VMWARE / VBOX etc - Boot VM from USB drive to install GUEST OS


  1. Posts : 11,247
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
       #1

    VMWARE / VBOX etc - Boot VM from USB drive to install GUEST OS


    Hi there

    Most VM programs allow you to boot from an ISO image -- useful when installing the Guest OS for the first time.

    Since now DVD's are going the way of the DODO isn't about time these Virtual Machine software manufacturers such as VMWARE and ORACLE(VBOX) to allow booting from a USB stick for installing the Guest OS. Would need a change in the Virtual BIOS but shouldn't be too difficult to implement.

    Windows itself is now going to be distributed on a USB stick.

    I can see the ridiculous situation of people having to CREATE an ISO from a USB drive / stick !!!! -- Turn round for the book !!.

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 1,524
    Windows 10 Pro (32-bit) 16299.15
       #2

    I've been playing with VirtualBox 5, and trying to make Windows think that a VHD file containing a Recovery Drive is a USB file.

    The trick seems to *not* use the new option to add a USB controller, but instead to add my VHD as an SATA device, and select the Checkbox that says Hot-pluggable.

    I'm not sure it's gonna work, but I think that's more an issue with Recovery Drive than Virtualbox.

    What I haven't figured out is how to let Windows 'see' a physical USB that's plugged into the host machine, and boot from that.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 11,247
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
    Thread Starter
       #3

    DavidY said:
    I've been playing with VirtualBox 5, and trying to make Windows think that a VHD file containing a Recovery Drive is a USB file.

    The trick seems to *not* use the new option to add a USB controller, but instead to add my VHD as an SATA device, and select the Checkbox that says Hot-pluggable.

    I'm not sure it's gonna work, but I think that's more an issue with Recovery Drive than Virtualbox.

    What I haven't figured out is how to let Windows 'see' a physical USB that's plugged into the host machine, and boot from that.
    Hi there

    A NATIVE BIOS doesn't have any problems from booting from a USB device so presumably in the Virtual Bios the boot device should be able to specify a USB stick as an external device. You can boot from a physical DVD in a VM so it's the VIRTUAL BIOS implementation rather than in Windows itself or any underlying HOST OS.

    I'm sure it will come -- probably not too many people have requested the feature. Note it doesn't have to be Windows -- any bootable supported Guest OS should be able to be installed this way.

    Both VMWARE and VBOX will let you boot into the Virtual BIOS on GUEST startup before the GUEST boots so that's where to have a look for supported bootable devices.

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 1,323
    Windows 11 Pro 64-bit
       #4

    Booting from USB in VM's still needs some polishing, for sure.

    DavidY said:
    I've been playing with VirtualBox 5, and trying to make Windows think that a VHD file containing a Recovery Drive is a USB file.

    The trick seems to *not* use the new option to add a USB controller, but instead to add my VHD as an SATA device, and select the Checkbox that says Hot-pluggable.

    I'm not sure it's gonna work, but I think that's more an issue with Recovery Drive than Virtualbox.

    What I haven't figured out is how to let Windows 'see' a physical USB that's plugged into the host machine, and boot from that.
    One way to do it is like this:
    How to Boot From a USB Drive in VirtualBox

    Cheers!
      My Computers


 

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