virtualbox.org

Hi everyone !

I noticed in the virtual machine settings, there is a warning attached to the option "enable IO APIC". It warns: "don't disable this option after having installed a windows guest OS".

What's going to happen if I DO disable this option ?

Moreover, I am on a linux host and running a WinXP guest. If I enabled this option AFTER having installed the XP guest, would it then be safe disable it ?

Removing something like this from Windows after you have told it to use it is like pulling a pacifier away from a baby. It will get mad! Various things can happen from not booting to actually corrupting the VDI file depending on how mad Windows gets. Adding this after you install Windows will not do any good as windows installs the kernel it needs to use on this only on install. See below:

All Windows operating systems starting with Windows 2000 install different kernels depending on whether an I/O APIC is available. As with ACPI, the I/O APIC therefore must not be turned off after installation of a Windows guest OS. Turning it on after installation will have no effect however.

I see. Thanks for the help !