WinXP conversion from esx to pve refuses to boot

[Elleni]

what a stubborn donkey this setup is. Well I tried now with a newly created disk within proxmox instead of importing or configuring the disk I got from esx - either by converting it from vmdx, or by import wizard or by restoring it from clonezilla.

But a new created disk in proxmox and new setup works fine, and seems to boot easily. Still finishing installation, but at least after reboot the setup continues.

Hi _gabriel. I already tried fixing the mbr but after what you write I ll try to boot from a livemedium and check for activ/boot flag with cfdisk, and or table partition.

On the other hand - is there a way to copy everything over to the running system leaving the partitiontable alone - just copying the files within nfts partition from the initial setup to the newly setup so I get all tools and configurations running in proxmox?

I am trying rsync -a /mnt/source/* /mnt/destination/ and see where it gets. (although it seems an ugly hack to me)

As last resort I ll come back to you, gabriel. Thanks.

 

[_gabriel]

is there a way to copy everything over to the running system leaving the partitiontable alone

yes, "wim" capture/restore from another Windows 7 or 10 more easy,
then need correct bootsect /nt52 afterward.
As already said, that's Windows things, which existed before virtualization, not really a Proxmox issue.

 

[Elleni]

Hello Gabriel, but this is a imaging thing, which I already did with clonezilla with the same result even fixing the mbr afterwards by winxp cd didnt help, so my assumption is that the disk created by vmware is problematic while a disk created within proxmox let me install winxp from scratch without any problem. Thus I dont want to image again, but copy the files from within the filesystem from source to newly installed disk (which boots from proxmox).

Thats why I first try by livesystem (linux) boot -> rsync -a

 

[_gabriel]

this is a imaging thing

wrong, "wim" capture isn't imaging / sector-based , it's file-based, like rsync.
"wim" can be restorerd over existing data, without deleting others folders already present.
You can't copy Windows system with rsync. That's why "wim" exist. it's the technology used since Windows Vista to install system.

 

[Elleni]

I see, then my google wasnt correct so thanks for pointing it out. Then this will be my last resort to try. Thanks again for your feedback much appreciated.

 

[Elleni]

Making progress. At least it started booting and then bluescreened, so my next try is to attach both disks - the source and the empty but created by proxmox one to a running win10 guest and use wim as soon as I learned howto do it

 

[_gabriel]

booting and then bluescreened

read bluescreen stop code , if the famous 7B then it's disk controller problem, exist since NT4.
Repair XP with the install over it from booting from iso shoud work. with disk attached as ide.

 

[Elleni]

I didnt as I beleived you that rsync is not the way to go thus now following the wim way you proposed.

For reference - as it might help somebody in the future here is what I have done so far:

added the winxp source disk and the winxp destination disk to a win10 guest.

Added an additional disk to have enough space to store the wim file.

Then installed win adk kit on the win10 box from here:
https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2243390

then opened cmd as administrator on the windows 10 guest and started creating the wim file by:
dism /capture-image /capture-dir:E:\ (thats the non-booting disk from esx) /imagefile:G:\WinXP.wim /name:WinXP

This will take a while, so I am heading for the weekend. Next week I ll try to restore it by:
dism /apply-image /imagefile:G:\WinXP.wim /index:1 /applydir:F:\ (the Disk created on ProxMox and installed naked WinXP which boots)

and see where it gets.

Maybe I'll need to run bootrec to fix/setup the boot configuration on the restored partition, maybe not. We'll see.
In the meantime thanks for your patience with me, guiding me through the possible solutions and have a nice weekend all.

 

[donhwyo]

Did you try hardware > display > vmware?

 

[_gabriel]

see where it gets

You will have bsod too.
I bet on 7B stop code, you need to confirm.
"wim" way isn't required, it was to fix hang on "Booting from Harddrive"

 

[Elleni]

As foreseen by _gabriel the famous bluescreen could be fixed by a winxp-sp3 repair install over it after applying the wim file. Now the only thing to find out remaining is howto avoid the setup to need re-activation.

And yes, I tried to use display -> vmware. @donhwyo - made no difference.

To make it clear - I tried to create a new disk on proxmox, and then directly applied the wim file which doesn't fix the operating system not found error.

I explicitly had to install a naked, fresh winxp first. After that applied the wim file which brought me to the bluescreen step.

Before that I unsuccessfully tried all sort of fixes like bootcfg/rebuild fixmbr from windows recovery window.

Then booted the winxp iso once again, to reinstall with the R-Option.

Now trying to either avoid or re- activate the os.

Finally I'll have to install virtio drivers to be able to use those devices once everything else is settled.

(For completeness sake I'll also try again, if the rsync option instead of the wim way would also work fine)

 

[_gabriel]

howto avoid the setup to need re-activation

Can't be done as hardware is changed.

Others oftwares tied to hardware require re-activation too.

tried all sort of fixes like bootcfg/rebuild fixmbr

seems problem with table partition (perhaps partition alignment).

 

[donhwyo]

I didnt as I beleived you that rsync is not the way to go thus now following the wim way you proposed.

For reference - as it might help somebody in the future here is what I have done so far:

added the winxp source disk and the winxp destination disk to a win10 guest.

Added an additional disk to have enough space to store the wim file.

Then installed win adk kit on the win10 box from here:
https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2243390

then opened cmd as administrator on the windows 10 guest and started creating the wim file by:
dism /capture-image /capture-dir:E:\ (thats the non-booting disk from esx) /imagefile:G:\WinXP.wim /name:WinXP

This will take a while, so I am heading for the weekend. Next week I ll try to restore it by:
dism /apply-image /imagefile:G:\WinXP.wim /index:1 /applydir:F:\ (the Disk created on ProxMox and installed naked WinXP which boots)

and see where it gets.

Maybe I'll need to run bootrec to fix/setup the boot configuration on the restored partition, maybe not. We'll see.
In the meantime thanks for your patience with me, guiding me through the possible solutions and have a nice weekend all.

I have found 3 xp vm's in old backups. One worked fine (the one I might care about.) The next one needed reactivation. The last one is in the same condition as yours. The 2 may not have booted since pve 6. I will try a bit and see if I can see anything.

For reactivation look for a file called xp_activate32.exe. Read about it and download from a safe source?

 

[MarkusKo]

Or use microsoft telephone activation, it's a drag but works, tested this with windows 7 a few months ago ...

 

[donhwyo]

Or use microsoft telephone activation, it's a drag but works, tested this with windows 7 a few months ago ...

Have you tried for xp? Lots of internet reports it no longer works. I waited on hold for too long and gave up. Maybe just a phone glich.

 

[Blonov]

Have you tried for xp? Lots of internet reports it no longer works. I waited on hold for too long and gave up. Maybe just a phone glich.

This might help.

Phil

 

[Elleni]

Thanks guys - after further testing I can report that:

- I need a new install from winXP medium to a new proxmox disk in order to get rid of the operating system not found.
- From there either a copy of the old install either via linux livesystem and rsync -a or a copy via wim file from another win10 vm
- That brings the famous bluescreen but at least boots, which then is fixed by
- Reinstalling winxp over the newly installed and copied data disk with the R-Option

Now only the activation needs to be achieved as the only way to login is via safe mode.

Thanks for your messages all, will try to activate and then finally report this thread as fixed.

Unfortunatelly I am not able to activate it via telephone robot, whatever I ask. It ends up hanging up.

Edit to add I also tried all sorts of registry hacks to try to reset the 30 days time for activation, but nothing seems to help. Still crawling the net...

Tins I tried but didnt help:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGCcVhpx5S4
https://boma23.wordpress.com/2012/08/30/windows-xp-stuck-at-login-screen-in-activation-loop/

 

[Blonov]

Thanks guys - after further testing I can report that:

- I need a new install from winXP medium to a new proxmox disk in order to get rid of the operating system not found.
- From there either a copy of the old install either via linux livesystem and rsync -a or a copy via wim file from another win10 vm
- That brings the famous bluescreen but at least boots, which then is fixed by
- Reinstalling winxp over the newly installed and copied data disk with the R-Option

Now only the activation needs to be achieved as the only way to login is via safe mode.

Thanks for your messages all, will try to activate and then finally report this thread as fixed.

Unfortunatelly I am not able to activate it via telephone robot, whatever I ask. It ends up hanging up.

Edit to add I also tried all sorts of registry hacks to try to reset the 30 days time for activation, but nothing seems to help. Still crawling the net...

Tins I tried but didnt help:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGCcVhpx5S4
https://boma23.wordpress.com/2012/08/30/windows-xp-stuck-at-login-screen-in-activation-loop/

Have a look here.

Phil

 

[Elleni]

did it - i think - will do some testing and then come back with final report