VirtualBox Ubuntu host with existing Vista

[jbk-SkCWf5sxpj0sV2N9l4h3zg at public.gmane.org (jbk)]

Greg Rundlett (freephile) wrote:

> It looks like VirtualBox is a good solution for free and open source
> virtualization.  It also looks like it supports using what they call
> 'raw access' to the existing disk.
> http://www.virtualbox.org/manual/UserManual.html#rawdisk  It seems
> like one important part is to setup a second hardware profile (in
> Vista), however it also seems that hardware profiles are only
> supported in XP, not Vista.  I'm wondering if anyone has had success
> doing this, and has any pointers to offer.  I've seen threads like
> http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=984437&highlight=vista+virtualbox&page=6
> and language like "Remove anything not necessary, some trial and error
> may be required if you are not sure what you need" makes me leary to
> try it.
> 
> 

I came across a thread on the VBox user group site that went 
in to some detail describing how to do what you want. The 
computer with the link to it is not here so I can't forward 
it now. One method described was to use clonezilla to make a 
copy of the running OS and then copy into a VDI that you 
created with Vbox. There are a number of steps that must be 
taken before you do the clone such as setting video to basic 
vga, disable networking etc. You have to get the source OS 
operating with generic drivers before you clone it. Any 
applications that depend on the specific hardware will have 
to be dummed down to generic drivers also.
Well I hope googling gets you to the thread. I don't 
remember if you could use the installed OS directly.

Jim KR