virtualbox guest additions inside of the guest OS. This will allow you to access your physical partitions in the host OS via "windows networking" inside of XP.