virtualization -- how do I use an existing windows installation ?

[Phil Meyer]

On 11/02/2009 11:56 PM, Joachim Backes wrote:
> On 11/03/2009 07:24 AM, steve wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> I recently installed windows 7 on my laptop, on a separate partition, 
>> making it
>> dual boot. Now, I would like to boot into this installation without 
>> having to
>> reboot. A casual google shows me that one can in fact boot off an 
>> existing
>> physical partition using any of the commonly available virtualization 
>> tools on
>> linux -- qemu, VirtualBox&  VMPlayer.
>>
>> So my question is, has anyone tried doing this and what were your 
>> experiences if
>> you did ?
>>
>> I am not averse to the idea of simply reinstalling windows 7 in a 
>> 'proper'
>> virtual environment, but just curious whether reusing the existing 
>> installation
>> is easily doable. I would be using the windows installation just to test
>> portability of code that i write. I don't really need to boot into it 
>> often,
>> neither do i expect it to be lightning fast.
>>
>> cheers,
>> - steve
>>
>
> Hi Steve,
>
> did you check
>
>     http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Migrate_Windows
>


Good advice, but just another thought.

The real issue is this:

It is difficult for Windows to boot two different ways from the same 
partition.
Windows uses what they call profiles to distinguish a normal setting, 
for instance, and a setting with a docking bay.

Linux creates a dynamic 'profile', if you will, every time it boots.  It 
is usually trivial for a Linux system to dual boot from the hard drive, 
and then use that partition in a virtual context, and back and forth.  
It will generally do the right things.

So if you want to dual boot Windows, AND use the Windows partition in a 
virtual machine, you MUST tell Windows about these two different 
'profiles'.  Otherwise, Windows gets very confused about its hardware 
drivers and will simply blue screen on you.

It is quite possible to fire up an existing Windows partition as a 
Virtual Machine, but don't expect to ever dual boot again unless you 
take the type of care needed to set up those pesky profiles.

Good luck!