Running virtual pc files in a virtual machine in linux ... preferably virtual box

biharibong · 01-08-2009, 06:05 PM

Debian etch 2.6.18-6-686 on GNOME

I am taking a sql server course, which provides a bunch of virtual labs. These work like a charm on virtualpc when I am in class. And I need to linux alternative

Microsoft virtualpc files:
- .vhd file in a folder called base
- a large .vhd file in another folder .... and in that same folder ....
more .vhd and relating .vmc files
i.e. 2779B-Allfiles-01.vhd and 2779B-MIA-SQL-01.vmc .... etc

I would preferably want it to work on virtual box. This works a lot better than vmware and qemu on my machine. If its impossible on virtual box, I am definitely open to other ideas which does not include installing windows.

manwithaplan · 01-08-2009, 07:15 PM

I found this link here. It mentions a Qemu tool that will convert .vhd files. From my understanding VirtualBox has supported .vhd since the 2.0 release.

biharibong · 01-08-2009, 08:31 PM

I'm using virtual box 1.6.6. come to think of it I remember reading that the newer version does support it.

Would virtual box 2.0 work with debian etch?

manwithaplan · 01-11-2009, 11:25 AM

Yes it will work... just go to Sun's website and download 2.10 binary .deb and install. Should work just fine.

biharibong · 01-21-2009, 01:04 PM

I got the latest virtual pc. I don't seem to know how to load the .vhd or .vmc files. I tried to add any of the .vhd using the 'Virtual Media Manager' but I keep getting an error:

Code:

Could not open the hard disk '/home/saurabh/Microsoft Learning/2779-80/Drives/2779B-Allfiles-01.vhd'.
VDI: invalid pre-header in '/home/saurabh/Microsoft Learning/2779-80/Drives/2779B-Allfiles-01.vhd' (VERR_VD_VDI_INVALID_SIGNATURE).
VD: error opening image file '/home/saurabh/Microsoft Learning/2779-80/Drives/2779B-Allfiles-01.vhd' (VERR_VD_VDI_INVALID_SIGNATURE).


Result Code: 
NS_ERROR_FAILURE (0x80004005)
Component: 
HardDisk2
Interface: 
IHardDisk2 {ed6e2525-c2fd-42a4-917a-7a9045ac9e15}
Callee: 
IVirtualBox {339abca2-f47a-4302-87f5-7bc324e6bbde}