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View Full Version : [ubuntu] Booting from existing XP installation with a virtual machine ?



dinofelis
June 4th, 2010, 01:21 PM
Is it possible to boot from an existing winXP installation in a virtual machine while being under Ubuntu ?

I have a dual boot system: an external USB disk featuring grub and ubuntu, and my (untouched) internal disc containing a winXP 64 installation. I can boot directly under winXP, or I can boot from the USB disc and from within grub I can choose between ubuntu and the same winXP.
However, what I would like to be able is to boot under ubuntu, and then boot, from within a virtual machine, on my *existing* winXP installation (instead of making a NEW installation of XP), so that I can do things in winXP while being logged in under ubuntu, as would be the case if I had a new virtual machine on which I would have installed, from scratch, a new winXP.

Is this possible ? And so, how ?

Thanks !

Mark Phelps
June 4th, 2010, 01:36 PM
Text removed -- misread your post.

sydbat
June 4th, 2010, 02:32 PM
I do not think that is possible. I agree, it would be a simpler way to do a vm, but I do not think any vm is able to do this.

Mark Phelps
June 5th, 2010, 02:41 PM
OK, have had a chance to check this out and -- NO -- You can not boot using the virtual machine because it has to be running the VM software ahead of time to start the OS contained within it.

dinofelis
June 7th, 2010, 08:25 AM
Ok, thanks for the replies