virtualbox.org

Goodmorning to all,
I'm trying from some day to virtualize my phisical machine. It is a Toshiba Tecra A7 239, with dual boot configuration (ubuntu and Win XP with more partitions).
I create a bit-2-bit image with dd, I've converted to vmdk with VBoxManage and I try to run it.
I make the same procedure with a different machine (ASUS A2125) and It go ok! But with this, I got always error on run Windows XP; it ask continuously to give CHKDSK /F to fix error on disk at boot of windows (the boot at start of pc is ok and I can select the SO), and reboot .
It's possible that the SATA HDD not recognized? I tryed to configure my VirtualBox machine with IDE or SATA controller, but no way, how can I got the correct configuration to star my Guest SOs (also Ubuntu I like )

Thanks a lot for your time, I hope to have explained my problem a bit clearly

I hope you can answer me briefly!

Michele

Successfully migrating an XP image requires advance preparation before image. Basically, run MergeIDE. And make sure the VM uses an IDE controller, SATA will not work.

I've used MergeIde (I've registered the .reg contained into MergeIde.zip) and I've delete the .sys files indicated into VirtualBox guide from C:\Windows\System32\drivers... I've tried the machine with IDE too but no way...

I will need rather more precise error messages and symptoms then.

Did this a couple of days ago, and for the XP vm
* Use default XP settings.
* Only use IDE storage.
* Try with and without IO APIC.
* Run boot fixing - link

But... I so lose my ubuntu installation and dual boot into my Virtual Machine, isn't it?

Yes, but you should run XP and Ubuntu in each wm instead.

Mmm ok but... I can isolate the ubuntu installation from dualboot disk?
If I do fixMBR I lose Ubuntu... how can I got Ubuntu without windows?

Thanks a lot!

Michele

I guess you want to move the Toshiba laptop system to another computer, and run the two operation systems in Virtualbox.
I have no knowledge how to bypass the dual boot in Ubuntu, but am sure you can Google that.

I'd like to have a virtual machine with both of the SOs... but I tryed as you suggest!

Thanks a lot

Michele

Dual boot is a way to get 2 or more OS's to share one host PC. I don't see much advantage to doing that in a VM, and I do see some disadvantages - like not being able to run them at the same time.

You're right, but, I'd like virtualize the disk as equal as is it, so I can maintain all my data accessible, also if I can't access both of them.

so, I make other test and... I can run windows XP! Ubuntu doesn't start and say nothing about the causes...

I'll try more!

Thanks a lot for your time

Running two very different OS in one vm is a very bad idea, as each OP has its own preferences like IDE and SATA storage etc. and none have dedicated drivers for a virtual environment.

You can share your data with a data.vdi storage file.