Windows 7: Restore to new size hard drive

Dear All,

I run windows 7 on Bootcamp on Mac. I wanted to re-size the Mac partition and give windows larger space. So I backed up windows which generated several files (among which is a .vhd file). Now I have increased the windows partition from 32G to 100G, then I restored from the .vhd (that lives on an external hard drive) using Windows 7 install DVD. However, the restored windows shows a hard disk drive of only 32G.

So how can I force the restore to skip the original size of the hard drive?

Thanks,

Mags

Hi Mags, welcome to the Seven Forums.

To start, double posting is against our rules. Your post here is exactly the same, so I have asked mods to remove it. This is a backup issue, not virtualization issue.

Back to the topic. After restoring to bigger partition, start Windows and type diskmgmt.msc to Start menu's search field and hit Enter. This opens Windows 7 Disk Management Utility.

Enlarge the Disk Management window big enough to show all information without need to scroll. Take a screenshot and post it here. Instructions on posting screenshots: Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Seven Forums

Kari

Windows images are restored to the partition size they were made from, in this case 32 GB by the sounds of it. You probably have a chunk of unallocated space which is easy to allocate.
Send the screen shot Kari requested to be sure.

I really have a strange situation. As I explained My windows lives on a Bootcamp partition on Mac.

Image1 shows the disk as viewed inside the Mac, which shows a full 100.8 GB

I have used VMware Fusion to restore my old windows, Image 2, shows the progress of this.

After I restored my windows, I started the restored Bootcamp Windows inside the VMare and when I run the "Disk Management", I get Image3. It shows only my original windows size 31.32GB not my new size of 110GB, as well as a 128MB unallocated, but the difference between 110 & 32 is not there!!!


Thanks,

Mags

With your additional information, I don't think I can help here. I see it as a Mac/VMware/Bootcamp issue and therefore a virtualization issue. I understand your dilemma in where to post the thread.

If this was simply a Windows environment then you could adjust your partitions easily enough. Someone else may be able to help out.

This would be a question to Mac Forums, but let's not give up yet.

I do not know how Bootcamp / VMware works on Mac. But if you created a 11o gig HD, the rest of it should be there. If you right click the Windows disk in Disk Management, is the Extend volume visible and available, or is it grayed out?