[Wylug-discuss] Running Windows with VirtualBox

[A J Cole]

>> Any guidance for how to do this? Or more specifically, for anything I
>> should do to snaffle the Windows image from the computer before
>> splatting Linux all over it?
>> 
>> I'm guessing that Windows installation discs won't be supplied (not
>> least of which cos the laptop doesn't have a CD/DVD drive), so I
>> presumably need to capture the installed Windows first thing in order to
>> have any chance of running it later, yes?
>
>I wouldn't bother.  Windows doesn't like you moving the hardware underneath 
>it.  The same is true when moving a disk between different physical machines, 
>but even more so for a virtual machine as the virtual system is almost 
>completely different to whatever real hardware windows is expecting.  In some 
>cases it's possible to get it working, but it far from simple, especially with 
>OEM images.

For OEM installs I certainly agree.

I mentioned and use VMware Converter specifically because it makes the
appropriate fixups on the fly as long as you use a contemporary version
of Converter (never trusted the latest version for an NT conversion).
It has certainly also managed to go from muli- to uni- processor.

Perhaps I have been lucky but I have done 100+ boxes with only one
failure (that was a portable, dual Tosh and the VMware image booted,
ran and rebooted prefectly but after it installed 50 or so lurking MS
Updates it wou;dn't boot.  I suspect that was a case of one of the MS
updates being Intel specific while I was running it on an AMD box.).

>Obtain proper installater images and install the same way you would on any 
>other random new machine.

Yes.  But I don't think you can just re-licences - you have to reinstall
which is a bit late when you are about to jumk a heritage system.

>Lack of useful installation media and validity/portability of software 
>licences is something you should take up with whoever sold you the software.  

Best try that one while you are negotiating.

>I don't know whether OEM licences are even valid for use on virtual machines, 
>that's someting you should take up with your lawer.

I think the answer is no - the MS licence is tied to that specific h/w.

Andrew