XP Guest on Win 8.0 using VB 4.3.16

[Aaron T]

Hello All,

Signing on due to an odd XP problem as a guest machine. I've been attempting to install Win XP as a guest inside a 8.0 box. VirtualBox 4.3.16 will allow an installation of XP original, XP with SP1, XP with SP2, or an upgrade chain ie.. install XP org then network install of the service packs, but will not install XP SP3. When booting from the iso image, as soon as the installation, the guest BSOD with a 07 error, it won't even get to point to format the disk. When running a SP2 machine, when trying to install SP3 network install, it states that it can not install to a checked version or free or vise versa. On an actuall machine there is reg hack to force the installation, under current version NT\Windows, to change the CPU type from "Uniprocessor Free" to checked. When doing this the service pack will install but then BSOD's out on reboot.

I know my ISO is good, as I've used it on physical machines, and virtual under VM Ware, and Hyper - V. Was hoping that VirtualBox would be goto Virtual System. Hyper-V is great if you don't want external usb support and running Windows's VM's. My VM Ware workstation runs fine, but have to reboot the machine ever time to start the VM's.

I did install a test Home Server 2011 using Virtual Box, and it works great. Even with WSUS 3.2 installed on it to provide updates to XP (that are no longer available online).

Any help in getting a SP3 installation going would be great.

I have an elite book with a iCore 7, and 16GB of RAM.

[mpack]

Where did your "XP with SP3" come from? AFAIK SP3 came out long after XP itself went off sale, hence there was never an official XP+SP3 setup CD. We only support the real thing here, not homebrew slipstreamed stuff.

[Aaron T]

The XP iso is a slip streamed CD. And that wouldn't be a "home brewed" thing. In fact its quite normal to include Service packs drivers, and even software in images nowdays. But that set aside. Even if VirtualBox wouldn't support a SP3 integrated ISO image. The problem of installing SP3 on to a running VM remains.

[Aaron T]

So does anyone have any idea on why the XP pro VM can not upgrade to SP3?

Has anyone else tried this and succeeded or having the same issues?

[mpack]

I'm pretty sure I've upgraded XP VMs to SP3 before, using the normal service pack update, but I haven't needed to do it recently.

Edit:  Just checked: yup, my main workhorse XP VM where I am now has been updated to SP3 at some point. ISTM it's just a matter of having enough RAM and disk space, and I'll add: an uncorrupted service pack executable.

[Aaron T]

did you install SP3 with the lastest version virtual box? I'm downloading another SP3 network install now. There is a chance I could have downloaded the developer version, its been awhile since I've done much with XP.

And there is more than enough room allocated in both RAM and Disk space for the VM.

And just to keep the licensing mongers down... yes my software is legitimate and not downloaded via torrents... The old Action Pack, and Tehchnet Subscriptions are worth their weight in gold.

[mpack]

As I said above, this is not something I did recently. I have no reason to believe that anything in 4.3.16 could interfere with something as mundane as a service pack upgrade (*), but you could always try 4.3.12, which definitely has no problem with it.


(*) Some 4.3.16 problems are known, but mostly present as problems getting the VM to boot. The only runtime issues even suspected have to do with 3D graphics. Of course there could be some new regression that had nothing to do with the hardening issues.