Win XP running as guest and cannot run TurboTax from the CD

[Cressida]

This is my first tax year since using PCLOS and I am trying to install Turbotax from CD to my virtual HD and then run TurboTax on my WinXP VM .   

When I try and run the CD all I get is a message "Sorry TurboTax cannot be installed on your computer because your OS is not supported".   

I would understand this if I was trying to run it from within PCLOS but since I am using a VM running Virtual Box with an updated version of WinXP I thought it wouldn't know that I was using linux.   I have googled and noted that someone said TurboTax worked perfect within a VM with another linux distribution.   

Anyone know what may be happening or why TurboTax will not install on a WinXP VM ?

[menotu]

Do you need to install via CD?

Is it possible to install/run it from the TurboTax web site

[smileeb]

Dumb question, I don't run VM. Could he install from windows in vm?

[Cressida]

Dumb question, I don't run VM. Could he install from windows in vm?

That is actually what I am trying to do - install while running WinXP in Virtual Box.

I have never used the online version and felt that using the disk version would work better for me as it always did in the past.  However if I cannot get this to work I may have to try.

[menotu]

Hi Cressida

It's odd, because as you mention TurboTax should see XP "as normal"  (does it offer any other clues as to which OS - just considering that maybe it's looking for Vista/Win7 ?)

Which version of Virtualbox are you running? Did you install via the getvirtualbox install script.

Also, do you have Guest Additions installed

[Cressida]

I am running version 3.2.12

I installed it via Synaptic and it looks like I used the getvirtualbox script since that is what shows within Synaptic.    Synaptic shows that I do not have Guest Additions installed.

It doesn't offer any other clues either.

Update

According to the link below TurboTax will not run with Guest Additions installed.

http://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/7800

But since I don't seem to have Guest Additions installed I don't think that is the problem?

[ElCuervo]

Dumb question, I don't run VM. Could he install from windows in vm?

That is actually what I am trying to do - install while running WinXP in Virtual Box.

I have never used the online version and felt that using the disk version would work better for me as it always did in the past.  However if I cannot get this to work I may have to try.

It might behoove you to take a look at the online version; it is free to check it out. I have used it for years now, and I don't see any difference between it and the CD version. Besides that, I don't need no steenking Windows to use it.

[menotu]

But since I don't seem to have Guest Additions installed I don't think that is the problem?

If you don't have Guest Additions installed inside your XP (if you did (or do) you should see an icon in the XP panel) it may be worth installing it  (even though that ticket suggests otherwise) it may be a "one off" for that persons setup.

If after installing GA it still doesn't work you've lost nuffink but gained some extra functionality in your VM for other times.

If you only want to use the TurboTax web site account as a last resort, you could try creating a brand new VM and try the CD install within that.

[GermanTux]

I am running version 3.2.12

I installed it via Synaptic and it looks like I used the getvirtualbox script since that is what shows within Synaptic.    Synaptic shows that I do not have Guest Additions installed.

It doesn't offer any other clues either.

Update

According to the link below TurboTax will not run with Guest Additions installed.

http://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/7800

But since I don't seem to have Guest Additions installed I don't think that is the problem?

Synaptic shows what is installed inside PCLOS, not your XP Guest VM.  You probably do have Guest additions installed on your XP VM.  you can tell for sure by looking at the taskbar, and trying to find a tiny blue VBOX icon. 

That being said that is a really odd bug.  I wonder why Turbotax cares about Virtualbox....

[Cressida]

I do not have a tiny Vbox blue icon on the taskbar so it appears I do not have Guest Additions.

However since I used getvirtualbox script it is the Non-OSE version as noted in the description from within Synaptic as follows:

"Oracle VM Virtual Box Non-OSE version with USB support
for the PCLinuxOS 2010 Distribution."

The virtualbox-guest-additions package seems to be for the OSE version so I don't think this is what I want to get -  guest-additions ?

"Additions for VirtualBox OSE guest systems
This packages contains additions for VirtualBox OSE guest systems.
It allows to share files with the host system, copy/paste between
guest and host, and sync time with host."

It gets confusing to say the least.    If I install the virtualbox-guest-additions package it apears it is going to convert me to the OSE version.     That may be fine but I recall reading the recommendations on the Forums and thought it was best to install and use the getvirtualbox script so I am hesitant to now go the other (OSE)  route  ? ?     

Of course, I don't really understand the differences and why one may be preferred vs. the other.

Anyone see any problems in converting over to the OSE version?   Does that mean a reinstall of Windows XP again?   

[GermanTux]

Cressida, the largest difference between the OSE and non-OSE version is USB support.  There are other minor differences as well. 

If you have the full version (done with the get-virtualbox script) then there is NO NEED TO install the guest additions package from Synaptic.  However, this is all moot, as I really doubt the guest additions would assist you in getting the software to work. 

[menotu]

When you have your VM open try going to Devices > Install Guest Additions.

If you don't have it you can download it from here:

http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/3.2.12/

It should be at the top of the page and named

VBoxGuestAdditions_3.2.12.iso

As you can see it's an ISO file which you can then load into your VM.

If you follow this tutorial you should then have GA installed (Note this mentions VB 3.0.2 and Win 7 but the method should be the same (it also covers installing in Linux)

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/2845/install-guest-additions-to-windows-and-linux-vms-in-virtualbox/