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...

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.

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.

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.

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

You can only boot Windows 7 from a VHD

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".

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, 201016 yr by LittleRed

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

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...

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, 201015 yr by wower

you can boot other OS with this tool:

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

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?

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.

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.