virtualbox.org

Hi,

I've just upgraded my workstation to Windows 7 RC (build 7100), and using the new Virtual PC beta on it (version 2007 no longer works).

And now I have a problem. If I have a Virtual PC VM running, which is always the case, Virtual Box refuses to start my VM. I don't have the exact error message right now. Some VERR_xxx about unable to get host vm thingy. I'll have to update this tomorrow morning =/

As soon as I power down my Virtual PC VM, I can start my Virtual Box VM. I dunno if it's because VPC uses the VT bit or not. It's really bizarre. I turned off VT bit, IO APIC options and stuff for my VM, but it still won't let me start it.

And please don't say "don't use VPC". That's not constructive.

Thanks,

Jessica

It is common in that you can't run 2 virtualization packages at the same time, its either VPC or VBox not both.

That's crap.

This is a *new* problem. Which seems related to the VT bit. And Virtual Box doesn't seem to take notice of my tick box setting. I've been able to run vmware, vbox, vpc, and even qemu simultaneously.

Jessica

I think that the reason here is Windows7 RC ( release candidate ) and its not playing well with the rest of the software crowd.
So with that you must know what Microsoft has to say about it?
Do not use this software on a production machine. It is a release candidate and subject to problems.
Also the rest of the software world has not released the final version of their software to run on Windows 7. Why? Because it is not a finished product.

Crap or not it is basicly an architechtual issue, sure enough if everyone would emulate everything it would not be a problem, but emulating everything costs alot of resources so everyone resort to using processor features to get near real performance and thats where it bites, the processor can't deal with more then one guy pulling on the rope.

And now you're coming up with excuses.

I have the error now: VirtualBox can't operate in VMX root mode. Please close all other virtualization programs. (VERR_VMX_IN_VMX_ROOT_MODE).

The problem appears to be that Virtual Box is not obeying my wish to *not* use VT technology.

Given that Virtual Box works without VT (it was disabled in the BIOS, and I don't even have VT on my EeePC at home), it is clearly Virtual Box not doing what it's told.

Jessica

Hey you need to calm down before you burst a blood vessel.
If you think this is a bug post a ticket with bugtracker.
Other than that no one says you have to use VBox.
Go with what makes you happy.

As far as making excuses we do not work for VBox or Sun. So no excuses are needed.
I have over 30 years experience in this industry and I bet vbox4me2 has a lot as well.
We are only telling you what we know to be the truth.
Why don't you ask Microsoft what the problem is?

Are you using an existing VirtualBox image or a new one? I seem to recall that once it's created, you cannot change the VT-x setting (I think).

The VirtualBox docs say:

Warning
Do not run other hypervisors (open-source or commercial virtualization products) together with VirtualBox! While several hypervisors can normally be installed in parallel, do not attempt to run several virtual machines from competing hypervisors at the same time. VirtualBox cannot track what another hypervisor is currently attempting to do on the same host, and especially if several products attempt to use hardware virtualization features such as VT-x, this can crash the entire host.

It sounds like it only applies to VT-x, so you SHOULD be able to run Virtual PC with VT-x and VirtualBox without.

This is a bummer because I was going to pop on Windows 7 to use XP Mode for Citrix (doesn't work in Vista), but I also use a Linux VirtualBox image to get around the bandwidth throttling by my ISP.

Please read this from Microsoft. Running Windows 7RC as a primary OS should never be done on a home or production machine.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/faq.aspx

Please read the section Are there risks to installing the RC?

What's your point? Telling us (me) that there's risk doesn't fix it. No one's laying blame here, we just want to make this work.

It's rather funny that you can run Windows 7 in VirtualBox but can't run VirtualBox in Windows 7 heh

Virtual box as far as we all know isn't tested yet with windows 7 so there's no guaranteed compatibility with it. Why would you think having a virtual box with windows 7 sucessfully installed on a verified system will make windows 7 verified automatically.

You guys are far too focused on blame instead of solving the issue. Who cares if it's verified? Who cares if it's a RC? I just want it to work.

Put in a feature request on the tracker and somewhere along the line you'll have a Virtual box that runs on windows 7. In till then as verified by "somecanuck" it does not work right now .

Everyone wants it to work!

The point that I was making is that it will someday but even Microsoft points out that it more than likely will not do everything that you want it to do right now. Specific drivers have not be made, compatibility problems with other software, Etc. The "try before you buy" is a great thing, but until it has reached complete status or at least gets really close vendors are not going to spend the time or money to create the structure that it will take to make everything work. No excuses, no blame, it is what it is.

I have Windows as a guest and for me it works fine. I do have some driver issues and have fixed as many of those as I can. I have tested it on a non production machine as the Primary OS and it works by itself. I still cannot get a virus software to work on it properly. There are a list of things that I can not get to work on it but they will in time as they always do.

Just for curiosity did you update the rc updates. Virtual box works it seems , just not virtual inside virtual as has already been warned (I had to try it once. Yeah mouse doesn't know what the heck to do .)