VM can't see VMDK file

[InvalidNickname]

Hi,

I'm very new to this, into my 2nd day of learning this software. I have some Unix files (XFS, "Linux Ext", "Linux Native") on a hard drive that I'd like to read on a Windows machine. DiskInternals is what described the partitions on this disk I've given in brackets above, but it cannot open any of them. This is what brought me here instead.. and it's been a learning curve so far which might not go anywhere!, but I'm trying..

Progress so far..

* I found the name of the physical drive in Windows (and it's not a drive I boot any OS with)
* I created a new VM in Virtualbox, installed Knoppix as the OS
* I successfully created a VMDK file in DOS, saved in the folder belonging to the VM
All seems good.. now it's getting the VM to see the VMDK that's the problem..

When I go to Virtualbox, click in the VM, click on settings, under storage.. it doesn't allow me to add a new storage attachment (I assume that's what I need to be doing based on the various instructions I've read out there).. the buttons are all grey.

I'm wondering what it is I need to do to accomplish this next bit.

Cheers.

[Perryg]

The guest must be shut down, not running or saved state to add storage devices.

[InvalidNickname]

Thanks very much PerryG for your time and help.. that did the trick.

Thanks

[InvalidNickname]

Ok there is a new issue now..

When I add the VMDK before being saved, it adds it fine, but when I open the VM for initial booting, the window that normally appears giving me the option to use the Live CD to load Knoppix doesn't appear. Just wondering if there is a way around this.

Thanks

[InvalidNickname]

It's ok I've figured it out now.. I used an .iso image to boot up.

Thanks again