partition vs virtual hard disk - VHD

Say your PC has only one partition with an OS, apps and data. Can you create additional partitions in the free space and then load in other OS(s) to have a multiboot PC and NOT LOOSE any existing stored info?

If so. than what's is the advantage of creating a VHD and then loading in a new OS to create a virtual PC? Why bother?

cognig - just thinking

You can create a secondary partition and install another OS on it. It's called dual-booting. Some thinks it's yesteryear's way of having two OSs. I think it's awesome.

VHD allows you to use VM (a application install on your OS) so you can have a second, third, fouth etc OS running on your current OS (just like have separate windows of OSs), instead of booting to a second OS as in dual-booting.