VMware with Dual Booting XP & Ubuntu

PB0711 · 10-14-2008, 11:40 AM

Hello all,

I'm trying to Virtualize a dual booting computer and leave the dual booting option as well for a friend of mine.
I thought I did everything right but I get "Cannot find Windows_XP.vmdk" when I load up the vmx file in Vmware player.
The computer has two hard drives details below. Any help would be great!!
Thanks,

Paul

Code:

sudo sfdisk -d /dev/sda
[sudo] password for userA: 
# partition table of /dev/sda
unit: sectors

/dev/sda1 : start=       63, size=174867462, Id= 7, bootable
/dev/sda2 : start=174867525, size= 20482875, Id= f
/dev/sda3 : start=        0, size=        0, Id= 0
/dev/sda4 : start=        0, size=        0, Id= 0
/dev/sda5 : start=174867588, size= 20482812, Id= c

fdisk /dev/sda
Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1       10885    87433731    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2           10886       12160    10241437+   f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5

fdisk /dev/sdb
   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1               1        7295    58597056   83  Linux
/dev/sdb2            7296        7784     3927892+  82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb3            7785       12161    35158252+  83  Linux


-
#vmx files

# First IDE disk, size 100Gb
ide0:0.present = "TRUE"
ide0:0.fileName = "Windows_XP.vmdk"
ide0:0.mode = "persistent"
ide0:0.deviceType = "rawDisk"
ide0:0.startConnected = "TRUE"
ide0:0.writeThrough = "FALSE"

#-----------------
#vmdx file
#---
# Disk DescriptorFile
version=1
CID=a67b572e
parentCID=ffffffff
createType="fullDevice"
#
# Extent description
RW 174867462 FLAT "/dev/sda" 0
#
# The Disk Data Base 
#DDB
#
ddb.virtualHWVersion = "4"
ddb.geometry.cylinders = "16383"
ddb.geometry.heads = "16"
ddb.geometry.sectors = "63"
ddb.geometry.biosCylinder = "1024"
ddb.geometry.biosHeads = "255"
ddb.geometry.biosSectors = "63"
ddb.adapterType = "ide"

PB0711 · 10-15-2008, 04:55 AM

Well I'm a bit further. I have to run it as root to have access to the /dev/sda1 drive but that's ok I guess.
My problem now is that I grub is unhappy. I think this is because it can't find the right stuff?!?! I don't know. I'll google my error: Error 22

EDIT:
Seems that I need to add my linux drive in there so that grub can read the boot directory. There isn't a boot directory on this computer so...

Must say I'm a little unhappy about allowing access to both hard drives. I'm not sure if something bad could happen if it runs both?!?!
EDIT

Anyway here is the updated file for those who might need it.

Code:

vmx file->
scsi0:0.present = "TRUE"
scsi0:0.fileName = "Windows XP Professional.vmdk"
scsi0:0.deviceType = "rawDisk"

VMDK file->
# Disk DescriptorFile
version=1
encoding="UTF-8"
CID=c2495587
parentCID=ffffffff
createType="partitionedDevice"

# Extent description
RW 63 FLAT "Windows XP Professional-pt.vmdk" 0
RW 174867462 FLAT "/dev/sda" 63
RW 63 FLAT "Windows XP Professional-pt.vmdk" 63
RW 20482812 ZERO 
RW 21168 ZERO 

# The Disk Data Base 
#DDB

ddb.virtualHWVersion = "7"
ddb.uuid = "60 00 C2 9b 03 02 5e 7b-8d 17 1c 3e fb d8 dd 31"
ddb.geometry.cylinders = "12161"
ddb.geometry.heads = "255"
ddb.geometry.sectors = "63"
ddb.geometry.biosCylinders = "12161"
ddb.geometry.biosHeads = "255"
ddb.geometry.biosSectors = "63"
ddb.adapterType = "buslogic"