VM but not XP mode

[DeVoiD]

AFter the shirk, the used space of the VHD went up, to 78gb from 55gb, but unfortunately, MS VM still wont open it up. Only thing, i didnt defrag first, do you think that may have been the issue? im going to try your Shrink program you attached Kari, and see what that does. thanks again for helping.

 

[Kari]

I think defragmenting prior to shrinking is a good idea. I can not think anything else now.

Kari

 

[Chinch]

also it could be the Hardware Abstraction Layer that is causing problems... for this, you would have to use something like Acronis with Universal Restore, which can strip the HAL/drivers away, basically allowing the image to run on any hardware. This is why you can't always take a hard drive from one computer and put it in another one -- you'll get a blue screen or a freeze up while booting. Essentially, that is what you are doing.. taking the image (hard drive) from one computer and running it on another (virtual machine)...

 

[DeVoiD]

When I converted the physical drive to a VHD there was an option to clean the HAL, i made sure that box was checked.

Im going to try two things. the first is to defrag and then Shirink the volume. the second is to run the util you (kari) posted and see if that helps.

thanks eveyone for continueing to assist, it is appreciated. Ill let you know what happenes (might be tomorrow as im pretty busy at work today).

 

[txg]

Dynamic versus Fixed size disk size?

I noticed in one of the XP Mode tutorials that in addition to the 127GB size limit for fixed length disks, if a dynamically sized virtual disk is selected, that the limit was 41GB. Could that be coming into play?

/Tom

 

[Kari]

TXG, could you please provide a link to that tutorial? Is it one of ours, I mean here on Seven Forums?

Kari

 

[DeVoiD]

ok, here is the deal: I did the defrag, and then shrank the volume. What I notiec is that it actually increases the size of the VHD file, by about 20GB. When I try to open it with MS VM, it states that the VHD is corrupt.

When using Virtual Box, and adding the Hard Drive, it shows the size of the VHD (in this case the original one, unshrunk, etc) of 55GB, and then the partition of 148GB.

So, the issue is with the partition size I would imagine, due to MS's limit.

I tried to run the VHD resizer against the shrunk VHD files, and it is odd, as it will only let me shrink it to the actual size of the overall partition, in this case being 148GB. However, when I click next, it errors out, stating that the VHD is corrupt.

So, what I am goign to try now, is to delete both the VHD's that I have shrunk, etc, make a copy of my original VHD file, and then try the VHD resizer again.\

My only thought though, is that maybe this VHD ressizer is to change the size of the VHD file, and not change the overal size of the partition!?

I will let you all know what happens.

thanks again for sticking with me.

j.

 

[DeVoiD]

over the limit

I noticed in one of the XP Mode tutorials that in addition to the 127GB size limit for fixed length disks, if a dynamically sized virtual disk is selected, that the limit was 41GB. Could that be coming into play?

/Tom

By the way, I would be above on both counts on the above. My partition is 148Gb, and the VHD is shoing 55Gb.

thanks,

 

[Kari]

How about going back to your original XP machine (you still have it?), shrink the partition there and make a new vhd image?

Kari

 

[txg]

TXG, could you please provide a link to that tutorial? Is it one of ours, I mean here on Seven Forums?

Kari

Kari,

Looks like I stated it the wrong way around.

/Tom

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8254-windows-virtual-pc-create-virtual-machine.html?filter[3]=Virtualization

B) Click on the Browse button and navigate to and select the VHD file that you want to use to create a virtual machine (VM) with, then click on the Create button. (See screenshot above)
WARNING: Windows Virtual PC only supports using a VHD up to 127 GB (130,048 MB) for a dynamic VHD, and up to 41 GB (42,023) for a fixed VHD. Any larger and you will not be able access the VM from within Windows Virtual PC.

 

[DeVoiD]

Im still using my old XP machine, until I can get this resolved. In computer management, I do not have the option of shrinking the volume. probably because it is in use by the OS.

 

[Kari]

But it is possible in XP to repartition the system drive, I've done it when I needed half of my hard disk to Linux and I only had one partition. I remember I did it always with Partition Magic.

I still think it would be the ideal solution. Can you find Partition Magic or similar?

Kari

 

[DeVoiD]

I tried a couple of other things, but it didnt work. I agree with all here that it is the size of the partition that is causing the issue.

Ill go and look around and see what I can find as far as changing the partition size, and while I am familiar with software like partition magic, etc, i think it is going to be an up hill battle to do anything wiht the partition while it is an active partition. We will see though.

i will keep you all posted, and I will keep checking back here, just in case you have updates.

thanks much as always,

I found a partition tool thats free, called EASEUS ALL-IN-ONE Partition Manager. link: http://www.partition-tool.com/download.htm
j.

 

[Kari]

I like Partition Magic because it let's you boot from CD to it's own environment, thus 'releasing' the active partition.

Good luck to you, I'm still very interested to here the outcome.

Kari

 

[txg]

I found a partition tool thats free, called EASEUS ALL-IN-ONE Partition Manager. link: Free Download Partition Manager, Partition Recovery, Data Recovery and Disk & Partition Copy Software.
j.

I use and trust Partition Magic, but whatever, backup off-line first - bad things happen.

 

[DeVoiD]

TXG, thats funny, if you look two posts up, thats the one im using! LOL.

Kari: if ever anyone needs to do any partition work, I HIGHLY recommend EASEUS ALL-IN-ONE Partition Manager, it is FANSASTIC. basically you install it in windows, select your partition, and basically just drag it to the size you want, and then the software reboots the computer, runs at startup, and does whatever you selected it to do. it is amazing and it is FREE (Even better).

Anyway, the update is this:
1) Using the above tool, I have set the primary ( C: ) partition to 76.25GB and didnt have any issues.
2) I am now running the Disk2VHD utility and it is about 98% complete.
3) Once it completes, i will copy it to my new Windows 7 laptop, and then try to create a new VM with that VHD file.

I am pretty hopeful that it will work now.

Question: Because I set my primary partition @ 76GB, I guess i will have to state (im not sure where) that it will be a "fixed length disk" based on what was posted earlier (127GB size limit for fixed length disks, and dynamically sized virtual disk limit is 41GB) ?

 

[Kari]

First, let's make one thing clear: it's the opposite, dynamic disk can be up to 127 gigs!

OK. And then: I believe this works now. You do not have to think about the disk type. VPC just asks the name of the new vhd, the amount of RAM and the location of the vhd.

Looks good now, I have to say. I'm waiting here, keen to hear about the result!

Kari

 

[DeVoiD]

Thanks Kari for clearning up the confusion about the disk limits. At this moment, im copying the VHD file from a server (put it up there to keep a good copy of it) to the new laptop.

Ill keep you posted.

Danka,
j.

 

[DeVoiD]

GRRRRRRRRR... it still doesnt work!!!!!

give me the same message "cannot attach the virtual hard disk......."

when I go into computer management, and attach the VHD of my old laptop, it is shows the drive (in this case E: ) as 76gb capacity, however it still shows (at the bottom when you select the drive) as having an overall capacity of 149GB, because it is showing the first partition of 76gb, and then the unallocated partition of 72gb.

it seems that no matter what you do with Disk2VHD, it will always grab the overall size of the drive...

ugh.

i have just about had it with this........

BTW: it opens up in Virtualbox....... just want to swear my head off, im so pissed off!

 

[Kari]

I can feel your pain. I'm out of ideas, can not think anything else.

Sorry.

Kari