Dec
29
2013

Virtual Machine USB Boot

Virtual Machine USB Boot is an easy to use GUI tool that can be used to boot USB Drives in your Virtual Machines in VirtualBox or QEMU.

This tool was developed by DavidB at Reboot.Pro.It is based on the procedure that I had documented in Boot your USB Drive in VirtualBox

It basically automates the creation of vmdk files pointing to a physical USB Drive. In addition it also dismounts the volumes from the USB drive before the VM starts and remounts them back after the VM is  closed. This way it can prevent any data loss on the USB drive (from being accessed simultaneously by 2 computers) and you can see any modification made inside the VM (to the USB drive) in the host machine after the VM is closed.

You can read the historical development thread at Booting VirtualBox with USB workaround. Interestingly at about the same time of this thread, DavidB had commented on my post Boot your USB Drive in VirtualBox asking a few questions.

The current discussion thread for this tool is here http://reboot.pro/topic/18736-virtual-machine-usb-boot/

Boot Virtual Machine from USB Drive with Read Write Access

  1. Download and Install VirtualBox and Extension pack from https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads
  2. Download and Install Virtual Machine USB Boot
  3. Create a Virtual Machine in VirtualBoxVirtual Machine USB Boot
  4. When you first create the virtual machine in VirtualBox make sure there is a free port positioned prior to other drives in Storage Controller.This is because the tool adds the USB Drive to the free port and the VirtualBox VM will boot from the first drive in the storage controller.
  5. IDE Controller setting. Choose IDE Primary SlaveStorage Controller IDE VirtualBox
  6. SATA Controller setting. Choose SATA Port 1Storage Controller SATA VirtualBox
  7. Close VirtualBox and Open Virtual Machine USB Boot Tool as AdministratorVirtual Machine USB Boot
  8. Click on Add and select the Virtual Machine in Virtual and the USB Drive that you want to boot from.Add USB Drive Virtual Machine
  9. You will get a warning about leaving a free port in your Virtual Machine’s Storage Controller.Storage Controller Warning
  10. Select the Virtual Machine and click on StartStart Virtual Machine
  11. Your Virtual Machine should now boot from your USB Drive.Virtual Machine Boot
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About the Author: Bharat Balegere

Bharat Balegere is a 27 year old blogger from Bengaluru. He is a technology enthusiast and loves tinkering with computers and usb drives.

1 Comment + Add Comment

  • Mr Bhararat Balegere, I don’t agree with this

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