Once you mount the image to a virtual drive (F:), you should do this:

1. Start the Virtual Machine

2. Click the CD menu, followed by Use Physical Drive F:

3. Allow the virtual machine to boot

Datalore So I don't need to reboot the machine? Not booting anyway?

If I mount the image in virtual dvd drive F all the files appear in that drive but not booting I must be missing something? I have also tried this with a cd image to no avail.

Reboot the Virtual machine once you Capture the Virtual drive.

When you mount the image as virtual DVD drive F, you must then capture that virtual drive as I explained above. THEN let the virtual machine reboot and allow it to read the DVD and install Windows.

Uh, also check in the virtual machines BIOS to see if the first boot device is the CD/DVD or the hard drive. You want it to boot from the CD/DVD first.

Reading the remarks that have been written it appears that you have not loaded an O/S on your virtual machine (VM). In order for Virtual Machine to work you need an O/S (operating system). You must install an O/S first then you can use your DVD drive, CDROM drive, floppy drive, etc. Also, the VM's BIOS must be set to boot from the CDROM to boot from the CD.

Reading the remarks that have been written it appears that you have not loaded an O/S on your virtual machine (VM).  In order for Virtual Machine to work you need an O/S (operating system).  You must install an O/S first then you can use your DVD drive, CDROM drive, floppy drive, etc.  Also, the VM's BIOS must be set to boot from the CDROM to boot from the CD.

If you only want to test a bootable CD/DVD, you DONT need a OS installed. VPC works like a real PC.

So, do you install MS-DOS or something before you install XP from a bootable CD on your real PC?

scp is correct.