Using virtual box is it possible to set your virtual machine time to be different from host time

Question

Using virtual box is it possible to set your virtual machine time to be different from host time. Say 1 year into the past.

If I wanted to run the windows XP images provided by Microsoft from here.
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=11575

It is noted for the XP image that:

Expires: This image will shutdown and become completely unusable on February 14, 2013.

It is one of the better ways to test IE 6, and IE 7. Other XP typical tests.

Solution 1

It's no problem at all. Just remember to disable the time synchronisation in the VirtualBox Guest Additions, then set the date+time in the virtual machine as you like. There is also an option to go into the Virtual BIOS and set the date+time there, if that's needed at install time.

This command disables the synchronization:
http://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch09.html#disabletimesync

VBoxManage setextradata "VM name" "VBoxInternal/Devices/VMMDev/0/Config/GetHostTimeDisabled" 1

The following option allows to set an offset in milliseconds: http://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch08.html#vboxmanage-modifyvm

VBoxManage modifyvm "VM name" --biossystemtimeoffset <msec>

Solution 2

Example of a windows powerShell script

startVM.ps1

# Starts the VM always on the date 12/30/2016

$tempo = ""+([datetime]"12/30/2016" - [datetime]::Now).TotalMilliseconds
$tempo = ""+[math]::Round($tempo)
$nome = "virtualMachineName"

& ${env:ProgramFiles}\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage setextradata $nome "VBoxInternal/Devices/VMMDev/0/Config/GetHostTimeDisabled" 1

& ${env:ProgramFiles}\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage modifyvm $nome --biossystemtimeoffset $tempo

& ${env:ProgramFiles}\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage startvm $nome

Comments

[ta.speot.is]

browsershots.org

[nelaaro]

Ok how do you do that.

[Stefan Seidel]

Do what? Please be more specific?

[nelaaro]

disable the time synchronisation & go into the Virtual BIOS and set the date+time there

[Stefan Seidel]

Disable time sync: there's a checkbox in the VirtualBox Guest Additional. Alternatively: virtualbox.org/manual/ch09.html#disabletimesync For the BIOS: hit F12 (I think) during the VM startup, and here are command line tools described: betaarchive.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20071 on how to change the BIOS time.

[Raul Lapeira Herrero]

Any idea on why would this not work?, I tried using 2011 and 2012 as the year