VM setup from dual boot

[NoOp]

On 05/13/2011 05:59 PM, Sandy Harris wrote:
> I do not actually want to convert or clone the XP install. What
> I'd like to do is just use the existing working XP install and its
> disk partition in a VM.
> 
> However, what I am seeing various docs I'm looking at and
> what I'm hearing here seem to be saying that is impossible.
> Windows stores a bunch of stuff about the hardware in the
> registry, so the existing XP will not run on a VM. I must
> either clone it to a VM or build a VM and do a fresh XP
> install there.
> 
> OK, I can do that.
> 

It's not impossible (check the VirtualBox docs, forums & mailing list);
it's just difficult & can result in data loss/corruption. You are
considerably better off cloning & reimporting the clone into a VMWare
Player on your existing Ubuntu partition/drive than attempting to try to
run in a VM from your Ubuntu. The clone will in fact work just fine &
you'll still have your backup and/or dualboot to fall back on.

I have several XP's that I've easily cloned using VMWare Converter that
are running in VMWare Player as we speak. The only time that I dual boot
anymore is to update the viruses on the 3 dualboot XP's & 1 Win7 that I
have. Other than that I update the viruses in VM's :-)

Believe me, it's not difficult; it just takes time to set up the
Converter(s), transfer across a network link to another machine,
transfer the image back to the Ubuntu machine that you wish to run it on
& go. I'm off racing tomorrow, but will be happy to help you off-list if
you'd like from Monday (Pacific).

Gary