Clonning VM on Windows XP Host

[allsky05]

Need some help in how to clone VM on a windows host. The Guest also will be windows XP. The manual talks about an application but is for linux host.Thank you
Alberto

[tecbox77]

Check Cloning and Copying VirtualBox virtual machines.

[eohrnberger]

I've used the command line: VBoxManage clonehd <src VDI> <dst VDI> to clone a hard disk image before, then create a new VM and attach it to the cloned hard disk. This worked perfectly fine when using VirtualBox-win-2.2.4-47978.

I try this now on an XP host using VirtualBox-win-3.0.4r5-677 cloning an XP guest, the resulting XP guest hangs during the boot process. I tried booting the cloned XP guest into 'safe mode', and the last thing showing on the display was the Mup.sys driver loading. At this point, the XP guest hangs, as there is no VDI or VM network activity based on watching the status icons.

Could this be a bug that was introduced? Does this mean that I should use the 'Export Applicance' and then 'Import Appliance' menu selections indead?

[mpack]

Could this be a bug that was introduced?

Unlikely. If the original VDI works on the same host with the same version of VBox then the clone should work. If the clone doesn't work then the most likely explanation is a change in an important VM setting. Try using the cloned vdi as a replacement hard disk in the original VM, see if it boots then.

[eohrnberger]

[sheepishly]
I found my mistake. Microsoft XP (and probably other versions as well) needs to have IO APIC enabled, and I forgot to set that on the new VM config. Sometimes I can be really stupid.
[/sheepishly]
If that's the case, when you select Microsfot Windows, wouldn't it be nice if Virtual Box set the IO APIC enabled on?

[mpack]

Glad you got it working.

However... XP does not need IO APIC enabled - e.g. none of my XP guests have it turned on. I believe that if you originally installed XP into a VM in which it was turned on then it must always be left on. The VBox GUI has no way to know that though, and I certainly wouldn't want it turned on by default for VMs that don't need it (I think it's been known to reduce performance).

In general when making a clone and recreating the VM settings, you must ensure that the new VM has exactly the same settings as the old one. Particularly when it comes to hard disk controller (BSOD if you get it wrong), and network MAC address (activation problems). As mentioned I don't use IO APIC, but it doesn't surprise me if that also is a critical setting.

[eohrnberger]

Right then. Still sheepish about the goof. Thanks.