Could not read from the boot medium

[Stephen Ayers]

In preparation to upgrade a Windows 8.1 guest vm to Windows 10, I uninstalled the guest additions and powered down the vm. Now I cannot start the vm. I get the "could not read from the boot medium" error. How do I recover from this error (without reverting to a backup)?

Host is a Windows 8.1 Pro, 64-bit machine.
VirtualBox v5.0.12r104815

Log file is attached.

Guest details:

Code: Select all

Name:            Apex 7.0
Groups:          /
Guest OS:        Windows 8.1 (64-bit)
UUID:            616ed469-b79c-4004-8486-149c5607bc9c
Config file:     \\KS-SAYERS-L01\Users\sayers\VirtualBox VMs\Apex 7.0\Apex 7.0.vbox
Snapshot folder: \\KS-SAYERS-L01\Users\sayers\VirtualBox VMs\Apex 7.0\Snapshots
Log folder:      \\KS-SAYERS-L01\Users\sayers\VirtualBox VMs\Apex 7.0\Logs
Hardware UUID:   616ed469-b79c-4004-8486-149c5607bc9c
Memory size:     128MB
Page Fusion:     off
VRAM size:       8MB
CPU exec cap:    100%
HPET:            off
Chipset:         piix3
Firmware:        BIOS
Number of CPUs:  1
PAE:             on
Long Mode:       on
CPUID Portability Level: 0
CPUID overrides: None
Boot menu mode:  message and menu
Boot Device (1): Floppy
Boot Device (2): DVD
Boot Device (3): HardDisk
Boot Device (4): Not Assigned
ACPI:            on
IOAPIC:          off
Time offset:     0ms
RTC:             local time
Hardw. virt.ext: on
Nested Paging:   on
Large Pages:     on
VT-x VPID:       on
VT-x unr. exec.: on
Paravirt. Provider: Default
State:           powered off (since 2016-01-04T15:23:00.000000000)
Monitor count:   1
3D Acceleration: off
2D Video Acceleration: off
Teleporter Enabled: off
Teleporter Port: 0
Teleporter Address: 
Teleporter Password: 
Tracing Enabled: off
Allow Tracing to Access VM: off
Tracing Configuration: 
Autostart Enabled: off
Autostart Delay: 0
Default Frontend: 
NIC 1:           disabled
NIC 2:           disabled
NIC 3:           disabled
NIC 4:           disabled
NIC 5:           disabled
NIC 6:           disabled
NIC 7:           disabled
NIC 8:           disabled
Pointing Device: PS/2 Mouse
Keyboard Device: PS/2 Keyboard
UART 1:          disabled
UART 2:          disabled
LPT 1:           disabled
LPT 2:           disabled
Audio:           disabled
Clipboard Mode:  disabled
Drag and drop Mode: disabled
VRDE:            disabled
USB:             disabled
EHCI:            disabled
XHCI:            disabled

USB Device Filters:

<none>

Bandwidth groups:  <none>

Shared folders:  <none>

Video capturing:    not active
Capture screens:    0
Capture file:       \\KS-SAYERS-L01\Users\sayers\VirtualBox VMs\Apex 7.0\Apex 7.0.webm
Capture dimensions: 1024x768
Capture rate:       512 kbps
Capture FPS:        25

Description:
Apex 7.0 development environment
Windows 8.1 64-bit
RAD Studio XE7

Guest:

Configured memory balloon size:      0 MB

Thanks!

[socratis]

Memory size:     128MB
...
VRAM size:       8MB

There is no way on this blue planet this VM ever booted. Besides the obvious memory allocation (practically non-existent), you actually have no hard drive, DVD or network card to boot from. I have a feeling that you're not telling us the whole story...

[Stephen Ayers]

Thanks socratis - you made me laugh.

I really have been using this vm for a very long time. But clearly, it had more memory and a harddrive, etc. when it was working.

I restored the vm from a backup, saved the vm details to a text file and did a diff with the details I originally posted. Something about uninstalling the guest additions really messed up the vm's settings.

I've attached the diff, just in case anyone is interested.

I'll try again and see if it was just a fluke.

Thanks again.