virtualbox.org

Just started with ubuntu (8.04). Unfortunately I still need to use Windows 2000 Professional, so I created a virtual machine with Virtualbox (1.6). And I installed a bootable hard disk image (IDE not SATA) and installed the w2k.
So far, everything works fine.
Now I want to use another hard disk (image) in the virtual w2k-machine, and created another IDE image at the same physical hard disk (at host). Both HD-images shows up in the Virtualbox Manager. But only the first one (boot image) is fully recognized by w2k. The hardware manager in w2k recognizes both virtual disks ant tells me the function is ok for both of them.
But the second hard disk is invisible in the windows explorer. What is wrong?

> The hardware manager in w2k recognizes both virtual disks ant tells me the function is ok for both of them.

Did you format the second drive, and assign a drive letter to it?

Thanks for your suggestion, but how to do it? Virtualbox don't seem to have such facilities, and the normal way in w2k don't seem to work...
Elucidation: w2k's Disk Manager recognizes the disk (image), but the action of partition or assigning drive letters is inactivated (gray).

OK, after some checking, I see it's not quite so simple. But I did manage to get it working, and I've listed my steps below. Note that this is with a Vista32 host and VBox v. 1.6.

hth,
John

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Adding a second vdi to a Win2K guest...
- create the new vdi and attach it as Primary Slave to the existing Win2K VM.
- once the vm has booted, open the Disk Management console.
- at this point I get a "Write Signature..." window
There are 2 paths here, so I've done this as (A) and (B) for the rest of the steps

(A)
- in the "Write Signature..." window, click Next
- put a checkmark for Disk1
- click Next | Finish
- the result is a *Dynamic* disk
- in the Disk Management window, right-click on Disk1, and selct "Create Volume"
- in the Wizard, click Next all the way through (adjust settings as needed)
The final result is a Dynamic disk set as a "Simple Volume", formatted, and having the specified drive letter.

(B)
- in the "Write Signature..." window, click Cancel
- Disk1 will appear as an *Unknown* disk in the Disk Management window
- right-click on Disk1 (on the label at left-hand side), and select "Write Signature"
- in the popup, Disk1 will be checked -- click OK
- the result is a *Basic* disk
- right-click in Disk1 (in the disk itself, not the label) and select "Create Partition"
- in the Wizard, click Next all the way through (adjust settings as needed)
The final result is a Basic disk with a "Partition", formatted, and having the specified drive letter.

In setting up a VE (Virtual Environment), you have the option to add Shared Folders. If you designate /media/sbda1 (drive C), you can give it a reference name (DRIVE_C, for example), Inside the virtual Windows, you access the shared folders via My Network, and you can map the designated "folder" DRIVE_C to be accessed with a free drive letter. Then it shows up under My Computer as well. The assigned drive letter cannot be C:, which is the virtual hard drive, and D:, which is reserved for the CDROM drive.

That's it, thank you very much for your patient and wise guidance, John!
Now everything is working just fine.
Best Regards //Lars

> Now everything is working just fine.

That's good news. :-)

I'd like to add to John's story that one can "summon" the so called "Disk Management console" by:

- clicking on the Start menu button,
- clicking on "Run",
- typing "diskmgmt.msc" (without the quotes) and hitting the RETURN button.

So, don't waste your time looking in the System Properties section for this Disk Management console.