"OS not found install an OS on this hard drive" error message when you start a virtual machine in Virtual PC for Mac (825414)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Virtual PC for Mac Version 7
  • Microsoft Virtual PC for Mac version 6.1 with Microsoft Windows 2000
  • Microsoft Virtual PC for Mac version 6.1
  • Microsoft Virtual PC for Mac version 6.1 with Microsoft Windows XP Home
  • Microsoft Virtual PC for Mac version 6.1 Upgrade
  • Microsoft Virtual PC for Mac version 6.1 with Microsoft Windows XP Professional
  • Connectix Virtual PC for Mac version 6.0
  • Connectix Virtual PC for Mac version 5.0

SYMPTOMS

When you start your virtual machine, you may receive the following error message:
OS not found
Install an OS on this hard drive

CAUSE

This behavior may occur if either of the following conditions is true:
  • You start the virtual machine for the first time and you do not start the operating system by using a bootable Startup disk or a bootable CD-ROM. The behavior occurs because an operating system has not yet been installed and a Startup disk cannot be found.
  • The virtual machine used to work, but now you receive the error message when you try to restart the virtual machine. The behavior because the Microsoft Windows hard disk drive image or the MS-DOS hard disk drive image that you originally installed with the virtual machine has been detached from the virtual machine or has been disassociated from the virtual machine.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, use either of the following methods:
  • If the behavior occurred when you started the virtual machine for the first time, start the computer by using a bootable CD-ROM or boot floppy disk with CD-ROM drivers, and then install the operating system. For more information about how to install an operating system, see the Virtual PC online Help.
  • If the virtual machine used to work, but now you receive the error message when you try to restart the virtual machine, you must re-attach the Windows hard disk drive image or the MS-DOS hard disk drive image to the virtual machine. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Open the PC List window, and then shut down the virtual machine that is experiencing the behavior.
    2. In the PC List window, click your virtual machine to select it, and then click Settings.
    3. Click the Drive 1 option, and then locate the Windows hard disk drive image that you were using before the behavior occurred. Typically, the Windows hard disk drive images are in the Documents folder for the user who installed Virtual PC if you are using Mac OS X, or they are in the general Documents folder if you are using Mac OS 9.
    4. Select the drive, and then click Open.
    5. Click OK, and close the Settings dialog box.
    6. Start the virtual machine.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about how to recover data files from a damaged VPC 6 for Mac virtual PC, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

825413 How to recover data files from a damaged Virtual PC for Mac Version 6 Virtual PC

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:2/11/2005
Keywords:kbprb KB825414 kbAudEndUser
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