Win XP Mode... Win Virtual PC

[AstaLaVista]

Not until today I noticed that my Windows XP Mode.vhd file is HUGE...a whooping 62.2 GBs to be precised.

This file is under C:\Users\My User\AppData\Local|Microsoft\Windows Virtual PC\Virtual Machines\Windows XP Mode.vhd

If and when I start Virtual Windows XP to use the application I run under the VM, it says that my whole C: Drive is only 17.2 GBs so why is this file so big?

Is there anyway to make it smaller, my SSD is only a 128GB and it is almost to the point where I am going to need to get a bigger drive and well, 50GBs are pretty much wasted on nothing.

 

[Ryan2320]

Try This:
To compact a virtual hard disk:

Open the settings for the virtual machine. Do one of the following:

1. In the Virtual Machines folder, right-click the name of the virtual machine, and then click Settings. From the virtual machine window, click the Tools menu, and then click Settings.
2. In the left pane of the Windows Virtual PC Settings page, click the name of the disk setting where the virtual hard disk is attached, such as Hard Disk 1, Hard Disk 2, or Hard Disk 3.
3. Click Modify. The Modify Virtual Hard Disk Wizard opens.
4. Click Compact virtual hard disk. The Compact virtual hard disk page opens and lists the properties of the disk. Click Compact.
5. The wizard compacts the disk and reports the results. Click Close.
6. Click OK to close the Windows Virtual PC Settings page.

Reference:
Modify a virtual hard disk

See if that Helps,
Ryan

 

[AstaLaVista]

Ryan, thanks for the input, but it seems that there is something there that does not make any sense... check the pdf file attached.

I am hoping I make sense of why I can't do what you are asking me to do. :shock:

 

[theveterans]

From Ryan's instructions, step 1 isn't as clear as it should've been IMO.

What I think for step 1 is to go to start menu then type "Windows Virtual PC" click on the result. This would automatically let you go to the Virtual Machines folder.

Then follow Ryan's step 2 - 6.

Here's some of the screenshots that corresponds to Ryan's steps:
Step 1 - 2:



Step 3 - 6



Hope this helps

Step 2:

 

[Ryan2320]

Thanks for joining in theveterans and clearing that up

Hope that helps out AsLaVista.
Ryan

 

[AstaLaVista]

Ahhhhhhhh, yes... much better... we are cooking with gas now

Much obligue theveterans, now in Ryan's defense... he was not wrong, it appears that the techs at Microsoft are smoking some good Ganja because that is exactly what they said.

EDIT: Hoooooraaaaayyyyyy... that did it.

I went from 64GBs to 25 GBs!

AWESOME

 

[theveterans]

Glad it helped! I didn't check the article at first but after reading it, all I can say is that MS employees can't even write a decent article. They make everything too vague and wordy.

 

[AstaLaVista]

The remind me at Comcast Tech... bunch of Bull and at the end, they didn't say anything specific... those are our future politicians