Hi
I searched a way to boot in VirtualBox an USB key bootable on physical netbook or desktops, without migrating Physical to Virtual.
I fact it's already documented, but no entry with this title found, so adding it here
Using a raw host hard disk from a guest => PIH Physical in Hybrid
http://www.virtualbox.org/manual/UserMa ... #id2528620
Sometime you have to extend to full access the USB key device to create guest
( On Linux => chmod a=u /dev/sdc ( replace sdc by the device used by your USB key ) )
Be careful of two points
A) don't mount the USB drive in the Physical Host that is running VirtualBox
B) stop the booted USB from the guest, before to close the guest, before to remove physical USB from the host
You can
+ pause the guest
+ close the guest from Virtualbox choosing "Saving the machine state"
+ close the guest from Virtualbox choosing "Saving the machine state" then close VirtualBox
+ close the guest from Virtualbox choosing "Saving the machine state" then close VirtualBox then poweroff the host
then reactivate your USB booted in VirtualBox guest
Sometime you have to extend again to full access the USB key device to reactivate guest
( On Linux => chmod a=u /dev/sdc ( replace sdc by the device used by your USB key ) )
Enjoy, keeping in mind point A and B above.
BCL