#789 0.7.1.5127 fails with IDE CD-ROM in VirtualBox

[Matthew Fernandez]

The virtual machine has a single IDE controller hosting a virtual IDE disk (VirtualBox VDI) and a virtual CD-ROM drive (mapped to the 0.7.1.5127 ISO). I get the attached "error issuing ATA PACKET command" messages on boot and the system never comes up. This is VirtualBox 3.2.4 r62467. The exact same virtual machine boots the 0.69.2.4700 image with no problems.

[Matthew Fernandez]

Screenshot

[Volker]

I did never get FreeBSD nor FreeNAS running stable in VirtualBox.

[Matthew Fernandez]

OK, I spent the evening experimenting and learnt a few things. FreeBSD 7.2 experiences exactly the same symptoms on the same VM. If you wait for about two screenfuls of the error messages both FreeNAS 0.7.1 and FreeBSD 7.2 timeout and continue, eventually arriving at the expected prompt.

At this point neither will install to HDD. It looks as if, once past a certain stage, they can no longer communicate with the CD/DVD device. Toggling the virtual IDE controller between the available options (PIIX3, PIIX4 [default] and ICH6) makes no difference.

According to http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Guest_OSes it appears as if VirtualBox does not officially support FreeBSD. Looks like I should have complained to Oracle, not you guys :) Sorry!