On 7/28/2011 6:42 PM, James Kerr wrote:
On 28/07/2011 11:14, Wolfgang Bornath wrote:
2011/7/28 e-letter<[email protected]>:
Readers,
Now, the computer is using windows xp professional with the hard disk
formatted to two drives, c:/ and d:/.
Presumably d:/ can be used to install linux. If virtualisation is to
be used (e.g. virtualbox?), for linux as the host, will a windows
security key be required (not available), or can the existing m$
software in c:/ be used?
A virtual machine is a machine by itself and needs an operating system
by itself.
As for the registration key of windows I have no clue, I'm not running
windows (except on small partitions on purchased computers).
To install Windows in a VM, you need a product key.
It may be possible to migrate an existing Windows installation to a
VM, but it's not simple:
http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Migrate_Windows
Jim
My Two options:
1. The easiest way. Convert your "Physical Windows XP" into VM files.
This can be done by using VMware Converter(the basic version), it is a
free download from vmware.com(more than 30MB I think). You need at
least another separate networked computer from your Windows XP machine
to save the VM files for this is a requirement, or trick VMware
Converter to save the VM files by just using a shared disk in your
Windows XP (e.g. \\yourWindowsXP\shareddisk). You may save the VM files
in your D:\ drive by tricking VMware converter, then install Linux on
your C drive, after that, install VMware Player for Linux, then create
a Windows XP Machine and just add those VM File you converted earlier as
the primary disk. Boot from it (it will work 100% all the time), then
install the vmware tools. In this way, your physical Windows machine
has been converted to a VM as though it is the same physical machine, no
need for re-installing software or product keys.
2. If you want Virtualbox then there is no VirtualBox Converter as far
as I know and you may still have to use VMware Converter to convert your
physical Windows machine to VM files. Then use Virtualbox to read and
run the VMware machine you converted. In my case this did not work,
Virtualbox is unable to boot my VMware machines.
Regards,
Allan
