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working with .vhd Images

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I made an Backup-Image of Windows XP Home SP3 with TI Home 2009 .tib and konverted it with TI Home 2010 in an .vhd Image. Now I tried to get an virtual Machine out of it (with VirtualBox latest version). I reached the screen where you can decide the boot mode. But unfortunately the machine crashes even in the secure/safe-Mode. Is this because of the different environments virtual/real? Have I the possibility to get this image run on any virtualisationsoftware anyway. Why is there only the possibility to create '.vhd images and not others (VWWare, VirtualBox, Xen). It would be a great improvement.

Thx for your answers.

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What you're seeing is expected behavior. Working with a .VHD file is no different than working with a physical disk. The fact that it's "virtual" has nothing to do with the data that the .VHD contains. Think of a .VHD as just a very convenient and portable disk drive.

So when you attach the .VHD to a VM such as VirtualBox, it is just as if you had removed your physical disk from your existing physical machine, and installed it in a different physical machine. Unless the hardware between the two machines is identical, the OS probably won't boot.

There are ways to do what you'd like by using tools such as "sysprep", or the Acronis "Universal Restore" add-on. Just look to your left as you're reading this post and check the "Similar Content" column. You should see several topics regarding this very subject.

Hello Marcus and Garry,

Let me sort this situation out.

You cannot run the converted VHD file as a virtual machine or its hard disk.

Acronis True Image 2010 backup (TIB) files can be converted to Windows backup VHD files. There are several reasons why Acronis recommends doing this:

  • You can boot your machine from the converted VHD file to test if it is not corrupt and works fine;
  • You can boot from the converted VHD for testing purposes. For example, to install a new application and see if it runs fine;
  • You can keep the converted VHD file for emergency situations. For example, if your machine crashes and you need to get it up and running in no time, you can just boot from the VHD file.
  • In Windows 7, the VHD file can be mounted as an additional drive.

(!) If you are going to boot from the converted VHD file, there should either Windows 7 Ultimate or Windows 7 Enterprise Edition in the file.

(!) If you are going to mount the VHD file in Windows 7, there can be non-system Windows partitions.

(!) Any changes you make to the booted or mounted VHD file are saved to it. If you boot from the VHD file and make changes to the data that was not backed up (e.g. delete a file from drive that was not backed up), these changes will affect your live system.

(!) File backup (as opposed to partition backup) cannot be converted to VHD.

(!) You can only boot the same machine the backup of which was converted to VHD. Booting other machines from the same VHD files will fail.

I'd like to make sure all your queries regarding Acronis products are resolved.
Additionally to this, you are welcome to ask me any other questions concerning Acronis, and I will assist you further.

Thank you.

Alexander

"You cannot run the converted VHD file as a virtual machine or its hard disk." Please explain, why?
"If you are going to boot from the converted VHD file, there should either be Windows 7 Ultimate or Windows 7 Enterprise Edition in the file." Why its not possible to boot a WinXP SP3 from VHD?

Can I boot WinXP from VHD created by Win7 Tools? If yes, why?

Generally, could you explain, if any files at all, created by Acronis True Image, can be used in VirtualBox or similar machine? Why there is nothing in ATIH interface to make it clear and easy for a user to convert the files to a suitable for Virtual machines format? Why there is nothing about the way HOW to do it in your software Help docs, despite your company's ATIH ads claim its one of typical program usage scenarios?

PLEASE EXLPAIN STEP BY STEP, HOW TO CONVERT A CREATED IN ACRONIS ARCHIVE OF A BOOTABLE PARTITION INTO A FILE THAT CAN BOOT INSIDE VIRTUALBOX. I want to do it while running ATIH 11 from Windows (why not?) instead of running it from a CD. Please do not refer to Plus Pack KB - you know well, it does not mention anything related to virtual machines, except claiming, its possible. When running Plus package, there is no option to restore to a virtual drive, and no existing virtual drives are listed to restore to.