Window 7 create a vhd using system backup and restore feature. Does the vhd possible to boot using virtual pc on the machine creating the vhd and on other machine using window 7?
Vhd booting
Started by
clarodina
, Sep 04 2011 05:53 PM
9 replies to this topic
#2
Wonko the Sane
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Posted 04 September 2011 - 06:13 PM
Window 7 create a vhd using system backup and restore feature. Does the vhd possible to boot using virtual pc on the machine creating the vhd and on other machine using window 7?
Answer is yes/no.
There is NO difference, which means that there are differences.
The VM will have it's own (specific) hardware (different from the "original" machine)
The "other" machine will have it's own (specific) hardware (different from the "original" machine)
The VM run on the "other machine" will have the same (specific) hardware as the SAME VM run on the "original machine" (but this will still be different form any "real machine" hardware).
So, every time you move the .vhd from one machine to another you will need to change something in it.
If you want to migrate a "real machine" install to a Virtual Machine, there are dedicated tools, so called "P2V" (as in Physical to Virtual).
You will need to post some more specific details about what you wish to do.
Wonko
#3
clarodina
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Posted 05 September 2011 - 12:16 AM
Have install xp on a vm and the vm has no problem booting using virtual pc in ANY machine. No hardware dependence the vm hardware is on the file
Wanted to to know whether the vhd created using window 7 backup and restore software has any problem booting? Not talking about using window 7 for native boot but using virtual pc to boot the vhd on the machine creating the vhd Does vhd created using p2v has any problem booting?
Wanted to to know whether the vhd created using window 7 backup and restore software has any problem booting? Not talking about using window 7 for native boot but using virtual pc to boot the vhd on the machine creating the vhd Does vhd created using p2v has any problem booting?
#4
Wonko the Sane
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Posted 05 September 2011 - 09:37 AM
Sure.Have install xp on a vm and the vm has no problem booting using virtual pc in ANY machine. No hardware dependence the vm hardware is on the file
If you use the SAME VM (let's say "Virtual PC", you move from one real machine to the other real machine the actual "virtual hardware", so there are NO changes in it and the VM works on any PC (as long as you have enough memory to run the VM along it's settings.
This is exactly the advantage of virtualization.
You have a 7 install on a real machine that has hardware "a,b,c".Wanted to to know whether the vhd created using window 7 backup and restore software has any problem booting? Not talking about using window 7 for native boot but using virtual pc to boot the vhd on the machine creating the vhd Does vhd created using p2v has any problem booting?
You *somehow* image it and restore it in a VM (that has hardware "d,e,f").
It won't work.
You use a P2V application (or change settings/drivers/whatever manually) and adapt the install to hardware "d,e,f".
It will work.
But it won't work anymore if you bring it back to hardware "a,b,c". (unless you use V2P
app or change settings/drivers/whatever manually).I hope this is more clear now.
I am still not understanding WHAT you are planning/wishing to do....
Read these:
http://www.sevenforu...age-backup.html
http://www.sevenforu...e-recovery.html
Wonko
#5
clarodina
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Posted 06 September 2011 - 08:08 PM
The vhd create on machine using system backup and restore with hardware [w,h,s] would have no problem booting using vritual pc on machine with hardware [w,h,s] but not on other machine with different hardware?
#6
Wonko the Sane
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Posted 07 September 2011 - 10:42 AM
The vhd create on machine using system backup and restore with hardware [w,h,s] would have no problem booting using vritual pc on machine with hardware [w,h,s] but not on other machine with different hardware?
I'll try again.
You have real machine "A".
You backup/image the install of 7 on it, let's call the result MachineA.vhd.
This VHD will NOT boot "as is" on *ANY* other machine that is not hardware identical to MachineA, this includes Virtual machines such as VirtualPC.
Then you use a P2V application to modify "MachineA.vhd" (or you do it manually) so that it is suited to run in VirtualPC, let's call the result VirtualMachineA.vhd.
"VirtualMachineA.vhd" will boot on VirtualPC, no matter on which machine the VirtualPC is running.
"VirtualMachineA.vhd" will NOT boot "as is" on *ANY* "real" machine, including the "original" machine A. (this may depend on how the vhd was modified).
I hope now it is more clear.
Wonko
#7
sambul61
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Posted 10 September 2011 - 05:52 PM
While we're talking about VHD Booting, as the topic title suggests, can someone explain how to boot Win7 64-bit installed on a VHD disk with Grub4DOS? The VHD file can be located on any SATA or USB device. How G4D menu entry should look like? Any extra drivers required, and how & where to add them?
Related question: what's the simplest way to duplicate that VHD and then adjust its Disk Signature and MountedDevices Reg subkey on it, so that any of such VHD duplicates can be booted Win 7 from or mounted on the source HD (including several at once) without Sig conflicts and auto Sig changes by Windows?
Related question: what's the simplest way to duplicate that VHD and then adjust its Disk Signature and MountedDevices Reg subkey on it, so that any of such VHD duplicates can be booted Win 7 from or mounted on the source HD (including several at once) without Sig conflicts and auto Sig changes by Windows?
#8
sbaeder
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Posted 10 September 2011 - 09:19 PM
To the second part of your question, I don't think it *IS* possible, since the whole point of the activation technology is so that a "normal" windows installation can NOT be just booted as is on different hardware. Are you taliing about making some sort of master image that will adapt to different HW (and re-authenticate in some manner) or something else? As for making the VHD, I would look at this posting http://blogs.msdn.co...-guideline.aspx which talks more about it. If you properly "sysprep'd" it, it might just think it was a "first boot" and take it from there...
Not sure if the stuff it mentions adding to the BCD would help you with GRUB, but it might? Or maybe you have to go from GRUB to the windows boot manager, which then uses the BCD to drive the booting???
Not sure if the stuff it mentions adding to the BCD would help you with GRUB, but it might? Or maybe you have to go from GRUB to the windows boot manager, which then uses the BCD to drive the booting???
#9
sambul61
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Posted 10 September 2011 - 09:37 PM
Thanks!
Regarding booting VHD via Grub4DOS, I don't want to use BCD to boot from VHDs - yes, its obvious solution, but I already have a Grub4DOS Entry in BCD Menu, and everything service and test related should go under that entry.
As to avoiding Sig collisions when mounting VHDs on the SAME PC, I explain the task by giving a citation:
"Do not attach to VHDs on the same system on which you created them if you plan on booting from them. If you do so, Windows will assign the VHD a new disk signature to avoid a collision with the signature of the VHD’s source disk. Windows references disks in the boot configuration database (BCD) by disk signature, so when that happens Windows booted in a VM will fail to locate the boot disk."
Meaning, I don't need to sysprep, the HW is the same, just need to change each VHD Sig permanently and correct each VHD Registry hive to avoid future collisions, while allowing any of VHDs to boot on the same PC. If not done, next time when selecting a VHD to boot from, the system will boot from local HD instead, if the VHD was cloned from it.
Regarding booting VHD via Grub4DOS, I don't want to use BCD to boot from VHDs - yes, its obvious solution, but I already have a Grub4DOS Entry in BCD Menu, and everything service and test related should go under that entry.
As to avoiding Sig collisions when mounting VHDs on the SAME PC, I explain the task by giving a citation:
"Do not attach to VHDs on the same system on which you created them if you plan on booting from them. If you do so, Windows will assign the VHD a new disk signature to avoid a collision with the signature of the VHD’s source disk. Windows references disks in the boot configuration database (BCD) by disk signature, so when that happens Windows booted in a VM will fail to locate the boot disk."
Meaning, I don't need to sysprep, the HW is the same, just need to change each VHD Sig permanently and correct each VHD Registry hive to avoid future collisions, while allowing any of VHDs to boot on the same PC. If not done, next time when selecting a VHD to boot from, the system will boot from local HD instead, if the VHD was cloned from it.
#10
sambul61
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Posted 11 September 2011 - 12:01 AM
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