virtualbox.org

Hi, I'm new to VirtualBox. I did all of the prep work for the OS's in the VM VirtualBox Manager, but I'm not certain of where to download an ISO file that can be used for VMs. For example, when I clicked on a download button, it prompted a message saying:

"The download you have chosen is available from Microsoft Update. To get recommended updates for your computer, please run Microsoft Update, which will determine and suggest updates and downloads appropriate for your computer's configuration."

That makes me a little nervous. I don't want to change or update my host operating system. I want to get an ISO file so I can run Windows XP on the guest host in VirtualBox. So should I be worried about the message?

You purchase an installable OS and install it through VirtualBox.

Perryg wrote:You purchase an installable OS and install it through VirtualBox.

Why can't you just tell me where to download ISO Image Files from? It's not just that I want them for free. If I rely on running a VM-OS from a physical disc in my host operating system, I can only run one VM at a time, thus I can't have the option of running more than one VM-OS at the same time to compare the OS's side by side.

You can run as many VMs as your host can sustain given the resources that are needed. You purchase operating systems like Windows from just about anywhere. You can install Linux for free but you need to decided which one to determine where you need to go to download the image from. If say you want to install Ubuntu you go to Ubuntu.com and download the install media from them, and so on for what ever OS you want.

How do I know when I'm downloading the installation file by itself? In other words, how do I download the ISO file without it automatically changing my main host OS?

For most, this works very good -- do not open what you download until ready

F-Zero_Sam wrote:How do I know when I'm downloading the installation file by itself? In other words, how do I download the ISO file without it automatically changing my main host OS?

An ISO is just a file like any other. It cannot affect the host unless you deliberately blow it to a CD (or DVD) and then either run what is on the CD or else boot to it.

Awe crap! Do I need the serial number of the product (Windows XP ISO File)?
http://www.get-exchange.info/2012/05/30 ... irtualbox/

Or is the ISO File enough?

If you see the message "the file you are trying to download is available from Windows update" you are looking in the wrong place. An operating system is not available from there. You were probably looking at a Service Pack download.

As several people have already told you, installing a OS into a vm is basically the same as installing one in a physical machine. You must have the official install media or an ISO version of the install media. If you have the CD/DVD, you set the CD drive in the vm to read from the physical CD drive in the host machine (from Settings in the VirtualBox Manager window) and insert the disk into the drive in the host machine. If you have the ISO version, you assign the ISO file to the CD drive in the vm from Settings.

If you want to install Windows you also need the product key for the OS. You obtain the OS from a computer store or buy it online. Be vary careful if you try the online option. You cannot download Windows XP from Microsoft (even with a paid subscription) because it is no longer a supported OS.

BillG wrote:If you see the message "the file you are trying to download is available from Windows update" you are looking in the wrong place. An operating system is not available from there. You were probably looking at a Service Pack download.

Yes, you're right. It was a service pack (but it's still an ISO Type file, so that's why I got confused). Sorry.

BillG wrote:As several people have already told you, installing a OS into a vm is basically the same as installing one in a physical machine. You must have the official install media or an ISO version of the install media....If you want to install Windows you also need the product key for the OS.

And what NOBODY has told me is a link where I can download my ISO file. AND, NOBODY has answered whether I still need to have a registration key for a downloaded ISO version of the OS disc... EITHER!

If it's truly illegal to give links for downloading an ISO File for an OS that isn't even supported anymore, at least answer me this:

What I need to buy is something like "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Upgrade - Old Version", NOT a "Windows XP Recovery Boot Disc Disk CD", right? Either way, I need to buy a new, unopened installation disc (because a used installation CD's registration code is no longer valid), right?

One more thing. Why is an ISO file just an image? How is an image an OS?

F-Zero_Sam wrote: One more thing. Why is an ISO file just an image? How is an image an OS?

maybe this will help... ISO Image

F-Zero_Sam wrote: If it's truly illegal to give links for downloading an ISO File for an OS that isn't even supported anymore, at least answer me this:

The exact copyright term depends on what country you're in, but I'm not aware of any country which has a clause in their copyright law to the effect that "if support stops, then copyright automatically expires".

I assume you don't seriously expect a corporation like Oracle to assist you in breaching the copyright of another corporation, particularly one with deep pockets for lawsuits.

F-Zero_Sam wrote: What I need to buy is something like "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Upgrade - Old Version", NOT a "Windows XP Recovery Boot Disc Disk CD"

You should avoid upgrade editions. Those often have problems being installed in a blank VM because the installer expects to see an earlier version of the same product which you intend to upgrade from. What you want is a full retail edition on an original hologrammed CD, with CD-key sticker. Generic OEM editions will probably work as well - don't go for branded OEM editions (Dell, HP etc), as they may not work on other hardware.

F-Zero_Sam wrote: Either way, I need to buy a new, unopened installation disc (because a used installation CD's registration code is no longer valid), right?

It depends what you mean by "valid". If you mean valid in the sense that the installer accepts it then any key you don't just make up will be valid, though it has to be from the same variant and sales channel (e.g. XP-Pro-Retail, XP-Home-OEM). Whether a CD key is reusable depends, again, on the country you're in. I believe most countries allow the resale of a legitimately owned license. In Europe there was a test case which explicitly determined that this includes the OS software bundled with a PC. Of course XP also has an activation requirement: in general this just enforces Microsoft's legal rights, IMHO they've been somewhat careful not to try to grab more rights than the law gives them.

loukingjr wrote:

F-Zero_Sam wrote: One more thing. Why is an ISO file just an image? How is an image an OS?

maybe this will help... ISO Image

The Windows installation ISO file is an image of the CD/DCD installation media. Most CD/DVD writer programs can convert one to the other. VirtualBox guests can read an ISO file directly so you do not need to convert it to a physical disk (as you need to do to install in some physical machines).

Strictly speaking, neither of these contains an OS. You cannot run Windows by mounting the installation media on DVD or as an ISO file (as you can with some Linux distros). The installation media contains the necessary files for you to install the OS into a machine (physical or virtual).

How Microsoft uses product keys and the mysteries of Windows activation are a study in themselves and not really a matter for a VirtualBox forum. As mpack outlined, it gets into pretty tricky legal issues. Whether it will activate automatically, even with a product key, is variable. If you have a genuine product you can use telephone activation.

mpack wrote:You should avoid upgrade editions. Those often have problems being installed in a blank VM because the installer expects to see an earlier version of the same product which you intend to upgrade from. What you want is a full retail edition on an original hologrammed CD, with CD-key sticker. Generic OEM editions will probably work as well - don't go for branded OEM editions (Dell, HP etc), as they may not work on other hardware.

Would something like this work:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Microsoft-Windo ... 1187778588

you should try and find a full install with SP2 or SP3. Microsoft may still have updates available but it takes a long time to fully update a SP1 version.