4 replies to this topic

[MedEvil]

Is it possible to not only boot off a vhd, but to have one with undo?

If so, how do i do it?

[sambul61]

If OS version installed onto a VHD file supports native boot from VHD, it can be booted via Win7 Bootmgr that supports fixed, dynamic and differencing VHD file types. You create a Dif VHD in Diskpart (look through Create Native Boot VHDs Tutorial), then add it to Windows Boot Menu, and you're done - this is your Undo file, delete it or merge with its parent later.

If your OS version is not supported for native boot, you're limited to boot via Grub4DOS & WinVBlock (or FiraDisk), which only works with fixed VHDs now - you can't undo anything, except of making a VHD copy beforehand. You still can boot such VHD inside Windows VPC connected as IDE drive, and enable Undo disk in its settings to accomplish similar task, but it won't be running on your native HW. Or, you can install EWF etc. onto OS on the VHD, and redirect writing temp files to your HD.

[MedEvil]

Thanks for your reply.

With all that trouble, i can just as well stick with installing and deleting of OS for testing purposes.
Will probably even be faster.

I wish OS manufacturers would spend as much time on enabling new features, as they spend on blocking or limiting of existing ones.

[sambul61]

If you want to test WES7 & ThinPC, they are supported for native boot from VHD, so just create a Dif VHD:

diskpart

create vdisk file=c:ThinPC-dif1.vhd parent=c:ThinPC.vhd

exit

Then, if BCDEdit commands sound too complex, use EasyBCD to add its boot entry to Windows Boot Menu of your boot disk - just make sure both Parent and Child VHDs are saved on that disk (or anywhere if you boot on the same PC) and weren't moved to another folder. That's all the trouble.

[MedEvil]

With EasyBCD i wa finally able to add a VHD to the boot menu.
The tip that it would work by itself, if the vhd were create by diskmanagement, didn't work for me.