Windows XP Professional x64 Guest will not boot up (AMD-V) -> fixed in SVN/3.0.4

[Tony DeFusco]

Attempting to run a Windows XP Pro x64 image created with a previous version of VirtualBox fails by either hanging or BSOD. Attempts to reboot in Windows Safe Mode causes either the vm to hang after loading the C:\windows\system32\acpitabl.dat, or the BSOD with a registry error.

VirtualBox advanced settings: enable ACPI checked, enable IP APIC checked, enable VT-x/AMD-V checked, enable nested paging not checked, enable PAE/NX checked, IDE controller type PIIX4.

Guest Additions installed on the guest image are version 2.1.4.

The Host is Windows Vista Ultimate 64.

I noticed that VirtualBox 2.2.0 now offers a single installer for both i586 and x64 -- have there been any issues with the proper files being installed for the correct version of the host OS?

[Sander van Leeuwen]

Does it hang/crash during early boot?

[Alex]

Unable to reproduce this problem. Installed with 2.1.4 image work fine with 2.2.0. Can you post BSOD information here please?

[Tony DeFusco]

Replying to sandervl73:

Does it hang/crash during early boot?

It does one or the other. Perhaps it's a timing thing.

[Tony DeFusco]

Replying to tonedef71:

Replying to sandervl73:

Does it hang/crash during early boot?

It does one or the other. Perhaps it's a timing thing.

I noticed that it is more likely to hang if I restart Windows normally, and more likely to BSOD if I start with one of the safe mode options. But I've seen it both hang and BSOD for any occasion.

[Tony DeFusco]

Another VBox log file

[Tony DeFusco]

Screenshot after a reboot

[Tony DeFusco]

Screenshot: just before safe mode kicks in

[Tony DeFusco]

Screenshot: just after safe mode

[Tony DeFusco]

screenshot: a rare glimpse before a BSOD

[Tony DeFusco]

screenshot: one of various BSODs

[Tony DeFusco]

screenshot: another BSOD after safe mode with command prompt selected

[Tony DeFusco]

Replying to Lelik:

Unable to reproduce this problem. Installed with 2.1.4 image work fine with 2.2.0. Can you post BSOD information here please?

The BSOD doesn't always show the same information -- there are at least three different variations. Also, a reboot occurs immediately after the complete blue screen appears, so I'm unable to get a good screenshot -- I've done my best to pause and snap a screenshot.

I find it hard to believe that I'm the only user having this issue. The hanging or BSOD consistently happens to me with any of my Windows XP x64 images -- the 32-bit Windows XP images do not exhibit this behavior with version 2.2.0, although they do seem noticeably slower to start up. This issue with starting Windows XP 64-bit did not occur with the previous version 2.1.4.

When trying to reproduce this issue, did you test with Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit edition SP1 as the host OS?

[Alex]

Yes, Visa Business SP1 64 bit host OS.

[Tony DeFusco]

Would somebody please take a quick look at the my XML configuration files to see if VirtualBox 2.2.0 correctly converted them from version 1.6 to version 1.7? I will attach both 1.6 (before) and 1.7 (after) files.

[Tony DeFusco]

v1.7 xml config file for VM

[Tony DeFusco]

v1.6 xml config file for VM

[Tony DeFusco]

64-bit guest support is still broken in v2.2.2. I forgot to mention that I am running on an AMD Turion 64 x2 processor. Could this be a problem only with AMD 64-bit processors?

[Frank Mehnert]

64-bit guests usually run fine on 64-bit AMD processors, must be something specific to your setup. Did you change any setting after you created the guest image with VirtualBox 2.1.4? And I assume that the guest was running fine with 2.1.4? Did you create the image on the same host or was the image created on a different host -- perhaps with a different host CPU?

[Frank Mehnert]

Is there any chance that you uninstall the old guest additions (booting in safe mode) or are you unable to boot that far?

[Tony DeFusco]

Is there any chance that you uninstall the old guest additions (booting in safe mode) or are you unable to boot that far?

I'm unable to boot that far when v2.2.0+ is installed. I could try to remove the guest additions while I have v2.1.4 installed. Would that method be just as useful?

[Frank Mehnert]

Yes, indeed. Thank your for testing.

[Tony DeFusco]

Replying to frank:

Yes, indeed. Thank your for testing.

OK, I removed the guest additions from Windows XP Professional x64 SP2 guest, and fired up the VM. It still BSODs and reboots in an endless cycle.

I guess we can cross off preinstalled older guest additions as the culprit.

What should we try now?

[Tony DeFusco]

My Windows XP Professional x64 guest image is still not booting on VirtualBox v2.2.4. Next I will attempt to create a new Windows XP Pro x64 VDI image on v2.2.4 and see what happens. I will post my results.

[Tony DeFusco]

This BSOD occurs during installation of Windows XP Pro x64.

[Tony DeFusco]

Windows XP Pro x64 hangs during setup

[Tony DeFusco]

I am unable to create a new Windows XP Pro x64 VDI image on v2.2.4. The install hung after the setup had reached the message "Setup is starting Windows". I restarted the VM and the next time setup reached the message "Setup is starting Windows", the installer BSOD'd. Subsequent restarts result in either the hanging or the BSOD. I've attached screenshots of both possibilities.

Has anyone else with a HP Pavilion TX2110us laptop experienced this problem running VirtualBox v2.2.x on a Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit host while trying to create a Windows XP Pro x64 guest image?

Since Virtual Box v2.2.0, I've been unable to run 64-bit Windows XP Pro guests. This problem does NOT happen with VirtualBox v2.1.4. Is there anymore information I can provide to help troubleshoot this problem? I don't want to remain on v2.1.4 forever.

[Tony DeFusco]

VirtualBox log from when Win Xp Pro 64 installer hangs

[Tony DeFusco]

VirtualBox log from when Win Xp Pro 64 installer BSODs

[Tony DeFusco]

VirtualBox log of Win XP Pro 64 installer shut down after it hung

[Tony DeFusco]

VirtualBox log of Win XP Pro 64 guest from working v2.1.4 installation

[Tony DeFusco]

For comparison purposes, I attached a log that was created with VirtualBox v2.1.4 running Windows XP Pro 64. Since v2.1.4 is able to boot the image, perhaps there are clues in the log file to show what is happening differently between v2.1.4 and v2.2.x installations during bootup of the guest image on my laptop.

[Sander van Leeuwen]

Does it make any difference if you change the boot order to boot from the attached hard disk first?

[Tony DeFusco]

Replying to sandervl73:

Does it make any difference if you change the boot order to boot from the attached hard disk first?

When trying to install XP from CD, booting from hard disk is not possible as there is no OS installed on the virtual disk yet. When I start the VM, hit F12, and boot from the virtual hard disk, the following message appears: "FATAL: No bootable medium found! System halted."

I don't think it matters about the hard disk. XP 64 installer crashes before anything gets written to the hard disk -- it crashes when it tries to run the XP x64 kernel. It may be that the kernel for a 64-bit XP guest fails on VirtualBox 2.2.x or higher when running on an AMD Turion x2 processor or perhaps on a particular chipset used with AMD Turion x2 processors.

[Tony DeFusco]

Replying to sandervl73:

Does it make any difference if you change the boot order to boot from the attached hard disk first?

I'm sorry -- I had misunderstood what you meant by boot order. I did find the boot order menu option and it certainly is not the same as pressing F12 and selecting the hard disk. So I changed the boot order to favor the hard disk and restarted the virtual machine. The XP installer ran from the CD and crashed at the very same place during the install ("Setup is starting Windows"). So to answer your question, it does not make any difference when booting from hard disk first.

[Sander van Leeuwen]

You can try 3.0.0 beta 2 (released later today) if you don't mind running beta software. There's a fix in there for xp 64 related timing.

[Tony DeFusco]

Replying to sandervl73:

You can try 3.0.0 beta 2 (released later today) if you don't mind running beta software. There's a fix in there for xp 64 related timing.

Yes, I would be interested in trying the new beta. When will it be released? I did not see the new beta 2 at download.virtualbox.org today.

[Tony DeFusco]

Replying to tonedef71:

Replying to sandervl73:

You can try 3.0.0 beta 2 (released later today) if you don't mind running beta software. There's a fix in there for xp 64 related timing.

Yes, I would be interested in trying the new beta. When will it be released? I did not see the new beta 2 at download.virtualbox.org today.

Ok, I've downloaded 3.0.0 beta 2. I will install it and post my findings.

[Tony DeFusco]

Replying to tonedef71:

Replying to tonedef71:

Replying to sandervl73:

You can try 3.0.0 beta 2 (released later today) if you don't mind running beta software. There's a fix in there for xp 64 related timing.

Yes, I would be interested in trying the new beta. When will it be released? I did not see the new beta 2 at download.virtualbox.org today.

Ok, I've downloaded 3.0.0 beta 2. I will install it and post my findings.

I was hopeful, but 3.0.0 beta 2 did not correct the issues. The XP x64 installer still BSODs or hangs at "Setup is starting Windows", and existing XP x64 virtual machines (created with v2.1.4 or earlier) still hang or BSOD at boot.

Please see the following forum topic thread for related info: ​http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=18526

[Tony DeFusco]

VirtualBox v3.0.0b2 log from when Win Xp Pro 64 installer hangs

[Sander van Leeuwen]

Try again with the final 3.0 release. We've fixed an issue on win64 hosts that would cause random guest crashes.

[Tony DeFusco]

VirtualBox v3.0.0 final log from when Win Xp Pro 64 installer hangs

[Tony DeFusco]

I tried the final 3.0 release, and as I'm sure you've probably guessed, nothing has changed -- the issue still remains. I uploaded the log file from this attempt.

Replying to sandervl73:

Try again with the final 3.0 release. We've fixed an issue on win64 hosts that would cause random guest crashes.

[mrdak]

Same problem here. Virtual box 2.1 works since 2.2 to 3 is broken. I have changed from Windows XP 64 to Windows Vista (Ultimate, Bussines no luck) AMD X2 5200 on an Asus M3n78-VM with 6GB RAM.

Do you really guys want to fix it? How can i help?

[Niels P.]

I have currently an "DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2100 MHz (10.5 x 200) 4000+" on an "ASRock ALiveNF7G-HDready". I have test all available BIOS Versions since v1.2 up to the current 2.1 and since Virtual Box 2.2 all 64bit Windows Guests are Broken. The last working version is 2.1.4. I have posted the problem in the Forum loot at ​http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=18526

I have now Setup the Host two times. First Vista Home Premium 64bit and Windows xp x64 and on both OS i have the same issue. If you need more Informations please say it an i try ti get it.

[Sander van Leeuwen]

Found and fixed the problem. The bug is timing sensitive, so it may not appear on another machine or even every time.

[Roger]

Hi, I understand this bug is fixed in 3.0.4, when is it expected that this fixed version (binaries) can be downloaded for windows hosts? Or should I download the sources and build my own?