Ciao Piero :) I finally managed to put windows xp into the box :)
The screen is horribly small and I couldn't figure out how to make it bigger for the moment; also I didn't manage to make the virtual xp work with my external USB CD drive. But these things should be minor problems and easy to solve later... I assembled an installation image from some files downloaded from the internet and the rescue stuff on the laptop's hard disk. At the end everything is available and I wonder why the companies don't avoid all these troubles by simply providing their clients with an installation CD. The rescue stuff on the hard disk is a waste of space anyway. But OK, probably some sales person proved that this is a way to even make more money. I spend several hours trying all kind of things - and finally stumbled over the page "How to Fresh Install Windows XP Pro without a Recovery CD" at http://www.4saad.com/WhatsNew/Fresh_XP_Install/ which explaines in a very easy way everything necessary. Following a slight variation of the instructions listed there I could reinstall Windows from a selfmade iso image. Here some notes: - Step 1: I skipped step 1 as I left the original installation untouched. I might erase it in the future as I probably do not use it anyway. But until everything works inside of vbox there is no need to erase and backup anything. - Step 2: I am using a Japanese Windows XP and therefor needed a Japanese SP2 I could download from some MS page. But this probably doesn't concern you... - Step 3: Worked as described on the page. - Step 4: I followed this step. But as I didn't burn the iso image on a CD I could have skipped it also. - Step 5: The links for downloading the wxp10.zip packages do not work anymore. But google gives lots of other places to download from. - Step 6: done as described on the page. - Step 7: I had to change the file access permissions before execution of the command and used cygwin to do so. Beyond that everything worked without any problem. - Step 8: I used the -b option (C:\bcd\bcd -b wxppro) in order to only create the iso image. I didn't want it to be burned on a CD. I also had to make C:\bcd\bcd.cmd and all commands in the C:\bcd\bin directory executable before I could assemble the iso image. - Step 9: The product key in the file unattend.txt worked fine in my case. After step 9 I rebooted into linux, started VirtualBox and made a new virtual machine for my windows xp installation. I than mounted my widows partition (In my case with the command `mount /dev/sda1 /media/winc -t ntfs' - I before verified the partition and filesystem with gparted) and made the new virtual machine boot from it (Settings -> CD/DVD-ROM -> [v] Mount CD/DVD Drive -> [v] ISO Image File: /<path to iso image>/bcd.iso . Before I copied the image to a more convenient place and changed its permission to make it readable by the VirtualBox). The installation was straightforward - and after deactivating the "Mount from CD/DVD Drive" Setting I could reboot the virtual machine into a new windows xp installation :) I hope these notes will help you to make use of your Windows copies - of course only if you really can't avoid to do so :) Good luck, Dietrich ML wrote: > The same here, with HP and Packard Bell computers. > I have at least three valid serial numbers on the original MS stitchers > applied > on the computer chassis but no XP cd. > I too have the need for an XP installation (I normally use Linux), I too have > a > recovery disk but don't know how to use it in Virtualbox (and I seriously > doubt > it will ever be possible). > I'm sick and tired of paying for such a lousy service from Microsoft! > I too keep listening for someone's advice... :-) > > Thank you, > Piero > > --- > On 27/02/2007 07:03, Dietrich Bollmann wrote: > >> Thanks anyway! >> >> I paid for at least three MS Windows installations without ever >> having used one of them. No I finally have to use one and it >> still doesn't work. That's what I call bad service! >> >> But ok, I hope somebody can help :) >> >> Best wishes, Dietrich >> > > _______________________________________________ > vbox-users mailing list > [email protected] > http://vbox.innotek.de/mailman/listinfo/vbox-users > > > _______________________________________________ vbox-users mailing list [email protected] http://vbox.innotek.de/mailman/listinfo/vbox-users
