What's the simplest VHD booting?

Hi everyone,

I've make a VHD file with 2 partitions and it can boot correctly on the virual-box BUT I want to boot it with my USB memstick too.

What's the simplest boot loader that can boot and load my true VHD file on my memstick without errors?

Is that the GRUB2 is the best selection or not?

Regards.

You do not say what OS is in your PC and on the VHD, also you don't say if your disks partitions are GPT or MBR, so I will try to make the info generic.

You can use grubfordos and a menu.lst like this:

NOTE: This only works on MBR partitioned HDD and Non UEFI Secure Boot, also VHD must be fixed size.

For UEFI Secure Boot you may use Windows Boot Manager directly.

Or you can make and partition your VHD the way you want and then use WinNTSetup to install Win to this mounted VHD located directly in your USB device, and it will make all required Boot manager entries in both BCD files (the UEFI one and the standard one), to let you boot in UEFI and non UEFI PC's, but you need an active primary partition FAT32 on your USB in order to install Boot files to be able to boot in UEFI PC's. Partition where VHD is located most be NTFS.
I recommend better use an external HDD USB 2.0 (only Win8 and newer can boot from USB 3.0 natively). Booting from USB sticks is very slow that's why I suggest USB HDD.

Using WinNTSetup you can make a Compact install XPRESS8K on an expandable VHD of 10 to 15 GB and you end up with a 5.7 GB VHD file (Win10x64Pro without any other programs). NO page file and NO hiberfile, selected in tricks.

Another option if you want to use your USB stick is to use Rufus

alacran

Hi,

My VHD image contain a clear partition + truecrypt encrypted partition. 

It booted up windows 8 (32Bit) on the Virtual-Box without error but I want to boot it with my USB memstick.

my menu.lst:

 

 

How can I resolve that?

Also, When I booted the encrypted VHD file from my memstick these 2 attached photo has been notified me!

BTW, I can boot my Non encrypted VHD file without error And If I encrypted it with TrueCrypt it can boot without error only with Virtual-Box.

But I can not boot it ( encrypted VHD ) with my memstick!

 

How are you booting from VBox?

Did you try using VMUB to boot from the USB drive?

Is the USB drive a fixed disk or removable type?

Have you successfully booted a two-partition VHD (of any sort) from the USB drive?

Are the firadisk lines needed? Does it fail to boot if you comment them out?

 

Instead of chainloader /bootmgr, did you try  chainloader (hd0,0)+1  ?

Edited by steve6375, 07 October 2015 - 11:48 AM.

How are you booting from VBox?

Did you try using VMUB to boot from the USB drive?

Is the USB drive a fixed disk or removable type?

Have you successfully booted a two-partition VHD (of any sort) from the USB drive?

Are the firadisk lines needed? Does it fail to boot if you comment them out?

 

Instead of chainloader /bootmgr, did you try  chainloader (hd0,0)+1  ?

I copied VHD file into my HDD and then open it in VirtualBox and run it without error.

My memstick is removable type.

When I have 2 unencrypted partition (boot+win8data) it can boot without any error (by memstick usb booting) but while i encrypted the data partition that error occured (by memstick usb booting)!

Yes, I tried with chainloader (hd0,0)+1 but everything was not changed.

Edited by mbzadegan, 08 October 2015 - 10:17 AM.

So do you get the password prompt from TrueCrypt boot code?

What's the simplest boot loader that can boot and load my true VHD file

What about native solution bootmgr?
Add the vhd file to \boot\bcd: bcdboot.exe https://technet.micr...y/hh824874.aspx
https://technet.micr...y/hh825691.aspx

So do you get the password prompt from TrueCrypt boot code?

 

Ofcourse 100%

 

What about native solution bootmgr?
Add the vhd file to \boot\bcd: bcdboot.exe https://technet.micr...y/hh824874.aspx
https://technet.micr...y/hh825691.aspx

 

As I said, The native bootmgr can not load and boot encrypted VHD.

Can you try booting the USB drive using VMUB+VBox? 

The difference is that Truecrypt/Windows will see the USB drive as a Fixed Disk and not a Removable USB drive.

My VHD image contain a clear partition + truecrypt encrypted partition.

 

As I said, The native bootmgr can not load and boot encrypted VHD.

.
Can you describe: which part is encrypted?
How did you used truecrypt to encrypt the partition?
Does the MBR holds truecrypt code or windows default code?
Does (hd0,0) refers to a encrypted partiton?
Which data are at clear partition?
Which data are at encrypted partition?

My experience is that bootable in Virtual Box is not at all compatible with booting on real hardware.

http://reboot.pro/to...ox/#entry182038

 

If the original VHD was prepared in Virtual Box or made from Windows installed in Virtual Box,

then I expect that it will be difficult (may be impossible) to boot that VHD on real hardware.

 

How and in what environment was the VHD exactly prepared ?

 

BTW - All your jpg attachments are invisible for me, since they do no load .... and the browser hangs ....

Can you try booting the USB drive using VMUB+VBox? 

No, I booting USB without VMUB+VBox mode.

My Photoes that I uploaded was: 

 

https://www.photobox...9705#8878319705

https://www.photobox...0195#8878320195

Can you try booting the USB drive using VMUB+VBox?
The difference is that Truecrypt/Windows will see the USB drive as a Fixed Disk and not a Removable USB drive.

 

i.e. please try booting using VMUB+VBox direct from USB

http://www.rmprepusb...r-vmware-server