Windows 7 - Virtual XP Machine - Copy

**Kari**

How to Copy a Virtual XP Machine in Windows 7

Note

Notice please:

This tutorial was written when we were still using first beta versions of Virtual PC and XP mode. This method to copy a VPC virtual machine was the most practical at that time. It still is a fully working and secure way to copy a virtual machine.

Today, with the current version of VPC and XP Mode, copying a virtual machine is much easier. Basically, all you have to do is to copy a vhd-file to another location on same computer and create a new virtual machine using an existing vhd as told here.

Kari
November 2010

Information

This tutorial will show how to make a working copy of a Virtual XP Machine. Same priciple can also be used to make a copy of any Virtual PC virtual hard disk.

By default, XP Mode virtual machine consists of five files when installed and run first time, plus two additional files if XP Mode is hibernated or the Undo Disk feature is enabled. The file names, extensions and default locations are:

Windows XP Mode.vmcx
- Virtual Machine description and registration settings
- default location C:\Users\Your_Username\Virtual Machines
Windows XP Mode.vhd
- Virtual Machine virtual hard drive image
- default location C:\Users\Your_Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Virtual PC\Virtual Machines
Windows XP Mode.vmc
- Virtual Machine settings file
- default location C:\Users\Your_Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Virtual PC\Virtual Machines
Windows XP Mode.vsv
- Virtual Machine saved state file (hibernation data)
- default location C:\Users\Your_Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Virtual PC\Virtual Machines
- This file exists only when XP Mode is hibernated or is running. It is deleted automatically every time XP Mode is shut down
Windows XP Mode.vmc.vpcbackup
- Virtual Machine settings backup
- default location C:\Users\Your_Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Virtual PC\Virtual Machines
VirtualPCUndo_Windows XP Mode_X_Y_ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.vud
- Virtual machine Undo-disk (X, Y & Z in the file name are replaced with digits)
- default location C:\Users\Your_Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Virtual PC\Virtual Machines
- This file exists only if so called Undo Disk is enabled in XP Mode settings
Windows XP Mode base.vhd
- XP Mode base disk
- default location C:\Program Files\Windows XP Mode

To make a copy of a Virtual Machine we need to modify .vhd, .vmc and .vmcx files. In this example we call the original virtual drive Windows XP Mode, and the copy we create Windows XP Mode- Copy. You can name all your virtual drives as you like, as long as you remember to modify the settings file as described here below.

Copying Virtual XP or any other virtual hard disk created with Virtual PC is very easy and fast. Here's what you have to do:

Turn off your Virtual XP, do not hibernate it
Open Folder Options, choose Show hidden files, folders and drives. Uncheck Hide extensions for known file types
Goto C:\Users\Your_Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Virtual PC\Virtual Machines
Copy Windows XP Mode.vhd and Windows XP Mode.vmc files
Paste files to the same folder. Windows adds word Copy to both filenames, so now you have two new files: Windows XP Mode - Copy.vhd and Windows XP Mode - Copy.vmc
Open Windows XP Mode - Copy.vmc with Notepad. It is a xml-file, so you can edit it normally with Notepad
Find the following string containing virtual drives name: <drive_type type="integer">1</drive_type>
Under the <drive_type...> change the vhd-file name to Windows XP Mode - Copy.vhd both in <absolute type="string"> and <relative type="string">
Find the following place under <virtual_network> containing MAC-adress for Virtual XP's ethernet adapter: <id type="bytes">
To allow two copies of Virtual XP to connect to network simultaneously , we have to change the MAC-adress of the ethernet adapter to avoid MAC-adress conflict. Adress is given in hex, 0-9 and A-E. It is enough to change one bit. In this example we have changed the last bit from 1 to 0
Save and close the file
Go to C:\Users\Your_Username\Virtual Machines , copy Windows XP Mode.vmcx and paste it to same folder
Open the file Windows XP Mode - Copy.vmcx with Notepad
Change the file names to Windows XP Mode - Copy.vhd in <primary_disk1 type="string"> and to Windows XP Mode - Copy.vmc in <vmc_path type="string">
Save and close the file
Open Folder Options and choose Don't show hidden files, folders or drives. Check Hide extensions for known file types and click OK.

That's it. Now you can run two Virtual XP's simultaneously.

Have fun,

Kari

EDIT: Thanks to Brink for visual appearance.

Related Tutorials

**iseeuu** · 08-22-2009

Good work! Becoming our "vhd" expert, huh?

**Kari** · 08-22-2009

Thanks, mate. Don't know about being an expert. I just need Virtual Machines at my line of work.

Kari

**JackStockton** · 09-01-2009

Didn't work for me.

I even tried copying and editing the .vmcx file. When I try to run it or check the settings, I get an error that I don't have premission or the file is missing, then it disappears.

**Kari** · 09-02-2009

Quote: Originally Posted by JackStockton

Didn't work for me.

I even tried copying and editing the .vmcx file. When I try to run it or check the settings, I get an error that I don't have premission or the file is missing, then it disappears.

It works. Please do not misunderstand me but it have to be a self caused issue, like misspelling or forgetting something.

Here's a short checklist:

Do not change the file locations:
- The vmcx-files should always be located in C:\Your_Username\Virtual Machines
- The vmc-, vhd- and possible vsv-files should always be located in C:\Your_Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Virtual PC\Virtual Machines
The virtual machine you copy must be powered down, not hibernated
All virtual machine files belonging to a certain virtual machine must have exactly the same name, only difference being the filename extension
Tutorial, point 7: vhd-name must be changed in both absolute and relative type
Tutorial, point 10: MAC-Address must be a valid 32-bit hexadecimal
Tutorial, point 13: vhd-name must be changed in both primary_disk1 type and vmc_path type

So, check spelling, check the files needed are in the right folders, and check you edited the right files; for example after copying and pasting the files edit the copies, not the originals.

Good luck.

Kari

**kaw** · 10-04-2009

It's worth noting that if you go from W7VPC Beta to RC, the instructs listed are not quite enough (if you're using dynamic disks). You also need to copy the parent disk to the exact same location on the new computer. In my case, this simply meant copying over the "C:\Program Files\Virtual Windows XP" folder.

**Night Hawk** · 10-12-2009

Here I was able to backup the entire virtual machines folder before proceeding to place them into the new folder on a fresh install of 7 to see the XP Mode as well as a previous Vista on vhd install run again.

Later when the VPC RC and XP Mode RC were released the same vhd used for Vista needed a fresh install where the 32bit 7 RC was used to replace Vista on that same vhd!

**rfeague** · 01-14-2010

I've been through the steps a few times with care, and I see the same strange behavior JackStockton mentioned where the .vmcx disappears as soon as I click on it. I will post a solution if I figure it out, but I just wanted to reinforce that JackStockton is not imagining things, and as near as I can tell, not failing to follow the directions with care.

**Night Hawk** · 01-14-2010

Welcome to the Windows 7 Forums! rfeague

One thing I found fast from the time this guide was first posted here and once the final XP Mode was available was that copying no longer worked as it had been seen with the XP Mode RC version which was the only version available at the time.

The final version runs like an installer with a preconfigured setup mode for each fresh install there unlike the RC. The guide here worked then for the RC version however but now needs to be updated.

When the RC version was used on a second 7 RC installation I would simply create a new shortcut once the files/folders were copied over once a fresh install of the Virtual PC was seen first to have it work then.

First you now install the VPC, restart the system, and then install the XP Mode later to watch the setup take place.

**Kari** · 01-15-2010

Quote: Originally Posted by JackStockton

Didn't work for me.

I even tried copying and editing the .vmcx file. When I try to run it or check the settings, I get an error that I don't have premission or the file is missing, then it disappears.

Quote: Originally Posted by rfeague

I've been through the steps a few times with care, and I see the same strange behavior JackStockton mentioned where the .vmcx disappears as soon as I click on it. I will post a solution if I figure it out, but I just wanted to reinforce that JackStockton is not imagining things, and as near as I can tell, not failing to follow the directions with care.

Quote: Originally Posted by Night Hawk

Welcome to the Windows 7 Forums! rfeague

One thing I found fast from the time this guide was first posted here and once the final XP Mode was available was that copying no longer worked as it had been seen with the XP Mode RC version which was the only version available at the time.

The final version runs like an installer with a preconfigured setup mode for each fresh install there unlike the RC. The guide here worked then for the RC version however but now needs to be updated.

When the RC version was used on a second 7 RC installation I would simply create a new shortcut once the files/folders were copied over once a fresh install of the Virtual PC was seen first to have it work then.

First you now install the VPC, restart the system, and then install the XP Mode later to watch the setup take place.

I really do not know why some of you guys are experiencing problems. To re-test the validity of this tutorial, I checked everything once more this morning.

I followed tutorial literally and it works. In the attached screenshot from this morning you can see two independent XP Modes open at the same time, both having different software installed, both connected to network.

Quote: Originally Posted by kaw

It's worth noting that if you go from W7VPC Beta to RC, the instructs listed are not quite enough (if you're using dynamic disks). You also need to copy the parent disk to the exact same location on the new computer. In my case, this simply meant copying over the "C:\Program Files\Virtual Windows XP" folder.

I have Virtual PC and XP Mode RC, and this method works as it did with beta. The base vhd-file in C:\Program Files\Virtual Windows XP should not be copied, it is as the name says the base to every copy of the XP Mode.

Kari

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