vm (vmdk) booting process hangs

[jf4977]

host os: windows 7 64bit VirtualBox version: 3.1.2

steps to recreate the defect:

1. create a guest os (say windows xp) using vmware server 2.02
2. install vmware tools
3. add vmdk as virtual media
4. use this vmdk to create a new guest os in VirtualBox
5. boot the guest os in VirtualBox
6. guest hangs with a dark screen displayed (the guest os can not be booted)
7. stopp guest os, go back to vmware, boot the guest os, uninstall vmware tool in the guest os. boot the guest os again in VirtualBox, issue still happens.
8. use a different vmdk (vista enterprise), same issue happens. after reset the machine, boot in safe mode, hangs at loading "crcdisk.sys" file.
9. use another different vmdk (windows 2000 pro), issue still happens.
10. use yet another different vmdk (windows 2003 enterprise), issue still happens.

the log files are all indicating the vm is suspended because "Guest Log: BIOS: int13_harddisk: function 15, unmapped device for ELDL=82". (the # ELDL could be different for different guest os'es. The quoted log was from the one for windows 2003 enterprise, which will also be attached to this ticket.)

[jf4977]

log files for guest os (windows 2003 enterprise)

[jf4977]

additional information:

I installed virtual box on a different machine on which the host type is windows vista enterprise 32bit, the exactly same behaviors was observed. It doesn't seem to be related to the physical machine.

[Sander van Leeuwen]

First read ​http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Migrate_Windows. Windows can't be migrated easily and that's not a VirtualBox bug.