VirtualBox Won't Boot Windows Partition in Dual Boot System: 'failed load Boot0001 UEFI VBOX HARDDISK: Not Found''

VirtualBox Won't Boot Windows Partition on Dual Boot System: Failed to load Boot0001 UEFI VBOX HARDDISK: Not Found

In a dual boot system with Ubuntu 23.10 and Windows 11 installed on separate partitions of a single hard drive, you may encounter an issue where VirtualBox fails to boot the Windows partition. This article will cover the topic in detail, discussing the key concepts and providing solutions to the problem.

Understanding the Problem

When attempting to boot the Windows partition in VirtualBox, you may encounter the following error:

This error occurs because VirtualBox is not able to locate the UEFI bootloader for the Windows partition. This can happen for several reasons, including incorrect partition configuration, missing or corrupt boot files, and VirtualBox misconfiguration.

Solutions

Here are some solutions to fix the issue:

1. Check Partition Configuration

Make sure that the Windows partition is properly configured in VirtualBox. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open VirtualBox and select the virtual machine that you are having issues with.
2. Click on the "Settings" button.
3. Go to the "Storage" section and make sure that the Windows partition is added as a "Hard Disk" in the "Controller: SATA" or "Controller: IDE" section.
4. Save the changes and try booting the virtual machine again.

2. Repair Boot Files

If the partition is properly configured, the issue may be with the boot files. To repair the boot files, follow these steps:

1. Boot into the Windows partition outside of VirtualBox.
2. Open a command prompt as an administrator.
3. Run the following command: bootrec /rebuildbcd
4. Restart the Windows partition and try booting it in VirtualBox again.

3. Reinstall VirtualBox

If the above solutions do not work, you may need to reinstall VirtualBox. Before doing so, make sure to back up any virtual machines that you have created.

In conclusion, the issue of VirtualBox failing to boot the Windows partition on a dual boot system can be caused by several factors, including incorrect partition configuration, missing or corrupt boot files, and VirtualBox misconfiguration. By following the solutions outlined in this article, you should be able to resolve the issue and boot the Windows partition in VirtualBox.

References

• VirtualBox forums: Failed to load Boot0001 UEFI VBOX HARDDISK
• How-To Geek: How to Repair the EFI Bootloader on a GPT HDD
• VirtualBox manual: Raw disk access