Running Fusion with an existing WinXP install

[Melrose]

Hi, as you can tell by my post count I'm new here. I just bought my first Mac ever last Friday, a refurbished MacBook Pro from Apple.com that will be used for work (web design).

I tried searching but it didn't answer my question...so here goes:

I have an existing installation of WinXP on an El Cheapo Dell laptop - is there any way to run this inside Fusion on my MacBook Pro?

It's probably a simple answer (eg, no) but worth a try before I spend a hundred on a new version of XP.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[r.j.s]

How would you plan on getting it onto your MBP?

 

[Melrose]

How would you plan on getting it onto your MBP?

I guess that answers my question. I just wondered if there was a way to run it externally without a fresh install..

Now I feel dumb

Thanks for your quick reply!

 

[r.j.s]

Actually, I think there may be a way to do it ...

If you image your dell drive ... then create a bootcamp partition, but not install windows ... then copy the image to that partition ... you might be able to get Fusion to read the BC partition and create the virtual machine ...

It's a lot of work, but it may just work. (I'm sure you have to stop using the dell in order to keep compliant with the XP EULA though ...)

 

[Divindude]

I believe that VMWare offers a utility to create a virtual file image of a Windows installation. I would surf their website for that. You still will need to update the drivers with the VMWare Fusion drivers

 

[r.j.s]

I believe that VMWare offers a utility to create a virtual file image of a Windows installation. I would surf their website for that. You still will need to update the drivers with the VMWare Fusion drivers

You're right here's the link ...

This just cut like 5 hours or more off of my plan ...

 

[jamesarm97]

Yep, I used the vmware utility to copy my wife's 6 year old laptop partition and my work devel computer with ease. Just install the program, run it and save the datafile to an external or network drive and then use it when you create a virtual machine.

Another note, when you go to activate Windows XP on fusion, make sure you "Activate and Register". It seams to give you a little more leeway when it sees hardware changes. For example, I just was screwing around and increased my memory and to 2 processors in a virtual machine that I had been running and had already activated (XP). It said too many hardware changes have occurred and it needed to be re-activated. I tried the 'Just activate, do not register" to save time and it said I had to call in. So I rebooted and did the activation again and this time did a register and activate and it took it. I "think" they also look at the previous activation and make sure all your personal info matches too.

 

[Melrose]

I would take my Dell offline after the process since I wouldn't have any further need of a 14" laptop with 256MB of ram...it's been collecting dust for the past 8 months anyway so after getting the Mac I wondered if there was a way I could at least save something useful from it.

You guys are great - I'll look into doing that and see if it works. Kudos

 

[aaronw1986]

even if possible, i would prefer a clean install, even with the added time. A fresh install would run better, especially since it's a dell, lol. (Sorry for my grammar and typing, one handed...i had shoulder surgery today)

 

[Melrose]

Does SW Soft have a utility like that as well? I tried searching on their website but wasn't able to turn anything up myself...just wondered if you guys already knew whether or not.

Thx!