If you're a former Windows user likeme, or even just have certain Windows-only programs that you need tooccasionally run, but don't like the idea of carrying around a secondlaptop or computer, then you're in luck!
You may or may not be aware that you can run Windows XP on almost anyIntel-equipped Mac. You're OS X-equipped Mini Hackbook is nodifferent. Many Mac users have for years successfully used virtualmachine emulators like Parallels and/or VMware to run versions ofWindows, Linux, and Solaris operating systems on their Macs. But,emulators run between $80-100, and that sort of defeats the economic-raison d'etre of the Mini Hackbook project.
There is a solution, and that is to use Sun's open-source (free)Virtual Box emulator. But, there are a few workarounds required toinstall Windows XP/Vista/7 on our disc driveless Mini Hackbooks.
Ingredients
- Mini Hackbook (i.e. Dell Mini 10v hacked to run Mac OS X)
- USB thumbdrive (min. 1GB, to hold Windows XP Installation CD ISO-image)
- Windows XP Installation CD (must be an off-the-shelf, standalone version, not an OEM version that comes with for instance your Dell PC)
- Access to a Windows PC with CD-Rom and USB drive (preferrably running XP or higher)
- ISOrecorder v.2 program (free download here)
- VirtualBox v.3.1.2 by Sun (open-source, free download here)
Step-by-Step
1. Copy the Windows XP Installation CD's .ISO-image to your USB drive. This unfortunately isn't a simple drag-and-drop operation, as copying the ISO image usually requires a special program, so here's what you do:
a) Download ISOrecorder v.2 (free download here) andinstall to a PC. Upon completion of the install, It will appear as ifnothing happened, but don't worry. No program shortcut, nor anythingelse will show up on your Desktop as the program has just been merelyintegrated into the Windows system.
b) Now plug-in your USB thumbdrive (min.1GB) into the same PC from Step 1(a). Make a note of the drive-path(i.e. drive letter) that your PC assigns to this USB thumbdrive.
c) Put your Windows XP Installation CD into the same PC's CD/DVD-drive, open My Computer, then right-click the installation Windows XP Installation CD'sicon. When you right-click, you'll see two new sets of file-operationmenu options that hadn't been there before. Select the one that says 'Create image from CD'. In the pop-up, make sure to type in the 'To:'-field the drive-path (i.e. drive letter) to the USB drive you plugged-in in Step 1(b) and also fill in the name of the install CD (you can retain the default Windows Installation CD name or type in a new one). Click Next. The .ISO-image will be copied over in a few minutes.
Inorder to run a program like Windows XP on a Mac OS X machine ('programwithin a program') we need another program that's called a virtualmachine emulator. The one we'll use is Sun's open-source Virtual Box. Virtual Box will permit the installation of Windows XP (and byextension other Windows programs) to run 'within' the Mac OS X system(with very few limitations).
2. Download VirtualBox (make sure to select the 'OS X hosts'-version!) here. Once the .dmg file has been downloaded, click it, and then run theInstallation program. Next, start the Virtual Box program.
3. From the Virtual Box menu, click 'New'. Complete the installation as follows:
a) in the 'VM Name and OS Type'-window, type in name 'Windows XP'. Make sure the OS Type lists Op System as 'Microsoft Windows' andVersion as 'Windows XP'. (Note: my OS Type defaulted to thesevalues). Click Next.
b) in the 'Memory'-window,the minimum RAM is suggested to be 512MB. But, folks have beensuccessful using as low as 256MB. I split the difference and put in350MB. (Note: remember, whatever RAM you use will detract from your MACOS X's available RAM while you're using Virtual Box/Windows XP. So decide wisely.) Click Next.
c) in the 'Virtual Hard Disk'-windowmake sure 'Boot Hard Disk (Primary Master) is checked, and 'Create NewHard Disk' is checked (they should both be by default). Click Next.
d) in the 'Hard Disk Storage Type'-window, select 'Dynamically Expanding Storage'. Click Next.
e) in the 'Virtual Disk Location and Size'-window, select location: Windows XP, and Size 10GB. Larger if you're going to install alot of different Windows programs. You decide the appropriate size. Click Next.
Theprogram will complete the installation and bring you back to the mainVirtual Box screen, showing your 'Windows XP 'Machine' on the left,and its specs on the right. Important! Do not click 'Start' yet!
There is a small tweak we must complete before installing the Windows XP program.
4.Quit the Virtual Box program completely.
5. Open Finder, and search for the 'Windows XP.xml'file (Note: if you named your Virtual Machine installation somethingother than 'Windows XP' in Step 3(a), then your .xml-file will be namedaccordingly different!). It should be located in Finder in thefollowing general whereabouts:
<username>LibraryVirtual BoxMachinesWindows XPWindows XP.xml
a) Right-click the file Windows XP.xml, and select Open With, and then Other, then find Text Editor
b)OnceText Editor opens up the file, scroll about about 14 lines down (your.xml version may differ slightly) and find the following string:
<HardwireVirtEx enabled='true' exclusive='false'/>

c) Edit the 'true' to read 'false'. Your edited code-line should then read exactly as follows:
<HardwireVirtEx enabled='false' exclusive='false'/>
d) Save the .xml-file. Close out of Finder.
6. Now re-open Virtual Box from the Applications folder. Before continuing, confirm that the right-side specs read the following:
under the System heading:
VT-X/AMD-V:Disabled
If the VT-X/AMD-V reads Enabled, then something went wrong in your Step 5 procedure. Go back and repeat Step 5.