WinNT4 Guest BSOD : How to Install Guest Additions ?

[TDSKen]

I have a Windows NT Guest OS that naturally BSODS due to drivers. I am wondering how I can install the VBoxGuest Additions into a Non-Bootable WinNT4 VMDK Disk Image.
I looked at 4.2.1.4. Manual File Extraction for the Guest Additions - where and how do I install the Guest Additions ?

I know how to do this with a bootable Guest but this one will not boot - it will BSOD due to a driver issue. I have gone the normal routines of Selecting up the type of Drives and Bridges etc every scenario I could think of.. but I am still BSOD.. So I thought if I can install the Guest Additions into the NT drive it might Automagically install the drivers and boot .. any ideas or assistance is appreciated.

[andyp73]

When Windows NT BSODs it should tell you which driver the exception was generated by. Is is a VirtualBox driver?

The usual way to resolve these issues was to press F8 to get the boot menu, boot into Safe Mode and then uninstall/replace the faulty driver from there.

-Andy.

[TDSKen]

1. I don't have an Virtual Box Drivers loaded in the NT4 Disk for it to BSOD on.
2. Windows NT 4.0 and earlier do not have a Safe mode.
3. I have a BSOD that indicates Driver - but I am not aware of how to find the offending driver as of yet .. I will look into that as soon as I find out how to install VBox Guest Additions (as this normally fixes any other driver issues I have had in the past with other VM's).

.. I suspect that if I install the VBox Additions NT4t will load an appropriate driver for the virtualized hardware ..As I am sure the VirtualBox virtualized drivers are probably newer levels than the NT4 had support for.

[socratis]

1. I don't have an Virtual Box Drivers loaded in the NT4 Disk for it to BSOD on.

Then it's not a VirtualBox issue. Not that I thought for a minute that it was, that was an assumption that you made based on zero evidence.

2. Windows NT 4.0 and earlier do not have a Safe mode.

Yes they do, I'm looking at it right now. Plus, I know that they do, I had a PC that was running NT4 for years, I've gotten into the safe mode, aka [VGA mode], plenty of times.

3. I have a BSOD that indicates Driver - but I am not aware of how to find the offending driver as of yet

Maybe if you started by asking the owner of the VMDK?

I suspect that if I install the VBox Additions NT4t will load an appropriate driver for the virtualized hardware

No. A guest *will* be operational without any custom drivers whatsoever. Try to start in safe mode and see if you can pinpoint the offending driver...

As I am sure the VirtualBox virtualized drivers are probably newer levels than the NT4 had support for.

I'm afraid that you shouldn't be so sure about that part, either. WinNT4 is a supported guest, with supported drivers, there's no basis to what you're claiming...

If you want to continue this discussion, we need to see a complete VBox.log, from a complete VM run, where the problem occurs:

• Start the VM from cold-boot (not from a paused or saved state) / Observe problem / Shutdown the VM (force close it if you have to).
• With the VM completely shut down (not paused or saved), right-click on the VM in the VirtualBox Manager and select "Show Log".
• Save only the first "VBox.log", ZIP it and attach it to your response. See the "Upload attachment" tab below the reply form.