Guest OS (XP) won't boot as Virtual System

I'm a virtual newbie and run a small non-profit organization. We have made a VHD of our old computer drive with Windows XP Pro and moved it to our new computer running Windows 7. I've installed VirtualBox 3.1.4 and it appears to have installed correctly. I open VB and hit "start" but all I get is a black screen in the middle of my monitor. No boot activity and nothing appears on the screen. I'm hoping that there's just something simple we're doing wrong. The program is pointing towards the VHD file.

We would greatly appreciate any ideas about how to get the virtual system up and running.

thanks.

Here is the config info:


Name:
RyokanXP
OS Type:
Windows XP

System
Base Memory:
767 MB
Processor(s):
1
Boot Order:
Hard Disk
VT-x/AMD-V:

Enabled
Nested Paging:
Enabled
Display
Video Memory:
16 MB
3D Acceleration:
Disabled
2D Video Acceleration:
Disabled
Remote Display Server:
Disabled

Storage
IDE Controller
IDE Primary Master:

RYOKAN.VHD (Normal, 111.79 GB)
IDE Secondary Master (CD/DVD):

VBoxGuestAdditions.iso (28.39 MB)
Floppy Controller
Floppy Device 0:
Empty

Audio
Host Driver:
Windows DirectSound
Controller:
ICH AC97

NetworkAdapter 1:
PCnet-FAST III (Host-only adapter, 'VirtualBox Host-Only Ethernet Adapter')

Serial Ports
Disabled

USB
Device Filters:
0 (0 active)

Shared Folders

Hi Kari,

Thanks for responding. We used a utility called Disk2vhd to make a vhd file from our old hard drive. That drive included our XP OS and also data files. Then we copied this file from the old computer to the hard drive on the new Win 7 computer. One thing I should mention, maybe relevant, is that the old hard drive was IDE type, and the new drive is SATA type. Then we used the wizard, as in your graphic above, to point VirtualBox towards the vhd file.

What do you think?

I know this is an old thread, but just wanted to add the following info.

ToDoInst said their host OS is Windows 7.
There is no need to create another Virtual PC environment just so the converted virtual disk can be mounted to check its validity.
It can be mounted directly in Win7.

They can just go to Disk Management and directly mount the vhd image there, and then browse the disk using Windows Explorer.

To get to Disk Manager:
Start Menu -> All Programs -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Disk Management
(FYI: I have Computer Management pinned to the Start Menu.)

Right click on Disk Management and select Attach VHD.
(If it is grayed out, click somewhere in the window & try again.)
Then browse to your VHD to mount it.

hope this helps future visitors to this page.

Hi there
Provided you have vhd images of a "discrete" XP system either a REAL XP image or a Virtual image created as a separate Virtual Machine you should find you can use these images using Virtual Box / vmware or even Virtual PC as others have posted.
In the case of a Real XP image you'll need to to a P2V conversion (Physical to Virtual). You can do this either via creating an Acronis image of the XP system and then restoring it to a "virgin" virtual machine using the "universal restore feature -- boot the Acronis restore program up in the Virtual Machine and restore, or use utilities available on the vmware site.


If however you are trying to create a separate bootable guest OS from an "XP" mode virtual disk integrated into W7 I believe its a bit more complicated if it can even be done at all.

Running an acronis backup and running with the universal restore feature might work for an "XP MODE" vhd but you would certainly get asked for a product key after install --assuming it would even boot as a separate Guest OS. What the product key would be in this case I've no idea.

Hi Kari -- welcome back -- you've been HUGELY missed.

Cheers
jimbo