Install Windows XP SP2 via Sun VirtualBox in Fedora 10

I found this post in my drafts, dated January 22, 2009, which I wasn’t able to publish.  I thought of posting it now because I wanted to try out Internet Explorer 8.  Anyway, here it is.

I do stuff when i’m bored.  Stuff I don’t really need, that I might, but probably won’t.  The latest of which was installing Windows XP SP2 via Sun Virtual Box in my Fedora 10 installation.

First, you need to install the required packages for VirtualBox.  In your terminal, as root, type:

yum install make automake autoconf gcc kernel-devel dkms

Then download the RPM from http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads.  I chose the line that says “Fedora 9 (“Sulphur”) / 10 (“Cambridge”) i386 | AMD64” and downloaded the one for AMD64 since I’m using a 64-bit Fedora 10.  Then install it either by double clicking it or using the terminal.

Once installed, run it: Applications > System Tools > Sun xVM VirtualBox.  You should now follow these series of screenshots:

1.  Click the New button to create a new virtual machine.

Sun xVM VirtualBox

2.  Click Next >.

Welcome to the New Virtual Machine Wizard

3.  Enter a name for your virtual machine.  I named mine “Windows XP SP2″ for simplicity and because I might install more VMs.  Of course, I chose Mircrosoft Windows for the Operating System and Windows XP for the Version.

VM Name and OS Type

4. Assuming you don’t have an existing hard disk image yet, click New.

Virtual Hard Disk

5.  Just click Next > in this dialog box.

Welcome to the Create New Virtual Disk Wizard

6.  For the Storage Type, I chose Fixed-size storage.  I don’t want it growing unexpectedly and eat up my precious (and very limited) disk space.

Hard Disk Storage Type

7.  Enter a file name for the new hard disk image.

Select a file for the new hard disk image file

8.  Click Finish.

Summary

9.  And (optionally) watch the blue bar until it reaches 100%.

Creating fixed hard disk storage unit 'HardDisks-Windows XP SP2.vdi'

10.  Now back to the Virtual Hard Disk dialog box, choose the hard disk image you just created.  Then click Next >.

Virtual Hard Disk

11.  Click Settings to configure the selected virtual machine (it’s the one that says Windows XP SP2).

Sun xVM VirtualBox

12.  Then mount the ISO Image File of your Windows XP SP2.  Click OK.

Windows XP SP2 - Settings

13.  If you encounter this error message, just type

/etc/init.d/vboxdrv setup

in your terminal.

VirtualBox Error In suplibOsInit

14.  Click OK.

VirtualBox Information

15.  This screen should be familiar.

Windows XP SP2 Running - Sun xVM VirtualBox