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Thread: Boot an existing XP (Physical HD) install with VirtualBox

  1. #71
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    Re: Boot an existing XP (Physical HD) install with VirtualBox

    dear,

    I also had a same problem as like 'beow' and 'Javed_Ahamed'.
    However, I found workaround(but little bit complex) method to boot directly into Windows XP. If someone has more simplest process, please share your knowledge with us.

    Requirement : Ubuntu CD, Windows CD...
    Status: My harddisk partitions are
    sda1 : linux boot('/boot')
    sda2 : NTFS (VBox XP boot)
    sda3 : linux root('/')
    .
    .
    .

    First, backup your current MBR(grub), "dd if=/dev/sda of=~/grubboot.mbr bs=512 count=1"
    Second, I confirmed Win XP(from VBox) can boot correctly with grub(created vmdk without -partitions option).
    Third, make system can boot directly into Windows XP(repair the MBR by Windows CD), and confirm it.
    Fourth, boot by Ubuntu CD.
    Fifth, make MBR file("dd if=/dev/sda of=~/.VirtualBox/WinXP.mbr bs=512 count=1') which can boot Windows XP natively.
    Sixth, restore MBR with the file created at step 'First', or repair grub.
    Seventh, create VMDK file with whole partitions.

    CAUTION:
    1. You must contains whole partitions for VMDK, otherwise you can not boot.
    Code:
      ex) VBoxManage internalcommands createrawvmdk -filename WinXP.vmdk -rawdisk /dev/sda -partitions 1,2,3,5,6,7 -mbr WinXP.mbr -relative -register
    2. If you have other NTFS partition before WinXP partition that you want to use for VBox, you can not use this method. VBox always try to boot from first NTFS partition.

    Thanks,
    MG
    Last edited by woomg; July 4th, 2008 at 06:38 AM.

  2. #72
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    Re: Boot an existing XP (Physical HD) install with VirtualBox

    I have run into 2 problems with this solution:
    virtualbox isnt capable of 64bit guests yet, so i cant run my XP/amd64 installation.
    i havent found a way to create and use the rawdisk image (.vmdk) without being root, which means i have to always run VirtualBox as root.

  3. #73
    Join Date
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    Ubuntu

    Re: Boot an existing XP (Physical HD) install with VirtualBox

    Quote Originally Posted by andrew_awp View Post
    i havent found a way to create and use the rawdisk image (.vmdk) without being root, which means i have to always run VirtualBox as root.
    Adding yourself as to the disk group (step 2 of the tutorial) solves this problem.
    Focus on how it can be rather than how it could've been.

  4. #74
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    Re: Boot an existing XP (Physical HD) install with VirtualBox

    oh, i forgot to log out first. anyway, moot point in trying to use a 64bit OS until that changes.

  5. #75
    Join Date
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    Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron

    Re: Boot an existing XP (Physical HD) install with VirtualBox

    Hi

    Thanks for taking the time to write this tutorial. I have had windows dualbooted for some time (but can never be bothered to reboot my pc mainly for testing websites in IE6,7)

    running this code give me these warnings and I am not sure if i am doing something wrong. Any suggestions?

    Ps not sure if it makes any difference but my hard drive is sata, and on a completely different hard drive to ubuntu/grub
    Code:
    VBoxManage internalcommands createrawvmdk -filename ~/.VirtualBox/WindowsXP.vmdk -rawdisk /dev/sdb1 -partitions 2 -mbr ~/.VirtualBox/WindowsXP.mbr -relative -register
    VirtualBox Command Line Management Interface Version 1.6.2
    (C) 2005-2008 Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    All rights reserved.

    WARNING! The following VirtualBox settings files have been automatically
    converted to the new settings file format version '1.3-linux':

    /home/drubin/.VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml (1.2-linux)

    The current command was aborted to prevent overwriting the above settings
    files with the results of the auto-conversion without your permission.
    Please put one of the following command line switches to the beginning of
    the VBoxManage command line and repeat the command:

    -convertSettings - to save all auto-converted files (it will not
    be possible to use these settings files with an
    older version of VirtualBox in the future);
    -convertSettingsBackup - to create backup copies of the settings files in
    the old format before saving them in the new format;
    -convertSettingsIgnore - to not save the auto-converted settings files.

    Note that if you use -convertSettingsIgnore, the auto-converted settings files
    will be implicitly saved in the new format anyway once you change a setting or
    start a virtual machine, but NO backup copies will be created in this case.

  6. #76
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    Re: Boot an existing XP (Physical HD) install with VirtualBox

    Quick lesson of the day:
    Do not. DO NOT install VirtualBox Guest Addins for the "guest" OS if you still plan to dual boot with it; Windows will fail on startup when booting on its own. If you (like I) do this, do not panic. Boot Windows via VirtualBox, uninstall the guest addins, restart, and then (still in VirtualBox) run System Restore. And then never do it again.
    Last edited by Mr. Picklesworth; July 16th, 2008 at 12:00 AM.

  7. #77
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    Re: Boot an existing XP (Physical HD) install with VirtualBox

    @Mr. Picklesworth

    Was that directed at me? Because I did not install "guest addins" or at least i think i didn't

  8. #78
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    Re: Boot an existing XP (Physical HD) install with VirtualBox

    @ rubinboy

    Your thanks is greatly appreciated. I am not familiar errors you are receiving, but they do look like they're emanating from old configs. What I would suggest is backing up -moving/renaming- your old virtualbox folder and starting over fresh. The 1st command in the tutorial should do that for you.

    Edit: About your SATA setup, try changing the hd settings in Vbox, from IDE to SATA, if the first go-around doesn't prevail.
    Last edited by Sand Lee; July 16th, 2008 at 02:04 AM.
    Focus on how it can be rather than how it could've been.

  9. #79
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    Re: Boot an existing XP (Physical HD) install with VirtualBox

    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Picklesworth View Post
    Quick lesson of the day:
    Do not. DO NOT install VirtualBox Guest Addins for the "guest" OS if you still plan to dual boot with it; Windows will fail on startup when booting on its own. If you (like I) do this, do not panic. Boot Windows via VirtualBox, uninstall the guest addins, restart, and then (still in VirtualBox) run System Restore. And then never do it again.
    I'm glad it all worked out for you Mr. Picklesworth! I am thankful that you posted your experience here. I had done the same with Vbox 1.6.2 and was surprised that Windows would work normally afterwards - this is not the case with earlier versions. I thought this happened by chance, but since you've reproduced the outcome, I can go ahead and add this to the tutorial!
    Focus on how it can be rather than how it could've been.

  10. #80
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    Re: Boot an existing XP (Physical HD) install with VirtualBox

    Nope, my little lesson is directed at nobody. I just did that, then thought I should share what I learned lest anyone else bumps into it

    That was with Windows Vista Home Premium, by the way. Results elsewhere may vary. (But don't count on it :/).
    Kind of a shame, since the guest addins certainly did work. Ah well, can't have everything. It's still plain cool, regardless of how the integrity of the universe hangs by a thread whenever it is attempted.

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