Microsoft KB Archive/912826

= How to create a Virtual PC hard disk image by using a backup disk image file =

Article ID: 912826

Article Last Modified on 12/19/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Virtual PC 2004

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INTRODUCTION
This step-by-step article describes how to create a Microsoft Virtual PC virtual hard disk that is an identical copy of a physical hard disk by using a backup disk image file.



MORE INFORMATION
To create a Virtual PC hard disk image by using a backup disk image file, follow these steps.

Note You must have administrator credentials on the Virtual PC host computer.  Create a backup disc image file and a recovery disc of the physical source computer by using the recovery or backup program that you prefer.

Note The backup image taken from GHOST is not supported. Copy the backup disk image to a disk volume (partition) that does not have Virtual PC installed. Use the Virtual Disk Wizard to create a virtual hard disk image.

Important To complete this procedure, the amount of free space that is available on the disk where you store the disk image must be larger than the size of the disk of which you want to create an image.  Start Microsoft Virtual PC, click File, click Virtual Disk Wizard, and then click Next. Click Create new virtual disk, click Next, click A virtual hard disk, and then click Next. Click Browse, locate the folder where you want to save the disk image, type a name for the new disk image, click Save, and then click Next. In the Virtual Hard Disk Options dialog box, click Linked to a hard disk (Advanced).</li> In the Caution - Virtual PC dialog box, click OK, and then click Next.</li> Select the volume that contains the disk image from which you want to create a virtual disk, click Next, and then click Finish.</li></ol> </li> Use the Virtual Disk Wizard again to create an expandable disk image: <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"> Start Microsoft Virtual PC, click File, click Virtual Disk Wizard, and then click Next.</li> Click Create new virtual disk, click Next, click A virtual hard disk, and then click Next.</li> Click Browse, locate the folder where you want to save the disk image, type a name for the new disk image, click Save, and then click Next.</li> In the Virtual Hard Disk Options dialog box, click Dynamically expanding (Recommended).</li> In the Virtual hard disk size box, type the disk size that you want, and then click Next.

Note The available hard disk space on the host computer limits the actual hard disk image size. You can create a hard disk image that is larger than the available hard disk space on the host computer. However, the hard disk image expands to use only the hard disk space that is available on the volume where you create the hard disk image.</li> Click Finish, and then click Close.</li></ol> </li> Create a new virtual machine: <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"> Start Microsoft Virtual PC, click File, click New Virtual Machine Wizard, and then click Next.</li> In the Options dialog box, click Use default settings to create a virtual machine, and then click Next.</li> In the Name and location dialog box, click Browse to locate the folder where you want to save the virtual machine, type a name for the virtual machine name, click Save, and then click Next.</li> Click to select the When I click Finish, open settings check box, and then click Finish.</li> In the Settings for  dialog box, click Hard Disk 1, click Virtual hard disk file, and then click Browse.</li> <li>Locate and then click the expandable virtual disk file that you created in step 3, and then click Open.</li> <li>In the Settings for  dialog box, click Hard Disk 2, click Virtual hard disk file, and then click Browse.</li> <li>Locate and then click the virtual hard disk file that you created in step 2, click Open, and then click OK.</li></ol> </li> <li>Start the newly created virtual machine by using the recovery disk that you created in step 1.</li> <li>Restore the backup image from drive D to drive C.

Note You can remove drive D after the virtual machine restarts the first time after the restore operation. You can do this because you do not need drive D after you copy the backup image to drive C.</li></ol>

Keywords: kbhowto KB912826

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