Raw Disk Access

[slowtrain]

Hi folks: I need Windows to remote desktop and VPN to my Microsoft infested workplace, but am otherwise a Debian user. I had Win 7 Home Edition factory installed, so I started running Debian in VirtualBox inside Windows. After a few freezes, Windows (interestingly, not Debian) becomes increasingly unstable.

I'm tired of having to reinstall Windows from my recovery partition, so I'm willing to try a dual boot arrangement with VirtualBox in Debian running Win 7 off a disk partition. I don't have data on the Win 7 side to lose.

Was wondering if someone could clue me in on a couple things. I understand I can put the bootloader in MBR or in the Debian boot partition (directory?). Does this choice make a difference for running Win 7 in VirtualBox?

Logical Volume Manager (LVM) seems to be recommended in Debian dual boot install tutorials, along w/ separate partitions for boot etc. Again, these choices make any difference for VirtualBox?

Any general advice on the feasibility of my planned arrangement? Am I the only person out here crazy enough to try this?

[mpack]

Have you looked at the "Win7 in both native and as a VM" howto?

[slowtrain]

Hi mpack: Terrific suggestion, thanks! I had quickly looked through the how-tos but missed that one.

That how-to seems to suggest that you need to clean the linux bootloader out of MBR using the Windows Install disk. I don't have such a disk (HP only ships the infernal recovery partition), so it seems that I should set up initially w/ the linux bootloader in the boot partition of linux. Am still fuzzy, though, on what happens when I first start the machine. Something has to tell it to look in the linux boot partition and that something would likely be operational in the VM as well. Well, I guess I can experiment (eek!).

No mention of LVM or multiple linux partitions, so maybe these are not an issue. But I probably don't need the added complexity anyway.

Thanks again!

[mpack]

No mention of LVM or multiple linux partitions, so maybe these are not an issue.

I wouldn't count on it! As you imply, unnecessary complexity is usually a bad idea.

[slowtrain]

Thanks! Forewarned is forearmed