WinXPx32 sp3 guest on Win7x64 host won't restart

[sondeez]

Hardware: Intel I7, 32GB ram, Kingston 225 GB ssd
Host Software: Win7x64, VirtualBox 4.2.0 r80737 with 4.2 Guest Additions
Guest software: WinXPsp3x32 - multiprocessor kernel (only one machine)
Installed Settings: 2595MB, 2 processors, enable IO APIC, bridged adapter, dynamic disk (80GB)
Problem: fails to reboot: displays initial XP booting screen and then the boot process stops; VB doesn't issue an error message. Control returns to the main VB console.

I start VB, configure a new machine, mount the ISO install XP and sometime after that the machine fails to reboot. I'm installing a series of compilers - VS6, 2002, 2005, etc and service packs, sdks, etc. As I install tools I'm required to reboot. Sometimes it fails after the first tool, sometimes I get all the way through. XP disk space consumed ranges from 6GB to 15GB.

I periodically shutdown XP, exit VB and make a copy of the VB machine folder. At some point my error occurs. I can restore an earlier backup and it will boot fine.

It appears the VB is corrupting my image.

I'm not sure what to do next. The only error I'm experiencing is my xp boot process stops suddenly but I don't get an error. If anyone can point out what I should do differently I'd sure appreciate it.

Thanks

[mpack]

Please provided the VM log of a completed session showing the problem. The log should be uploaded as a zipped attachment. The VM log file is called "VBox.log", and can be found in the "Logs" subfolder of your VM folder.

[sondeez]

Here's the file. I tried booting in safe mode but the results were the same: it blinked and exited.

Thanks for looking at this.

[mpack]

I dont see any of that in the log provided. I see a VM starting up, and then being shut down due to a user request. No restart.

[sondeez]

Interesting. When I boot it normally I see the Windows XP startup screen display along with the rotating progress bar. This goes on for three to five seconds. Then the screen goes black and I notice the disk icon in the VB status bar pulses once or twice. Then the screen goes black and the window is closed.

I tried booting in safe mode but it doesn't help. I've tried a variety of XP images (the normal XP, the K version, site licensed versions, etc.) and the results are the same. It can happen after I install a single development environment or several. It can happen if I boot and then shutdown normally after previously installing one or more development environments.

I don't know if it's 64 bit Win 7, using an SSD, using an I7 cpu, the system board (MSI Z77a), or something else. Maybe it's that I'm installing with the multiprocessor core rather than the single - I set two processors rather than one. It's very difficult because it takes some time to install all of the dev. environments, sdks, etc and then - poof!

So XP gets to some point in the boot process and then does an auto shutdown without ever starting the logon process. It's a poser.

[mpack]

I don't know if it's 64 bit Win 7

I'm sure plenty others are using Win7 64bit, so that seems unlikely.

using an SSD

VirtualBox should not be sensitive to the technology used by any of the hosts disk drives. Though it's always possible that something else on the host is.

using an I7 cpu

Again, I'm sure that plenty others use that CPU, so on the basis that an unusual behaviour must have an unusual explanation.. this seems unlikely.

the system board (MSI Z77a)

Possible. You may want to look for updates, or problems other VM platform users might be having with the same PC.

Maybe it's that I'm installing with the multiprocessor core rather than the single

Apart from making the VM run a little slower I wouldn't expect this to have much effect. Lots of people install XP on multi-core CPUs.

I see nothing in the log showing an interrupted process or a crash. It looks like the VM ran for 11 seconds and then was intentionally shut down.

[sondeez]

Regarding my multiprocessor comment: when you install XP the installer checks to see whether you have one or more than one processor. If you have one it installs the single processor kernel; otherwise it installs the one that supports two processors. I was saying I set the number to two in VB and the kernel correctly selected the multiprocessor kernel.

As far as the system being intentionally shut down: well, I didn't want it to shut down and did not touch the keyboard or in any way indicate that as my intention. I haven't seen XP do this in the past so I'm not quick to think it's an XP thing. That makes me think it's got something to do with the interaction between XP and VirtualBox. Or maybe Wintermute?

I did go back over the log and see what you mean. I guess this combination of things is more than one standard deviation out there; maybe I should look for another solution.

Thanks again for your time.