Windows XP (raw disk access) won't boot from virtualbox

[TheBlaze]

I dualboot Windows XP (sp3) and Ubuntu Karmic. I also use the Windows disk in virtualbox. It worked fine, but now it doesn't boot in virtualbox any more. I think it stopped working after I upgraded to 3.1, but I'm not sure. I tried reverting back to 3.0, but it still doesn't work. It gets to hardware profile selection. I can select "VirtualMachine" profile, but after those "white lines" at the bottom it gets stuck. It doesn't get to windows logo. It still boots fine natively.

Any ideas?

B

[sjjoseph]

the first thing you should do : clone the VDI using the cmd tool that comes with VirtualBox:
C:\Program Files\Sun\xVM VirtualBox\VBoxManage.exe C:\users\smith\.virtualbox\vdi\foo.vdi C:\users\smith\.virtualbox\vdi\bar.vdi
Then you just go into the VirtualBox Virtual Disk Manager and add the newly cloned bar.vdi and then setup a new VM as usual to use that VDI.
It might work for you.

[TheBlaze]

I guess I wasn't clear enough:
My main OS is Kubuntu 9.10 (sda). I also have Windows XP installed on my third drive (sdc). I have the same Win XP configured to run in Virtualbox - vmdk (with Kubuntu as host) too. This setup worked for over a year.

Lately windows stopped booting from vmdk file (I think it was after upgrade to 3.1), but boots fine natively.
When I start windows in virtualbox, I get to hardware profile selection screen, select my "VirtualMachine" profile, the lines at the bottom of the screen go from left to right, but then it stops. Just before the Windows XP logo would show.

I tried safe mode, but it didn't work. I also can select the hardware profile, then it starts loading different drivers and files, and then just freezes.

I don't get any error.

As far as I understand the mbr is OK (because I don't get the "NTLDR is missing" error and can boot the same partition natively).

B

[MarkCranness]

Have any of these config options changed (or were changed by the 3.1.x upgrade)?
IO APIC (Settings>System>Motherboard>'Enable IO APIC' checkbox, likely set this ON)
USB (Settings>USB>'Enable USB Controller' checkbox)
VT-x/AMD-V (Settings>System>Acceleration>'Enable VT-x/AMD-V' checkbox)
PAE/NX (Settings>System>Processor>'Enable PAE/NX' checkbox)

[TheBlaze]

IO APIC (Settings>System>Motherboard>'Enable IO APIC' checkbox, likely set this ON)

That is exactly what it was. I set it to on and it works now.
Thank you very much!

B