Ytdyklly

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.

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>

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}OracleVirtualBoxVBoxManage setextradata $nome "VBoxInternal/Devices/VMMDev/0/Config/GetHostTimeDisabled" 1



& ${env:ProgramFiles}OracleVirtualBoxVBoxManage modifyvm $nome --biossystemtimeoffset $tempo



& ${env:ProgramFiles}OracleVirtualBoxVBoxManage startvm $nome

Based on the ".ps1" (Windows PowerShell script) example above, I've written a regular ".bat" script file to change the clock time at which the VirtualBox's virtual machine starts.

The desired start time is set at variable "TEMPO_START_TIMESTAMP" in epoch format. You can get your desired start time epoh equivalent at "http://www.timestampconvert.com/".

The name of the VirtualBox's virtual machine to be started is needed in variable "NOME" (same nomenchature used in the ".ps1" script above).

echo off

echo %time%



set NOME="Windows_7_x64"



set TEMPO_CS_2_MS=0

set TEMPO_S_2_MS=000



rem # Starts the VM always on the date 07/11/2014 - 11h58

rem http://www.timestampconvert.com/



set   TEMPO_START_TIMESTAMP=1415361480



for /f "delims=" %%x in ('cscript /nologo toEpoch.vbs') do set epoch=%%x

rem %epoch%



set TEMPO_CURRENT_TIMESTAMP=%epoch%

rem set TEMPO_CURRENT_TIMESTAMP=1544518714



set /A TEMPO_TEMP=(%TEMPO_START_TIMESTAMP%-%TEMPO_CURRENT_TIMESTAMP%)



call set TEMPO=%TEMPO_TEMP%%TEMPO_S_2_MS%

rem %TEMPO_TEMP%

rem %TEMPO%



c:Progra~1OracleVirtualBoxVBoxManage setextradata %NOME% "VBoxInternal/Devices/VMMDev/0/Config/GetHostTimeDisabled" 1

c:Progra~1OracleVirtualBoxVBoxManage modifyvm %NOME% --biossystemtimeoffset %TEMPO%

c:Progra~1OracleVirtualBoxVBoxManage startvm %NOME%

You'll also need the current time in epoh format, for this use the following script (save as "toEpoch.vbs", this visual basic script is called from the ".bat" script above):

WScript.Echo DateDiff("s", "01/01/1970 00:00:00", Now())

To run the virtual machine, simply execute the ".bat" script file above. No need to open the "Oracle VM VirtualBox Administration" interface.

I hope this helps.

Regards