virtual pc 5.0...how to load a windows os??

mcasey

I am trying to install a winblows 2000 os onto this virtual pc.question is how to get it on? can't autorun or do the .exe thing as I can't seem to load the winblows cd once it in in the mac drive. can't open any files or drag it anywhere...anyone have experience with this? reinstalled virtual pc but same trouble. seems very un-intuitive how to create these disc images and load a copy of winblows.
Thanks!

gordguide

An empty drive image, even though you choose the target OS when you create it, is just that; an empty drive. Like any Windows system, it's as stupid as a brick in that state.

You need a startup floppy image to load onto the drive image. The floppy will have enough basic DOS on it to boot from the CD and load Windows.

When you buy VPC without a host OS they provide a floppy image. There are also VPC help topics on the subject. If you bought VPC with a host OS you might have to create the image yourself.

__________________
"Being an artist doesn't take much, just everything you got. Which means, of course, that as the process is giving you life, it is also bringing you closer to death. But it's no big deal. They are one and the same and cannot be avoided or denied. So when I totally embrace this process, this life/death, and abandon myself to it, I transcend all this gibberish and hang out with the gods. It seems to me that that is worth the price of admission." —Hubert Selby, Jr.

minnes

after you create the drive image from the virtual PC program, insert your win cd, then resart vurtual PC with the fake ctr alt dlt command from the vpc menu.
Upon restart you should have the option to boot from the cd rom. You MIGHT have to switch to the cd drive by typing D:, and searchingby typing DIR for a install or setup file then just type setup or install.

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Mark Innes

mcasey

Thanks for your help, both of you. You have filled in some missing links...I'll let you know if it works!!
A big problem here is definitely my lack of dos understanding and also the murky world of drive setups in this windows world. I am staring at a blinking cursor in dos, try to type in D: and then get abort/fail/retry commands. I still can't get the windows 2000 to autorun..dos doesn't want to recognize it??
any further suggestions?
thanks

minnes

hmmm
you may need to
set the CD function in the VPC menu
I have VPC 6 and these instructions are based on that, in system 10,2,8
Under the VPC menu, choose VPC List, then choose settings next to the disk image you created, then select CD/DVD and make sure booting is allowed.
If it is and you cant boot from the win 2000 cd on restart, then, you need to make a boot floppy disk image as Gordguide said.
You may be able to find one on the net and make it into a disk image with disk utility.
I have had no problem botting from cds when I installed win 98 on my VPC 6 images, even a home made windows 98 second edition disk copy.

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Mark Innes

gordguide

Having never installed 2K, I'm not familiar with loading it. Is it a bootable CD?

If not you will have to load it with a floppy image.

When you're playing with VPC, remember to use it in Windowed mode (or use the hot key) so you can see the stuff at the bottom left. Those menus will load a CD (and/or a floppy image) into the virtual machine.

The whole thing is very much like loading Windows on a PC but if you're unfamiliar with that, you should probably check out some tutorials on the web.

I might have a floppy image I could send you; PM if you think you need one. I will have to hunt my backups but I think I have one somewhere.

__________________
"Being an artist doesn't take much, just everything you got. Which means, of course, that as the process is giving you life, it is also bringing you closer to death. But it's no big deal. They are one and the same and cannot be avoided or denied. So when I totally embrace this process, this life/death, and abandon myself to it, I transcend all this gibberish and hang out with the gods. It seems to me that that is worth the price of admission." —Hubert Selby, Jr.

mcasey

Thanks ever so much for your help. I am beginning to think that the 2000pro that I have is not a bootable cd.
I will hunt around for the floppy image but if you happen to come across it without too much effort, I would appreciate it.
regards and thanks....

Mac Jedi

By itself W2K CD is NOT bootable, but you can find these floppy images (as far as I remember should be 4 images) on W2K CD in one of the folders, copy them to Mac desktop. Launch VPC and startup your guest OS. Mount first floppy and press return installation should begin.

Mac Jedi

Step by step instruction! Good luck!

Starting the Windows 2000 installation from Floppy disk:

a. Windows 2000 CD-ROMs include 4 floppy disk images for booting. These images can be directly mounted in Virtual PC and booted from. The floppy disk images are located in the BOOTDISK directory of the Windows 2000 CD-ROM, the files are: cdboot1.img, cdboot2.img, cdboot3.img, and cdboot4.img.

b. Copy the four boot disk images to an easily accessible location on the host machine.

c. Click Start Up and mount the first disk image, cdboot1.img. If the message, OS not found, Install an OS on this hard drive is displayed, press the Enter key and another message should be displayed, Reboot and Select proper Boot device or Insert Boot Media in selected boot device. Press Enter again and the guest should begin booting off the floppy disk image. Alternately, press the hostkey+R to restart the system with the floppy disk image.

d. Verify that the Windows 2000 CD-ROM or ISO image is mounted in the guest PC. Follow the on-screen prompts and mount the remaining three floppy disk images when asked.

e. Continue with the standard installation

mcasey

[quote=Mac Jedi]Step by step instruction! Good luck!

Mac Jedi...brilliant! Absolutely the missing link that you provided. It worked and I now have 2000pro running on my G3. It is somewhat bittersweet as I had always hoped to avoid a windows environment at home, but am glad to have worked through how to do it!
thanks!