If one does not want to read the whole thread: the solution is - one MUST install not only vboot driver, but also proper driver for physical hard drive controller in the machine!


OK, done 100s of conversion in my lifetime, after all it takes mostly only controller driver to boot machine on different hadrware

My .vhd is created from the SAME hardware to be run on, with only difference being the vhd

The image starts loading, but then there is the (un)expected 7B error

Yes, I adjusted image with files & registry entries from vboot-2k3.img

But now looking at this image & comparing it to XP vboot.img , something is wrong.

XP txtsetup.oem has:

[Files.scsi.WNET32]
driver = d1, vbootdsk.sys, vbootdsk
[Files.scsi.WNET64]
driver = d2, vbootsmp.sys, vbootsmp

Yet 2K3 has:

[Files.scsi.WNET32]
driver = d1, vbootsmp.sys, vbootsmp
[Files.scsi.WNET64]
driver = d2, vbootsmp.sys, vbootsmp

Obviously that is wrong? Which is the actual 32-bit driver?

Also according to 2K3 vbootdsk.inf , txtsetup.oem should have:

value = Parameters\PnpInterface,0,REG_DWORD,1
value = Parameters\PnpInterface,1,REG_DWORD,1
value = Parameters\Device,BusType,REG_DWORD,0
value = Parameters\Device,DriverParameter,REG_SZ,"\Device\HarddiskVolume1\xp.vhd"
value = Parameters\Device,CreateInitiatorLU,REG_DWORD,1

I have done all these in my image, yet it does not boot

Any ideas? Is the driver/parameters correct?

sebus

Do you mean you convert your physical pc to a vhd? then try to boot?

yes, vbootsmp.sys is the one for windows 2003, not vbootdsk.sys

It's better to install the vbootsmp driver to your running windows 2003 instance, then convert to a vhd.

You can install vbootsmp.inf using devmgmt.msc, or use devcon.exe:

devcon.exe install vbootsmp.inf root\vbootsmp

once the driver is working inside your living OS, after conversion to a vhd, it will boot.

Can you please make clear?

Are the 32-bit drivers in XP & 2K3 are named differently?

And why the txtsetup.oem has different parameters then .inf ?

The whole"installation" is just 2 registry entries, so no problem there

sebus

xp and 2k3 are quite different. XP uses vbootdsk.sys, 2k3 must use vbootsmp.sys. Yes, entries are different too.

if you install w2k iso to a vhd from scratch, you would do this:

vboot harddisk=(hd0,1)/2k3.vhd cdrom=(hd0,1)/vboot/win2k3.iso floppy=(hd0,1)/vboot/vboot-2k3.img boot=cdrom