Win 7 install disc questions

Discussions about using Windows guests in VirtualBox.
Post Reply
zeighty
Posts: 2
Joined: 22. Feb 2014, 21:13

Win 7 install disc questions

Post by zeighty »

I have a Win 7 install disc with non-standard structure. Trying to figure out how to create an ISO that will work with VB on my Mac.
Any help will be most appreciated.
Here is the directory structure (it is a corporate install disc and I do have authority to use it):
Note: (folder) is just information and not part of the name.

Root:
Loader.exe
W7 (folder)

W7:
Loader.exe
Win7 (folder)

Win7:
Autorun.inf
Boot (folder)
Bootmgr
efi (folder)
setup.exe
sources (folder)
Support (folder)
Upgrade (folder)
socratis
Site Moderator
Posts: 27329
Joined: 22. Oct 2010, 11:03
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: VirtualBox+Oracle ExtPack
Guest OSses: Win(*>98), Linux*, OSX>10.5
Location: Greece

Re: Win 7 install disc questions

Post by socratis »

Just like in your other post, unless we have the actual CD so that we can examine it and understand its structure, it is almost impossible for other people to understand what's going on. We can just speculate. Not only that, but sometimes, some people ask a question, we go on a wild goose hunting and most of the time (as in the other thread that I linked) they don't have the decency to come back to even say 'Hey, I solved it, this is the solution!'.

Since this is a corporate disk, have you tried asking your IT department what's the exact purpose for the existence of this CD? Can you post an .iso copy of the CD somewhere?
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
Do NOT reply with the "QUOTE" button, please use the "POST REPLY", at the bottom of the form.
If you obfuscate any information requested, I will obfuscate my response. These are virtual UUIDs, not real ones.
dlharper
Posts: 291
Joined: 25. Aug 2011, 19:17
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: VirtualBox+Oracle ExtPack
Guest OSses: MS Windows (several versions); DOS

Re: Win 7 install disc questions

Post by dlharper »

The contents of the Win7 folder appear to be the same as in the root of a standard (32-bit) Windows 7 DVD. (The 64-bit version has an extra file.)

Can I suggest that you set up a temporary VM with something else (such as Windows XP) and from there try running one of the "loader.exe" programs to see what it does. That might give you an idea of the purpose of the disk.

Posting the ISO would help, but it might be tricky. If it does include Windows 7, then it will be 2.5Gb or more.
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: Win 7 install disc questions

Post by mpack »

dlharper wrote:Posting the ISO would help, but it might be tricky.
And illegal, so let's not.

If it's a bootable CD/DVD then making an image of it (whether ISO or DMG - VBox doesn't care) should be trivial. Mac has the necessary tools built in AIUI.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20945
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: VirtualBox+Oracle ExtPack
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Win 7 install disc questions

Post by scottgus1 »

I have two different Windows 7 iso's in my repertiore, and they both have the same folder layout as the Win7 folder on your disc. I'd try using ImgBurn (or some such for a Mac) to make an iso out of that folder's contents only as the root of the iso. Then point the guest at the new iso and see what happens.
Post Reply