Virtualbox ose impressions and floppy problem

[jkerr82508]

Getting a new CD sounds like a more reliable solution than what I was going to suggest - to try installing XP from the hard drive. I have done it on a real machine but never in a VM, although it should be possible. It would involve using a Win-98 boot floppy to boot the VM, partition and format the drive, copy the i386 folder from the XP CD to the hard drive, and launch the setup program from the hard drive. This page gives some information about one variant of the procedure:

http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/578/wind ... harddrive/

There may be better descriptions still available online, but many of those that were available seem to no longer exist.

Jim

[rolf]

Thanks for that, jkerr, it looks like fun. I believe I made some use of the i386 folder when creating a BartPE iso. But for an expectation of some new projects requiring time, I might try this during the next week or so.

[viking60]

I just noticed I have VB PUEL not OSE. That could bee why i thought it was so easy. So you could try it with the PUEL version I guess.

[rolf]

Ok, from a brief search it looks like I would download that version from virtualbox.org, uninstall the OSE Mandriva rpms (conflict has been reported on Ubuntu), install PUEL and go. If GF ever tires of thinking up new things for me to do, maybe then. Thanks.

[rolf]

Well, it wasn't too hard to find a Mandriva x86_64 rpm there. I removed the virtualbox that was installed from MIB sources but left others installed:

Code: Select all

dkms-virtualbox-3.2.10-69.1mib2010.1
dkms-vboxadditions-3.2.10-69.1mib2010.1
x11-driver-video-vboxvideo-3.2.10-69.1mib2010.1
virtualbox-guest-additions-3.2.10-69.1mib2010.1
x11-driver-input-vboxmouse-3.2.10-69.1mib2010.1

Installing the rpm, VirtualBox-3.2-3.2.10_66523_mdv2010.0-1.x86_64.rpm, it reported using DKMS to remove existing modules and build new ones. When it finished, it opened with a license agreement and a pretty splash screen when starting my existing xp virtual machine. However, behavior is exactly the same.

There might be some conflict, as reported by dkms, and I might need to remove the other MIB packages but I doubt that is the problem... Replacement CD on its way!

Code: Select all

[root@localhost vbox]# dkms status
vboxhost, 3.2.10, 2.6.35.7-desktop-nrj.69mib, x86_64: installed
virtualbox, 3.2.10-69.1mib2010.1, 2.6.35.7-desktop-nrj.69mib, x86_64: installed  (WARNING! Diff between built and installed module!) (WARNING! Diff between built and installed module!) (WARNING! Diff between built and installed module!)
vboxadditions, 3.2.10-69.1mib2010.1, 2.6.35.7-desktop-nrj.69mib, x86_64: installed

[viking60]

Yup replacement Cd seems to be the safest bet.

[rolf]

So, the MicroSoft order status page has been displaying "Shipped" since 27 October but the field for the FedEx tracking # has been blank every time I look. Trying to find a contact link to inquire about this, I see where I can pay $59 to talk to someone on the phone, email or chat for $49. Pondering my next move, I decide to open my mail, starting with a cardboard envelope with the curious return address,

Returns
3357H South Park Place
Grove City, OH 43123
USA

Inside is the XP Pro replacement CD and Product Key. Using the earlier installed VirtualBox-3.2-3.2.10_66523_mdv2010.0-1 from the Oracle website and previously configured machine, this CD installs w/o any of the problems I had before, so it must have been a damaged disk, before. In IE on the running virtual machine, I managed to go to the Go To Meeting page for my recurring meeting, install the required ActiveX control, and see a report of success, albeit there is not a current meeting to test this fully. However, this was my purpose, in general, at first.

Now, I have a couple of questions:

1. Will I need to activate this installation within the 30-day grace period and, if so, how does that impact my use of this disk/iso to install or repair install my desktop installation of XP from the first disk I bought?
2. When I attempt to resize the window or go to full screen mode for XP in VirtualBox, the window doesn't change size; fullscreen gives me the same window over a fullscreen black background. Is there some way to make the actual window maximized?

Thanks for all the help.

[jkerr82508]

1. You will need to activate XP. I'm not sure what will happen if you attempt to use the new CD to repair an installation made with a different CD (and licence). I believe that the licence keys are specific to different "batches" of CD's. You may be able to use the previous key on a clean install using the new CD, but I'd be surprised.

2. Have you installed the vbox additions - Devices -> Install Guest Additions?

Jim

[rolf]

1. Ok, I'll tread lightly.
2. That worked great, thanks!

[viking60]

1. You can repair with different CD's (aka Bart Pe). The key is the "key" so to speak. There is a limit to the No. of activations though. So after several activations you will have to call Microsoft. Been there done that
They are very polite about it and fix it right away but it is a pain in the but to have to call them every time you switch computer, or move your OS.

2 Installing guest additions will let you use the Windows resolution system as jkerr says

I think this video here demonstrates it:

Edit: Too late

[rolf]

Thanks, again, Über.

[rolf]

To follow up, I can report that I was able to participate in my Go To Meeting conference just fine with the XP vm on VirtualBox. Thanks, all, for your help.