Boot Windows 7 from VHD - an amazing concept

[hoak]

Does anyone know the minimum size fixed VHD that Windows 7 will install to? I'm about to try Mark Wilson's Legacy Boot Chain from Server 2003 on bare metal...

[CafeVincent]

So is this VHD boot method recommended only for testing or could/should I use it as a primary method of running Windows? I'm asking this because having Windows in a VHD file would make it very easy to do a fresh install. I would just need to install Windows once to a VHD and then make a backup copy. In my mind this sounds similar to Ghost images that you could directly boot into.

[spacesurfer]

There are 2 features not available in VHD boot as far as I know: calculating the Windows Experience Index and hibernation. If these are important, than I recommend not.

Otherwise, it's all the same. Some people say there's a performance degradation but I've never seen that when beta testing.

[MagicAndre1981]

There are 2 features not available in VHD boot as far as I know: calculating the Windows Experience Index and hibernation. If these are important, than I recommend not.

missing hibernation is really a blocker why I don't use it for daily usage. My VHD installation is only used for VS2010 testings.

[LittleRed]

hello.. I am wanting to start with windows xp... can

you do the same thing with this os (boot the OS 7 from a VHD)

or does it only work with vista...?

Also is there any way to make a regular bootable 7 disk

from the backup disks made from the backup utility

on a Toshiba machine...?

Thanks for all your previous advice

you all have a great help... LittleRed

[MagicAndre1981]

You can only boot Windows 7 from a VHD

[unawave]

You can only boot Windows 7 from a VHD

You can only boot Windows 7 Ultimate (or Enterprise) from a VHD.

I am wanting to start with windows xp... can you do the same thing with this os (boot the OS 7 from a VHD) or does it only work with vista...?

If you have Windows XP you can install Windows 7 Ultimate into a VHD.

Whilst the installation of Windows 7 the boot manager of Windows 7 will be copied into the Windows XP partition. The installation will also build a boot menu where you have the choice to boot "Earlier Windows version" (means XP) and "Windows 7".

[LittleRed]

Windows 7 Home Premium ...?

Also can you boot from VHD made from the backup 4 disk set created by the backup

utility from Toshiba machines...?

Edited March 21, 2010 by LittleRed

[unawave]

Windows 7 Home Premium ...?

See post #50:

I have made an installation of "Windows 7 Home Premium" into a VHD.

Installation process works fine - two reboots.

Then: Username, computer name, keyword, product key, date and time, network, welcome screen ...

Then:

License Error

Booting from a VHD file is not supported on this system

[LittleRed]

I thank you guys for all your help i will keep trying ...

Im sorry for not introducing myself i get preoccupied

sometimes .. If there is anything i can do for

anyone dont hesitate to ask...

LittleRed...

[wower]

Being able to boot only win7 is useless,if it's able to boot other OSes,that would be more convenient for us

Edited August 26, 2010 by wower

[MagicAndre1981]

you can boot other OS with this tool:

http://www.vmlite.com/index.php/products/vboot

[crashnburn4u]

When this VHD boots, except for the Virtual Hard Drive.. does it run inside a VM or is the OS, all its processes and other stuff actually running without a VM?

[MagicAndre1981]

booting from VHD is like normal native Windows 7/Server2008R2. The only different is, that the data are not stored on a partition. They are stored inside the VHD.

[spacesurfer]

The OS data is not stored on a partition but is stored on a VHD.

Your other data can be stored anywhere, another partition or another drive.