Maximum PC

Would it be possible to create a similar setup on my PC to that of a Macs Boot Camp application + Parallels? I want an interactive virtual environment that I can load either through direct boot or loading my current OS first.

Well, if you could find a nice GUI based bootloader, sure.

Parallels however, not really. The closest thing Windows may have had was cygwin, but support was dropped since XP. The best you can do is run a VM in seamless mode.

This will do it:

https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

Nasty

Thanks! Been trying the application and it works great. Although, I cannot figure out the boot functionality yet. If I am understanding correctly, I should be pointed in the direction of PXE, TFTP and since I have a QNAP 459 Pro +, iSCSI/Virtual Disk on the NAS. My problem is I am a complete novice to this and cannot find a decent guide to get me going.

I've setup a clone of my current SSD via VMWare, attached it with VirtualBox for use inside my main SSD install, setup the TFTP iSCSI and VD on the QNAP but I've got no idea how to like all this together into something bootable without a primary HD on the PC.

You can't, you need to boot into windows, start Virtual Box, then boot up whatever operating system you have installed.

Nasty

When you say boot to whatever OS, you mean virtually or is there a way to have VirtualBox log me out of my current live session on the SSD and boot as is live to my networked OS?

I dont care if it boots on machine start to the networked OS but I at least want to switch to it as if it were a live environment with proper drivers (no emulation).

Maybe you should explain what the heck you're trying to do first.

As it is with OS X Boot Camp + Parallels...

My goal is to have a bootable/virtual hybrid. I want to be able to load virtually with emulated driver to test small applications or situations that arent driver dependent. I also want the ability to boot directly to that environment to test larger applications that either require more power (games) or that have driver dependencies.

Ideally, I would like to create the hybrid on my QNAP TS-459 Pro + NAS for remote access (local network only). Either through PXE, TFTP, iSCSI, virtual disks or a combination of any/all it sounds like this should be possible. My problem is finding documentation to take me from A to Z on the project.

I've created my own TFTP server and iSCSI+VD on the QNAP. I have created a clone of my primary SSD via Workstation and loaded into it virtually. The problem is connecting everything together to boot live.

My knowledge is limited on this, but I'll throw in my two cents. To me this sounds like you want to create an environment that you can access both from a VM and boot directly from it. Some OS's do support directly booting from a VHD file, but in the case of Windows, you need the Enterprise or Ultimate editions.

Otherwise you could try one of these: https://www.google.com/search?q=virtual ... annel=fflb , which is you have a bootable partition, and you can run VirtualBox off that. http://chaits.accosted.net/?p=54 might be your best bet.

Hah, there was the search term I was looking for ... direct boot from VHD. I didn't know that Windows could do it natively with escalated versions.

A bootable partition with virtualbox would still leave me loading virtually only though, right? Or is there a way to reboot into the VHD using virtualbox?

VirtualBox supports VHDs. So you can either get an OS that supports VHD booting and create the VHD through VirtualBox or you can use the method in the link (I'm not sure if it's a direct boot or just a image of the copy)

Ok thanks!

I think I am going to wait a little longer on the project, till Windows 8. Wait for the performance/stability reviews and then switch over to Pro with VHD Boot.

Thanks again for your help. I just wasn't searching for the correct term and now am finding tons of documentation.