VirtualKD running on Vista x86

[Vadtec]

Hello,

I am trying to run VirtualKD on a Vista Ultimate x86 VM that runs inside VirtualBox 3.0.10. I have several problems that have crept up.

First of all, I ran the target/vminstall.exe program and used the defaults. Now, when I boot the VM, it will not boot and I get an error from VirtualBox that the VM is being stopped. If I boot the VM into a normal kernel or a debug kernel that I configured, the VM boots just fine.

The second issue I’m having, on the VirtualKD website, there is the following:

Installation

If you are using VirtualBox, please do the following steps prior to doing anything with your VMs:

* Rename the VBoxDD.dll file in your VirtualBox folder to VBoxDD0.dll.
* Copy modified VBoxDD.dll from VirtualKD archive to VirtualBox directory.
* Ensure that you have selected correct version (x86 or x64) of VBoxDD.dll

I do not have a VirtualBox folder on the VM. Is this something I am supposed to create? Is this something the installer is supposed to create? These instructions are very unclear as to where these DLLs are supposed to go within the VM.

And lastly, though not directly related to VirtualKD, it appears that Vista does not recognize the virtual serial port I have configured in VirtualBox. I have configured COM1 to be a named pipe (that is created by the Vista VM) called \.pipecom_1 and is used by my XP VM as well (to simulate the serial cable). Has anyone else had this issue, and if so, have you been able to fix it?

I would really like to be able to run VirtualKD on the Vista VM so that I can debug Vista when it BSODs from the XP VM. Any help you can provide is greatly appreciated.

Vadtec

[support]

Ok, the solution is simple. VBoxDD should be replaced on the HOST machine, not on the GUEST. It allows the host-side part of the VirtualBox to handle the requests from the OS. Guest-side modifications are performed automatically by VMInstall.

[Vadtec]

bazis,

Thanks for the reply. Last night when I made my post, I failed to mention that my Virtual Box is running on Linux, not Windows. Where then would I replace VBoxDD.dll?

Thanks again,

Vadtec

[support]

In such case, VirtualKD won’t work. It requires a Windows host machine, simply, as WinDbg runs only on Windows. Running VirtualKD without having WinDbg on the same machine would make no sense.

[Vadtec]

bazis,

Darn, ok. I was afraid you were going to say that. Ok, guess I’m stuck for the moment. I don’t have a Windows machine with enough RAM to run the base OS + a Vista VM. Might just have to do this the hard way then.

Thanks,

Vadtec

[support]

Actually, I was recently contacted by a guy planning to port VirtualKD to Linux VM host (redirecting connections to WinDbg via TCP/IP). I have no clue whether he has any success with that, however, I can forward him your e-mail. Maybe, you can join your forces to make it work on Linux 🙂

[Vadtec]

I would be willing to be a test subject, but my knowledge of remote debugging like this is novice at best. If I can help make using Linux with VirtualBox and Windows VMs easier, I’m all for it. I just know that for whatever reason, Vista seems to refuse to recognize the serial ports I’m setting up for it, on the Linux VirtualBox that is.

Feel free to have him e-mail me if he is interested.

Vadtec

[Anonymous]

i am working with vadtec on this issue …

the reason we start to use this tool is because we cant get the thing to connect with out using it any advice on how to connect the machines?
we have 2 vbox machines one windows xp one windows vista …

[Author]

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