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I have VirtualBox running on Ubuntu, but the only option I get is to install an operating system on a virtual image. Or that is my understanding. Since I am already have installed Windows 7 can it boot from a physical location?
I don't want to go messing around, but this point is not that clear. By searching my understanding is that it is possible but not that safe. So if you have experience on the subject advice on how should I run my existing Windows 7 on Ubuntu.
Something along the lines of VBoxManage internalcommands createrawvmdk?
That puts me in the right track.
But even though I create succesfully the vdmk image when trying to start it from the VirtualBox it just gives me a black screen with a _ on top and it just stays there. It seems simply not to boot further than that
Linux isn't my specialty, but don't you need pretty tall access permissions to be able to get hold of the superblock (MBR) on a physical disk?
Well, I am the administrator of the computer so I don't think access is a problem..
Right, but did you run VirtualBox as the administrator?
Also, did you reference the VDMK image to just the partition you want booted? Cause I imagine you would have to reference it to the whole HD (the MBR as SMurf mentioned), i.e., /dev/sda, not /dev/sda1.
Ah, that did the trick. Thanks!
Make sure you don't have the drive mounted in Linux while you run it in the VM. I supremely screwed a Vista install that way. My first BSOD... It somehow corrupted my whole drive, or at least the MBR on the disk.
I already did run it mounted, but I will be careful not to do so next time.
It was kind of slow running Virtual Studio from it and the full screen wasn't a real full screen (maybe there is a setting I guess). I need to experience more...