Easiest way to host WinXPhome guest on WinVista host

[melb]

Allrighty. I have been hearing a lot of good things about virtualbox and finally installed on my laptop running 32 bit vista home ultimate edition with 2.5GB of ram, athlon X2-64 running at 1.7 Ghz. I am not sure if any more detail is needed for the host machine.

Now, I have a computer running a bizarre software (don't ask me what it is my wife's work stuff) on win Xp home edition. Computer us pretty lame and powerless. 1.3 Ghz (or may be even slower) AMD sempron processor and, don't laugh, 256 MB RAM. It has been purchased about 4 years ago, as an internet terminal. So, what I want to do is to take an image of this weakling machine and slap it on virtual box. First thing I thought was Bart's PE to make an image and transfer the image to this computer and boot to that puppy. Since it came with XP Home preloaded, I do not have the media to reinstall it from scratch. I have the keyword on a sticker but I don't know how far it would take me.

My question, is this approach viable/workable ? If yes any gotcha's I have to be watching out for? Is there a step-by-step cookbook for doing such a contraption ?

Thanks in advance.
Mel

[Perryg]

For your protection:
The software that you have came installed on a specific PC for the sole intention of using it on that PC (thus the reason why you do not have an original install CD). You should read the EULA on your software carefully to be certain that you can do this before you proceed.

[melb]

Okay, if I buy a copy of XP, just to fend off the micro$oft bullies license-wise, I still would like to take the image of the clunker computer so that I do not have to explain installing my wife's special application to a virtual PC concept. Over that way, they are not technologically very savvy and I really do not want to be the IT support for them. Was what I said technically possible and how ?

[Perryg]

I believe what you need is covered here: http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?t=1966