Access xp from Ubuntu

**SyAu** · July 26th, 2010

I'm dual booting xp and ubuntu. I mostly use Ubuntu for my daily Internet browsing, sometimes i need to access some software installed in xp, so i need to restart my laptop and then login to windows to access that particular application.

Is there anyway to access my already installed xp from ubuntu using virtual box or any similar software.

**howefield** · July 26th, 2010

Originally Posted by SyAu

Is there anyway to access my already installed xp from ubuntu using virtual box or any similar software.

No. Not for the purposes of running your xp installed software.

But you could install windows as a virtual machine inside Virtualbox or similar and run your programs from there, assuming your hardware is up to running a VM.

**ronnielsen1** · July 26th, 2010

What are you trying to run? Have you checked winehq for compatibility? It might run

http://appdb.winehq.org/objectManage...Ascending=true

**John Bean** · July 26th, 2010

You can, but it's not without risks. See this somewhat out of date example of how to do it with VirtualBox: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=769883

I don't really recommend this approach (yes, I have used it!) unless you want to risk losing the ability to boot XP natively for the convenience not having to always reboot. Better to use either a physical XP or a virtual one, but not both at the same time...

Incidentally, converting your physical XP to a virtual one works fine, it's just the ability to use it in either mode that has lots of pitfalls providing new ways of breaking XP - as if it didn't have enough to start with.

**SyAu** · July 28th, 2010

Thanks for the info guys .... I will play it safe and use xp separately.

**dino99** · July 28th, 2010

as told previously, all exe apps can run smootly (mostly) with wine (winehq), no need to be sticked with windoz

https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-wine/+archive/ppa

**John Bean** · July 28th, 2010

Originally Posted by dino99

as told previously, all exe apps can run smootly (mostly) with wine (winehq), no need to be sticked with windoz

Not even close. Some will run ok, some will run with restrictions, many will not run at all. Saying that "all exe apps" will work in WINE - smoothly or otherwise - is simply wrong.