I don't use the DVD to boot. I've converted the WIM to a VHD with WIM2VHD and now I would like to check if there is an existing Os install like WinXP or WinVista. If such an OS is detected the Bootmanager should be updated to the Win7 Bootmanager so that I can add the VHD file. On Technet I only found a way to completely clean the partition

can this be done with all versions of win7?

ie..home..pro..ultimate

can this be done with all versions of win7?

ie..home..pro..ultimate

Officially supported, no - but works, yes.

Does this mean we can setup a software raid 0 in windows, then install windows 7 to a vhd disk inside that software raid 0?

as of now its impossible to install windows to a windows software raid / dynamic disk setup

can this be done with all versions of win7? ie..home..pro..ultimate

Officially supported, no - but works, yes.

What do you mean with "Officially supported, no - but works, yes." ?

I have tested this:

• Vista's boot manager ("bootmgr") can not boot VHD installations
  
• Any Windows 7 boot manager ("bootmgr") can boot VHD installations
  
• Only Windows 7 Ultimate can be booted from VHDs
  

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

like all other features, the VHD boot is controlled by licensing.

It is only licensed to Ultimate and Enterprise, only those 2 version have the Kernel-NativeVHDBoot Policy enabled.

Thank you for sharing

Would be nice to see a tool that can do all this... drag and drop your VHD to boot (or a boot menu manager), set a VHD virtual drive, etc...

Edited November 7, 200916 yr by epic

I have a question: I received the windows 7 upgrade DVD I did a clean install (rather then installing it over my vista installation), but what I for got was my blue ray drives codac was p reinstalled on the vista installation. Now what I want to do is make an Image of my Win7 install create a .VHD and put the image on that and save it to a flash disk then I want to run the HP vista restore disk (so I get all my stuff back) then I want to mount the VHD so I can boot off of it.

Will it work (I have 64bit 7 Home Premium)

Will it work (I have 64bit 7 Home Premium)

Home Premium can not boot out of VHD file.

Only Ultimate and Enterprise can boot out of VHD file.

all versions are technically able to boot from VHD, but MS only licensed Enterprise/Ultimate to use this feature. When you try to use other Edtions, the Software License service won't allow you to use this feature.

ok well that saved me some time I gess ill just make a backup of my windows 7 install and burn it to a disk and go back to Vista that way I have 7 if i decide to go back.

When you have a bootable Windows 7 VHD installed on a Vista or Sever 2008 R2 primary host partition, and boot the Windows 7 VHD system; can it 'see' the host file system (Vista or Sever 2008 R2) on the primary (NTFS on bare metal) partition?

There are contradictory comments about this on several forums and blogs; neither I can find no definitive statement in the Microsoft documentation regarding whether the booted VHD system can see the primary boot/host partition (assuming there's only one), though it is clear it can 'see' other volumes...

Edited March 4, 201016 yr by hoak

When you have a bootable Windows 7 VHD installed on a Vista or Sever 2008 R2 primary host partition, and boot the Windows 7 VHD system; can it 'see' the host file system (Vista or Sever 2008 R2) on the primary (NTFS on bare metal) partition?

There are contradictory comments about this on several forums and blogs; neither I can find no definitive statement in the Microsoft documentation regarding whether the booted VHD system can see the primary boot/host partition (assuming there's only one), though it is clear it can 'see' other volumes...

Going by my own personal experience with installing W7 to, and running it from, a VHD, I can confirm that it will see the host partition's filesystem. However, it will see the virtual filesystem as C:/, I believe, if I recall correctly (I haven't actually used it that much), and the host partition as some other drive letter.

Thanks Jake!