VM-Server

I am running Windows 7 on my laptop, but I want to experiment with different virtual appliances.

Here is what finally worked:

installed Virtualbox on the laptop
created a new Windows VM and installed Server 2008 R2
installed Xampplite on the VM
installed OWL on Xampp
on the VM, browsed http://localhost/ and all was well
on the VM executed ipconfig /all in a command window to see the assigned IP
it was some oddball number because the default network connection is NAT
changed the VM net connection to bridged
now the IP is coming from my LAN DHCP
started a browser on the host laptop and tried to browse to the IP
timed out
pings work!
eventually realized that it was the windows firewall on the VM preventing Apache from talking
on the VM allowed httpd to traverse the firewall

TADA! Now the host browser can use the VM server