Installing a Windows 7 guest on a Windows 8 host

[Dotty]

Hello,

I am trying to install a Windows 7 guest with a Windows 8 host. I am having problems. Here are the details:

Using Virtual Box 4.2.16 r86992
Host: Windows 8 64 bit
Guest: Windows 7 32 bit
RAM for guest: 2048 Kb Host has 8 Gb
Created a virtual hard drive, 50 Gb (VDI) Fixed
Name of drive: Windows 7
Boot order: Unchecked Floppy, Set hard drive first, then CD/DVD, Left Network unchecked
Drive “Windows 7” appears in the storage tree
When asked for a start up disk, chose the default, my CD/DVD drive that has the Windows 7 DVD in it. That was the only drive in the dropdown.
I got “Could not read from the boot medium! System halted” message

I would appreciate any help.


Thank you,


Dotty

[mpack]

Where did you get the Win7 DVD from? The only kind that will work are stand alone retail setup DVDs. E.g. "System Recovery" DVDs from your previous PC will not work.

Put the DVD drive first in the boot order, at least until after the OS is installed.

ps. IMHO better to work from an ISO (image) of the DVD rather than the host drive, as the host can interfere. Free apps such as ImgBurn are available to make images of physical CDs and DVDs.

[Dotty]

Hi, mpack,

The Win7 DVD is the store bought version, not a system restore disc. If I made an ISO, where should I put it? On another DVD, or on the host computer's hard drive?


Thanks,

Dotty

[Dotty]

Hello,

I put the CD/DVD drive first in the boot order, and got the "No bootable medium found!" message.

Dotty

[mpack]

In that case I suspect that you may be confusing a host drive with the virtual drive of the guest. The guest can't access host CD/DVD drives unless the VM settings | Storage section creates an association between the VMs virtual drive and that host drive. This kind of error is less prevalant with ISO images since it's obvious to everyone that ISOs must somehow be mounted in the VM (in the Storage section again). Select the CD/DVD drive in the VM settings, and the panel on the right will both display the current association and allow you to change it. Alternatively you can change CDs using the Device menu of the VM window while the VM is running.

[Dotty]

Hi, mpack,

When I make a new guest and go to settings/storage, it will not let me add the CD/DVD drive of the host. After it fails, I can go to Devices and add it. I close the box, save its state, go back in to settings/storage, and the drive is there (see attached screenshot). When I click Start, I get the same message. I can even shut the Windows 7 box down, click start, and still get the same result. Am I associating the drive correctly?


Thanks,

Dotty

[mpack]

You are associating the host drive correctly if drive F is your hosts CD/DVD drive. In that case, if you have a DVD in that drive then the DVD is not bootable.

This should be easy enough to prove: try booting your host off of the same DVD. You won't start an actual installation of course. If the PC errors out, or if it ignores the DVD and boots from the hard disk, then the DVD is not bootable, which would imply that it's either faulty or doesn't contain what you think it does.

FYI: I don't really understand the difficulties you say you had associating the virtual drive with anything. To change an association simply select the drive in the list (your image shows the controller being selected, not a drive). When a drive is selected then the panel on the right allows you to choose a media association, i.e. physical host drive or ISO image. I'll say again that an ISO image is preferred.

[Dotty]

Hi, mpack,

My Windows 7 disc was not bootable. I got the one that was, and it installed!

Thank you!

Dotty