VirtualBox on Mac

VirtualBox is free virtual machine program that allows other operating systems to run like a file in OS X.

BootCamp is Apple's method to simplify creating and deleting a section on the boot drive called a partition that allows direct installation and direct hardware booting of Windows, however only Windows 7 is supported far as I know.

Your signature says your on 10.7.2

So going by what your saying you have both BootCamp (copy of Windows Vista there) and VirtualBox (another copy of windows Vista there) so you can either direct boot Vista or use Vista in OS X?

You mention you have two 400GB partitions, are these REAL partitions or virtual ones?

If they are virtual ones and you don't have any REAL partitions, then your not running BootCamp obviously. Also why such large vvirtual partitions, VirtualBox should scale up/down the vm file size as needed. Taking up 400GB of disk space when you don't need it is asking for trouble, perhaps Windows Vista vm file is corrupted, revert to a earleier snapshot.

As you know Oracle bought Sun and likely isn't contributing enough manpower for VirtualBox, especially updating it for OS X Lion. You likely should have stayed on 10.6 until VirtualBox was updated for Lion.

You can choose to swtich to VMFusion or Parallels Desktop, but it's payware. Also Windows is on Win 7.

Dont' know what to suggest in your case but to ask very nicely on the VirtualBox forums about your problem, as you know it's free so don't get snitty with them, offer to assist them perhaps.

My understanding is that you use either BootCamp or VirtualBox. If VB, the OS needs to be loaded in VB. The Boot Camp partition won't be seen by VB.

As said above, OS X 10.7 only supports Windows 7, not Vista.

Virtualbox may not have the feature to use a Boot Camp partition as a virtual machine. I don't know I've only fooled with virtualbox once or twice.

With other virtual machine software programs like VMware Fusion and Parallels Desktop 7 you can create a virtual machine from a Boot Camp partition.

If all you really want is to install the Windows Vista OS into a virtual machine then start the VM software with the Vista DVD in the DVD drive, and or use a ISO file located on your hard drive, and create a new virtual machine. At some point you need to point it to either the DVD or ISO, whichever you are using, and have it use that to start the OS install.

You can leave the Boot Camp partition in place or you can use the Boot Camp assistant again to delete that partition.

jay_agno wrote:

I have 2 real partitions.

1. Macintosh HD - 479 GB

2. Untitled (which is Vista) - 20 GB

What you have done earlier on 10.6 Snow Leopard is setup Bootcamp with Vista on a seperate real partition "Untitled" and then upgraded OSX to 10.7 which will continue to use the older Windows Vista partition, but the newer Bootcamp of later 10.6 versions and 10.7 won't install Vista, only Windows 7.

Or perhaps you bought the Mac with Windows Vista already installed in Bootcamp for you, then you upgraded to 10.7 on the OS X Parttion.

When you hold the Option key down, you have a choice to select OS X or Vista partition as a direct boot option, as each are in their own partitions on the boot drive. You can only run one or the other, not both at the same time.

This setup gives Vista control of the hardware and provides the best performance.

I have VirtualBox in my Mac, so when I open VirtualBox, I don't know why it is not locating the Vista which is in Untitled.

Am I wrong in installing Vista?

VirtualBox is a program that you've installed into OS X, if you want Vista to run in OS X you need to run VirtualBox and set up a new virtual machine, then insert your original Windows Vista install disk.

VirtualBox likely doesn't have the abilitiy like VMFusion or Parallels Desktop to copy the present Vista Bootcamp partition and use that COPY as a virtual machine in OS X.

When you run virtual machine software, your running Windows (or any OS) that's a file saved in OS X, not the in the Bootcamp Partition.

So to have a Bootcamp Vista and a Virtual machine Vista, you need TWO copies of Vista installed.

Again I should warn you that for some reason you ever need to reinstall Vista on the Bootcamp "Untiled" parition, OS Xwill not allow you to do it, only Windows 7.

Like I've mentioned before, VirtualBox is freeware, and depends upon Oracle supporting it and OS x Lion was just released so it might take longer for VirtualBox to come up to speed for Lion than VMFusion or Parrallels Desktop.

VirtualBox is also a bit more difficult to use, it's mainly for computer types.

jay_agno wrote:

May you please teach me how to load OS in VB?

I don't know where/what to download.

I'm really sorry if this is sounding like a spoonfeeding, it's just that I'm on a really tight schedule.

You will need to read the documentation of VirtualBox, review on the forums and see if it works on OS x Lion, have the original copy and serial number of your Windows Vista install disk(s)

You may be better off using VMFusion, this will alllow you to COPY the present Vista "Untitled" partition and use it in OS X as a virtual machine.

I must warn you, running another operating system as a virtual machine is much slower and likely won't give DirectX access to the video card, you'll be using OpenGL drivers.

We can't help you install Vista in VirtualBox, it's too much to go into. You'll have to learn how computers work, thus giving you the information how a virtual machine works, thus you can setup Vista in the VM yourself.

VirtualBox is freeware, so there isn't a lot of handholding/support if any, if you need that , you should purchase VMFusion or Parallels Desktop, this way you can get support because support costs money.

We are volunteers here for Apple and really can't provide lengthy support for other programs etc.

I am not sure about Virtualbox, but Bootcamp is not running Vista (in 10.7.2). Also I am doubtful about the compatibility of Virtualbox on 10.7.2.

I suggest that you check Virtualbox for compatibility. IF compatible, then delete (with Bootcamp) the bootcamp partition and install Vista directly in Virtualbox.

Otherwise buy Parallels or VMware Fusion, delete the Bootcamp partition, and install Vista IN THE VM APP.

If you have a copy of the Vista file, before you upgraded to 10.7.2 (eg 10.6.8) you can probably copy that into a working version of Virtualbox on 10.7.2 (which I doubt there is), after deleting the Bootcamp Partition.

Remember that Windows is now on W7.

LexSchellings wrote:

...but Bootcamp is not running Vista (in 10.7.2).

He would have had to upgraded Snow Leopard to Lion which would have left the presently installed Vista Bootcamp intact.

If he goes and erases the Vista Bootcamp partition, he won't be able to install Vista again, only Windows 7.

However in the virtual machine software he can run just about anything he wants, except previous OS X client verisions.

Also I am doubtful about the compatibility of Virtualbox on 10.7.2.

Even if it did work with Lion, it's still not as easy and painless as VMFusion or Parallels Desktop.

I doubt VirtualBox will go forward on Lion, likely because Oracle see's no future in it if OS X is turning into iOS and closing up.

IF compatible, then delete (with Bootcamp) the bootcamp partition and install Vista directly in Virtualbox.

I don't advise this, because the Vista partition is small, still functions and once he deletes it he can't direct boot into Vista on that machine ever again shoudl he need to do so.

Not everything runs right or well in a virutal machine.

Of course he could go all Windows 7, however I'm suspecting this OP will need some geek to set everything up for him, once he has decided what he wants to do.

LexSchellings wrote:

I am not sure about Virtualbox, but Bootcamp is not running Vista (in 10.7.2). Also I am doubtful about the compatibility of Virtualbox on 10.7.2.

I suggest that you check Virtualbox for compatibility. IF compatible, then delete (with Bootcamp) the bootcamp partition and install Vista directly in Virtualbox.

Otherwise buy Parallels or VMware Fusion, delete the Bootcamp partition, and install Vista IN THE VM APP.

If you have a copy of the Vista file, before you upgraded to 10.7.2 (eg 10.6.8) you can probably copy that into a working version of Virtualbox on 10.7.2 (which I doubt there is), after deleting the Bootcamp Partition.

Remember that Windows is now on W7.

Jay, don't worry about the points (not important; at least for me). We want to help.

It is really not difficult running Windows, once installed. Lion/Bootcamp will only install W7, although an older Windows will run probably when copied.

In Lion I use Parallels Desktop, and it is very easy, to install and to handle. It accepts XP, Vista and W7, and they say that it can also import a VM from another Virtualizer App, although I never tried it.

When I upgraded to Lion, I just made a copy of the Windows XP and the W7 file (I have the two) on to an external disk (each VM file was about 20GB), and after Lion and Parallels Desktop was installed, I copied the files back to the Parallels Folder (/Documents/Parallels/), then I started Parallels Desktop and could use both. Parallels can also use the Bootcamp partition with Windows in it, even when this partition will not run on its own.

Using a Virtualizer App is much easier than using a Windows Partition. I found VMware and Parallels much better than Virtualbox, but that experience is years old. I chose Parallels and I never regretted it.