Boot from a VHD using Windows 7

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    Boot from a VHD using Windows 7

    Boot from a VHD using Windows 7

    How to Boot from a VHD using Windows 7 and Windows 8
    Published by
    Designer Media Ltd


    How to Boot from a VHD using Windows 7 and Windows 8

       Information
    Windows 7 and Windows 8 includes support for creating, mounting and booting from VHD images but not many seem to know how to use this functionality to boot VHDs at boot time... I will detail the steps required to have another OS bootable using Windows 7...

    This tutorial will show you how to setup Windows 7 or Windows 8 to boot from an existing VHD (Virtual Hard Disk).

    All Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8 (except Windows 8 RT) editions support booting from a VHD.

    You must have either Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows 8 Pro, or Windows 8 Enterprise installed on the VHD to be able to boot from the VHD.


       Warning
    If you do not have a good knowledge of how to reset your VirtualOS configuration like HAL type and driver configuration then your VHD will fail to boot. It must be cleaned of VirtualOS configuration correctly before Windows can boot your VHD!!


    Step 1: If you have not already, create or attach an existing a VHD using the tutorial below.
    Step 2: Open an elevated command prompt.


    Step 3: Copy and Paste this command below and press Enter.
    NOTE: Substitute VHD_Boot in the command below for what you want to be displayed as the name in Windows Boot Manager.
    bcdedit /copy {current} /d "VHD_Boot"
    If the command succeeds, BCDEdit displays a message similar to the following:


    The entry was successfully copied to {CLSID_Number}
    Take note of the CLSID number as you will need this during the next step
    Step 4: Then type this command below and press Enter.
    NOTE: Substitute C with the drive letter your VHD is on, and substitute disk1 with the name of your VHD file.
    bcdedit /set {CLSID_Number} osdevice vhd=[C:]\disk1.vhd


    Step 5: Thats it, You can now boot VHDs using Windows 7
    To confirm the settings simply type bcdedit
    If your VHD is configured correctly You can reboot and select the extra boot-option to boot from your VHD
       Warning
    VirtualPC VHDs can not be used for booting with Windows because VirtualPC uses a Pentium 3 HAL and this prevents them from being used as boot media, You can however use this Tutorial: Virtual Hard Disk - Create and Attach VHD and create then mount a VHD for use with VMWare Workstation....

    You simply set VMWare workstation to use a Physical Disk, you can then Install a separate OS onto this mounted VHD for use with Windows.


       Tip
    You Must reset your VHD VirtualOS configuration like HAL type and driver configuration or your VHD will fail to boot!!! It must be cleaned of VirtualOS configuration correctly before windows 7 can boot your VHD!!



       Note
    There are still many bugs associated with VHD booting with Windows 7 at this time, I suspect Microsoft will be releasing a new Version of VirtualPC that's able to manage this entire process of creating, installing and booting separate VHDs at boot-time easily and without so many problems















  1. Posts : 51,382
    Windows 11 Workstation x64
       #1

    Great work Steve
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 22,814
    W 7 64-bit Ultimate
       #2

    Hello Steven.

    I've been wondering what you were working on for the last day or so. Good Work!

    Thank you!













    Later Ted
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 71,976
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #3

    Very nice Steven.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 3,141
    Vista Ult 64 bit Seven Ult RTM x64
       #4

    Good job Steven. Going to have to give that a try. Thanks.

    Gary
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 1,289
    Thread Starter
       #5

    garysgold said:
    Good job Steven. Going to have to give that a try. Thanks.

    Gary
    Heres another way of creating a bootable VHD..

    1. Boot Windows 7 DVD
    2. Choose Windows Repair
    3. start CMD
    4. Run Diskpart
    5. Create vdisk file=c:\windows7.vhd maximum=100000
    6. select vdisk file=c:\windows7.vhd
    7. attach vdisk
    8. exit Windows Repair (without Reboot)
    9. Install Windows 7 to this surfaced VHD
    10. Reboots and boots Windows 7 from VHD

    UPDATE

    See tutorial here - Virtual Hard Drive VHD File - Create and Start with at Boot
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 44
    Windows 7 rtm
       #6

    boot from vhd build 7000


    Boot from a VHD using Windows 7 sry if this is the wrong thread i follow the guide excatly but no boot menu entry all i get is a error message
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 4,364
    Windows 11 21H2 Current build
       #7

    You *do* have a VHD that you are trying to boot from, right?
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 44
    Windows 7 rtm
       #8

    yes
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 1
    Windows Server 2008 R2
       #9

    Tip
    You Must reset your VHD VirtualOS configuration like HAL type and driver configuration or your VHD will fail to boot!!!
    It must be cleaned of VirtualOS configuration correctly before windows 7 can boot your VHD!!
    What do you mean by that? How do I reset my VHD VirtualOS configuration?
      My Computer


 
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