Rawdisk access to your usb install

          Running your usb-install parallel with your normal installed system. This can
          also boot an  existing SuSE partition in your disk. This procedure assumes
          that you have a Linux host.

          WARNING:
          Raw disk might cause irreversible damage to
          the partition you are going  access.

          Backup first all the important data on the disk that you will access via rawdisk.
          You need  to do the following modifications in your usb-install before you can
          access it via rawdisk


          SuSE guest side:

      1. First You need change  the fstab entry from ID to Label using
           yast2 disk   because SuSE  defaults to  by-id during the
          installation. Change it to something like this.

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      2. Edit the entry of all the partitions and put a label. After its done it should look
          something like this.
   

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           All of this is to avoid issue when suse guest boots in vbox  it will not complain
           about "waiting for /dev/disk/blah/blah".


      3.  If you are booting an x86_64 architecture and you get pass mounting the disk but you
           still   get   an error you can put the  nopreload entry in grub.

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           If you want to make it permanent. Edit your menu.lst You can use
            yast2 bootloader  . add nopreload at the end.

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      4. If you do not have a sound after you booted in vbox  you need to install the
          package alsa-fimrware  run  zypper in alsa-firmware 
      

          
         Host  side:
    
         Now you can start  booting  your SuSE into VBox with a few more
         steps. If you have a linux host while your usb_drive is plugged-in
         to its port  you can  check your disk  using ls.
     
              If you have a usb_install.

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               If you have an internal install. This example only have one internal drive
               and it is    /dev/sda 

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           This will make sure which device you are accessing. you need to  add
            yourself to the group disk before you can create a rawdisk from
           the partition you want to access. as a normal user and to access the
           created vmdk without any issues.

      5. Add your self to the group disk using the  groupmod  utility.

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          You need to log out for that to take effect. After you have log in again
          check  which groups do you belong as a normal user check it by.

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      6. As a normal user create a vmdk file from your usb disk by executing the command

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I only have one partition from my pendrive which where SuSE resides if you you happen to have more than one partition in your disk you can  add it. For more info about using the raw disk in VBoX check the manual.  About raw disk.  Normally if you  need the whole  usb disk you do not need to add any partition at the end o that command. If just want to access a certain partition then  add it using -partitions 1,2,3.
7. attach that newly created .vmdk into your vm.

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      8. You can now boot your  SuSE disk inside VirtualBox  Optionally
            you can install the guest additions as well.
            ./VBoxLinuxAdditions.run    # to install guest add.
            ./VBoxLinuxAdditions.run uninstall    # to remove guest add.



That's all folks