Microsoft KB Archive/824559

Knowledge Base

How to Change the Default Folder Locations for Virtual Hard Disk Image Files

Article ID: 824559

Article Last Modified on 8/12/2003

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APPLIES TO

• Connectix Virtual PC for Windows 5.0
• Connectix Virtual PC for Windows 5.1
• Connectix Virtual PC for Windows 5.2

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Important This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SUMMARY

This article discusses how to change the default storage location for Virtual PC virtual hard disk image files (.vhd), for guest PC saved state files (.vsv), and for undo drive files (.vud). By default, when you create a new guest PC, these image files are stored in the following folder location:

C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\My Documents

If your user profile is located on a server, this may cause a delay during the logon process because these large files may be included in your profile. Because of this, you may want to change the default location of the guest PC image files.

MORE INFORMATION

To change the default folder where the guest PC image files are stored, edit the Windows registry. WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

Note The following steps only change the location of new virtual hard disk image files that you create by using the PC Setup Wizard. By default, virtual hard disk image files that you create by using the Virtual Disk Wizard are located in the same folder that you selected when you last used the Virtual Disk Wizard.

To edit the Windows registry, follow these steps:

1. Quit Virtual PC.
2. Start Registry Editor. To do this, click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK.
3. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Connectix\Virtual PC\4.0\Preferences\Paths

   If the Paths registry key is not present, create it. To do this, right-click Preferences, point to New, and then click Key. Name the new key Paths.
4. Do one or more of the following:
   • To create a new default storage location for hard disk image files:
     1. Right-click the Paths registry key, point to New, and then click String Value.
     2. Name the new value DefaultNewDrivePath.
     3. Right-click DefaultNewDrivePath, and then click Modify.
     4. In the Value data box, type the path of the folder where you want the new image files to be created. For example, to save new virtual hard disk image files to the C:\Images\New VHD Files folder, type C:\Images\New VHD files.
     5. Click OK.
   • To create a new default storage location for saved state image files:
     1. Right-click the Paths registry key, point to New, and then click String Value.
     2. Name the new value DefaultSavedStatePath.
     3. Right-click DefaultSavedStatePath, and then click Modify.
     4. In the Value data box, type the path of the folder where you want the new image files to be created. For example, to save new saved state image files to the C:\Images\New Saved State Files folder, type C:\Images\New Saved State Files.
     5. Click OK.
   • To create a new default storage location for undo drive image files:
     1. Right-click the Paths registry key, point to New, and then click String Value.
     2. Name the new value, DefaultUndoDrivePath.
     3. Right-click DefaultUndoDrivePath, and then click Modify.
     4. In the Value data box, type the path of the folder where you want the undo drive image files to be created. For example, to save undo image files to the C:\Images\New Undo Files folder, type C:\Images\New Undo Files.
     5. Click OK.
5. Quit Registry Editor.
   
   Note If you did not quit Virtual PC before you modified the Windows registry, quit and then restart Virtual PC.

Keywords: kbinfo KB824559

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