Windows 7: Trying to install Windows 7 Ultimate (32bit) to VirtualBox

The way I have things set up right now is I've got Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit on my netbook and it's dualboot with Ubuntu 12.04 32-bit (beta); what I want to do (and I'm not sure if this is even possible) is get my existing Windows 7 installation to work in VirtualBox inside Ubuntu.

Basically what I want to do, is dualboot Windows 7 but also be able to run that same installation (with all programs and settings) in a virtual machine when in Ubuntu.


Anyways, is this even possible? And if so, how do I do this? :P
(currently I'm trying to figure it out myself but I haven't had any luck; although I have yet to try everything)



And the point is to be able to still dualboot while at the same time being able to run the same installation in a VM if needed.

Hello, Zukaro.

I think you want to your currently Windows 7 Dual-boot convert to one VirtualBox VM.
And, I never did it with VirtualBox and I think that is impossible with VB.

But, there is one way.
VMware maked one program called VMware Standalone Converter (current version 5), which can convert all supported Host OS or Dual-Boot OS (I think) to Virtual Machine.
To run that VM you need to use VMware software. I can recommend VMware Player, that is like VirtualBox and it's free.

If you have more questions , you are free to ask.

Trinty .

What I'm trying to do is be able to dualboot Windows 7 while still being able to run the same installation in a virtual machine if needed.
(basically boot my current installation inside VirtualBox while still having the option to dualboot that same installation and have all settings and such changed in the virtual machine change in my Windows installation on the hard disk (something like that))

To convert an existing physical machine, you will want the vmware converter product as mentioned. That's exactly what that product does.

I don't think you'll want to virtualize an OS on a netbook.

I'm aware virtualizing on my netbook is a bad idea, but the reason I want to do it there is because that's where I test stuff (since I don't have another computer to test things like this on (as my desktop is all set up and my main computer)).

What I plan to do is take my current Windows 7 installation on my desktop, dualboot it alongside Ubuntu 12.04 (when it's no longer beta (which is in 6 days)), and then virtualize it inside Ubuntu while still having to option to boot it physically (like, outside of the VM).


As for the programs to convert my current installation into something that can run on a VM, I don't think that'd work for what I specifically want to do. Basically I want to have Windows 7 dualboot with Ubuntu while being able to use that same installation of Windows 7 inside Ubuntu on a virtual machine. Then when I go back into my physical Windows installation and have the changes made in the VM be on that physical copy.


If it's not possible to run a physical disk under a virtual machine (while still having the option to boot it physically) is there a way to basically sync my Windows 7 data from the VM to the physical copy?