Windows Installer in EXE Format
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samseventeen
- Posts: 1
- Joined: 19. Mar 2012, 16:51
Windows Installer in EXE Format
Hi. Is there any way I could use a Windows installer that is an EXE file to install Windows on my Mac? My university distributes the windows installers to all students but they only come in EXE format. I have both Windows XP Service Pack 3 and Windows 7 (64 bit). I would like to know how I can use either file on VirtualBox. Thanks.
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mpack
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 39134
- Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
- Primary OS: MS Windows 10
- VBox Version: VirtualBox+Oracle ExtPack
- Guest OSses: Mostly XP
Re: Windows Installer in EXE Format
Are you sure you have what you think you have? An .exe file can only be run by Windows (or Wine - but best ignore that option for now), so you would have to install an OS in order to run the OS installer... it makes no sense.
I think what you have there are service pack installers - not full setup installers.
OS installers typically come as a bootable CD. The CD boots up and loads enough of an OS to run the early install stuff, which in turn installs enough of the OS to run the later (fancier) OS installation steps. And if you have the bootable CD then it's easy: make an ISO image and mount that image in a VM, then let rip.
If all you have is compressed service packs then they are worthless except to those who already have the OS's they update.
I think what you have there are service pack installers - not full setup installers.
OS installers typically come as a bootable CD. The CD boots up and loads enough of an OS to run the early install stuff, which in turn installs enough of the OS to run the later (fancier) OS installation steps. And if you have the bootable CD then it's easy: make an ISO image and mount that image in a VM, then let rip.
If all you have is compressed service packs then they are worthless except to those who already have the OS's they update.