Access to Windows Files under OSX

[plloyd1962]

I am a new user with some but not great technical abilities.

I am running VB 3.1.2 under Mac OSX Snow Leopard with a Windows XP Guest.

Has been running flawlessly for a few weeks, then last week XP was downloading SP3 update when we had a power cut. This resulted in a Windows error or AUTOCHK.EXE not found and Windows would not start.

I googled the problem, and found several suggestions regarding creating a DOS Boot CD then running a partition edit (PTEDIT.EXE) utility to change a Hex Value. Did all this, now windows still will not start on the Virtual Machine as the Boot Sector is corrupt, I fear I have definitely made things far worse!!

So the question.....

I have a critical file which was foolishly stored on the Windows Desktop on the Virtual Machine. Is there any way I can access it through the MAc OSX, using Finder or similar, if I can recover this file I can re-load Windows and start afresh.

Any help really appreciated.

[Perryg]

You can install the new version of Windows, then attach the old one (VDI) as a second drive and you should be able to get the data from it.

[plloyd1962]

Thank you, sounds like there is some hope after all.

Can I clarify please, would I set this up and install as a new Virtual Machine?

And forgive my ignorance, but what is a VDI? ( I am guessing Virtual Disk Image?)

thanks again

[Perryg]

You set up a new virtual machine and make sure that it is running.
Then in the guest settings you attach the old VDI file that is the real image of the old one as a second drive.
You should be very careful though to not remove or delete anything until after you have you data.

The VDI files are like a real HDD. You can attach them just like you would a real HDD. Hopefully you did not have snapshots. This makes it a lot harder to find and get working.

[plloyd1962]

Much appreciated. Will let you know the outcome.

Paul

[plloyd1962]

I have now got as far as creating a new VM, loaded Windows and Guest Additions, not sure how to mount the VDI of the old VM?

Sorry, any tips would be appreciated.

[Perryg]

You add it as a second drive. See screen shot.
I have mine setup in SATA but it is the same in the IDE. Add the drive and then in the pull down to the right select the old VDI file and it should mount it.
Boot the new VM and see if it adds the drive. Then search for your data.

Note: your screen may very from mine as it is not on a MAC, but the idea is the same.

2drives.jpg (45.37 KiB) Viewed 2776 times

[plloyd1962]

Thank You, I can see what you have done, but I cannot see anything that even remotely resembles that menu / settings screen. Any idea where to access it from?

[Perryg]

Sorry, I am at a point where you will need to wait for a MAC person to come by. I don't have one and since the screens are different the only other thing that I could tell you is you can do all of this using VBoxManage. It is a bit harder but you can see the commands by going to the User manual and VBoxManage.

[plloyd1962]

Really appreciate your help.... can't help feeling I am sooo close now.

Identifying the file the disk image is held in had also been very helpful, I am wondering if I can simply restore a backup of this file form my Time Machine backup.... worth a try

[plloyd1962]

a final update and happy ending.

To any other users who may encounter this problem..... I just restored the VDI file from Time Machine pre crash.. and all working 100%

Thanks hugely to Perryg who steered me in the right direction regarding the VDI file, and to an anonymous friend who inadvertently supplied the other half of the answer with a throw away comment.... "I thought those bloody macs were more clever than that, so much for that Time Machine thingy"