BSOD When Using Virtual PC

Hi,
I am trying to install Windows 2000 Professional on a virtual machine. When starting the virtual machine, I get the following error:

DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
STOP: 0x000000D1

It then created a dump of the physical memory. I have repeated the error three times. I am using an older Gateway laptop running Windows 7 Ultimate 32 bit. Thanks in Advance.

Gateway M305CRV
2.4Ghz Intel Celeron
1gb Memory
Windows 7 Ultimate X86

So, have you already gotten Windows 2000 installed and now it won't boot?

Your specs are not really good enough to run a vm (marginally acceptable). I'm not sure if that can create a BSOD in the vm or not.

You can try this:

How to Create and Attach a Virtual Hard Disk in Windows 7

Pay attention to Step 4: To Attach an Existing VHD File

Attach the VHD, and go find the memory dumps.

Download BlueScreenView
No installation required.
Double click on BlueScreenView.exe file to run the program.
Navigate to the directory where the vm's memory dumps are located.
Go File>Save Selected Items, and save the report as BSOD.txt.
Open BSOD.txt in Notepad, copy all content, and paste it into your next reply.

keyboardninja,

Thanks for the quick reply, but I think you've misunderstood. I haven't installed Windows 2000 yet, and when I start the VM so I can install it, I get a BSOD on my physical computer, Windows 7. Thanks again.

Ohh...you were not specific in your first post. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

On the physical computer...

Download BlueScreenView
No installation required.
Double click on BlueScreenView.exe file to run the program.
When scanning is done, go Edit>Select All.
Go File>Save Selected Items, and save the report as BSOD.txt.
Open BSOD.txt in Notepad, copy all content, and paste it into your next reply.

What is your RAM usage without the vm running? How much RAM did you allocate for the vm? I'll bet that is the problem. If you're averaging over 1/2GB of RAM usage, and you give the vm 512MB, bad things are bound to happen....like a BSOD.

Which VM program do you use?
Are you getting BSOD while starting VM program, or you have VM program already open and BSOD comes up, when you try to install Win 2K on VM?

Keyboardninja,

My average RAM usage is about 500mb, I allocated 256 to the VM, so I don't think that should have caused a problem, but I have no idea. Here is the BlueScreenView output:

==================================================
Dump File : 032710-25696-01.dmp
Crash Time : 3/27/2010 10:36:29 PM
Bug Check String : DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
Bug Check Code : 0x000000d1
Parameter 1 : 0x00000000
Parameter 2 : 0x00000002
Parameter 3 : 0x00000000
Parameter 4 : 0x00000000
Caused By Driver : ntoskrnl.exe
Caused By Address : ntoskrnl.exe+38b7b
File Description : NT Kernel & System
Product Name : Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
Company : Microsoft Corporation
File Version : 6.1.7600.16481 (win7_gdr.091207-1941)
Processor : 32-bit
Computer Name :
Full Path : C:\Windows\minidump\032710-25696-01.dmp
Processors Count : 1
Major Version : 15
Minor Version : 7600
==================================================

Broni,

I use the Windows 7 Virtual PC program that comes with XP mode. I get a bsod when I start the Windows 2000 VM, before I even get to the installer.

Please note the difference between the Windows Virtual PC that ONLY runs XP mode in Pro or Ultimate editions of Windows 7 and the Microsoft Virtual PC that can be used in any Windows OS to create any VM. Most people don't know that these two programs are different.

As for the RAM, yeah, it does seem okay. But your system still has very poor specs to run a VM. I, myself, would not try to run a VM on a machine like that. Why do you need to run Windows 2000 on it? Why not put the VM on that fancy computer described in your signature? Just saying...

The Bluescreenview report is pretty useless in this case. The Kernel could be indicative of a lot of things (very general). Obviously we know what is causing your crash, but we don't know why it is.

What do you mean by:

My average RAM usage is about 500mb

Are the specs listed in your signature from the computer, we've been working on?

Gateway M305CRV
2.4Ghz Intel Celeron
1gb Memory
Windows 7 Ultimate X86

I need more coffee

1GB is not enough to run Win 7 smoothly, not to mention to attempt running VM.
You'll need at least 2GB of RAM.
Your Celeron CPU is not the greatest either.
Vista and 7 run much better on dual core.

keyboardninja,

I wanted to run Windows 2000 in a VM because I was unable to install it on the laptop itself. I have a few programs that only run on older OS's that I would like to take with me. I'll give Microsoft Virtual PC a shot and see if that works.

Broni,

Windows 7 actually does run pretty well on my laptop, I dual-boot that and XP and I use Windows 7 as my primary OS. I did manage to run VirtualBox on it, but I don't really like the program itself.

Thanks for all your help, I'll try MS Virtual PC and report back.

Or not. It looks like MS Virtual PC isn't compatible with Windows 7, unless you use an unsupported configuration. Maybe I'll try that later when my laptop decides to cooperate. The jack is loose so it doesn't always want to turn on.

Actually, having Windows Virtual PC (XP mode) installed keeps you from using Microsoft Virtual PC (they are technically the same program, but Win. Vir. PC is ONLY for XP mode). And from what I can remember, you cannot make your own VM inside Windows Virtual PC. MS Virtual PC is most certainly compatible with Windows 7. What was it telling you when you tried to install it?

What kind of loose jack are you talking about? It could be contributing to the BSOD...

Oh. I read online that MS Virtual PC isn't compatible with Windows 7. The AC power jack is loose, I attempted to fix it about a month ago and it's slowly getting worse. The battery only works for about 2 minutes when it disconnects, so I'll probably end up fixing it or getting a used one off of ebay.

Oh. I read online that MS Virtual PC isn't compatible with Windows 7.

That is not true.

Yeah, you need to get that PSU fixed pretty soon. You might fry something if it's shorting out...