Convert Virtual Image to a Bootcamp partition?

[adamrobertt]

Is this possible? I'd like to take my established VM and install it on a Bootcamp partition on my Mac so that I can utilize my computer's hardware to the max, so that it behaves like a native install. Is this possible? How do I do it? Thanks

[mpack]

Pretty much anything you can do with a physical PC, you can do with a virtual PC.

So your question is: is it possible to transfer an image of a PC (presumably running Windows) to a Mac bootcamp partition? I'd say that certainly you can transfer a partition image, but getting the boot stuff right may take some expertise. Also Windows itself and possible some software would most likely not remain activated.

One possible avenue to explore - and I have no idea if it will work - is to install Windows normally first (which puts the boot stuff in place), and then overwrite the bootcamp volume with the Windows system partition from the source image. ISTM that stands a reasonable chance of success.

[socratis]

Not with a Mac. Chances are it won't work. Macs boot using UEFI. Windows thinks it boots BIOS. Apple is doing some magic in there that it is not easy to replicate ^[1].

There is one chance that you could do it, but I haven't tried it:

• Install the same Windows version in your BootCamp partition as the one on your VM.
• Make a backup of the VM, from within the VM. Use Windows backup or similar (haven't tried it for years).
• Boot in BootCamp and restore the backup. Be prepared to have to re-install the BootCamp drivers.

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^[1]: It just so happens that I've been trying for the last week to have my Mac boot from an external Windows USB drive. No can't do. No go. The only thing I manage to do is to get Windows RE going (I believe it's also the one used for the installation?). Not even Diskpart low level commands work. I've tried (almost) every guide out there. There is only one left to do tonight; make it happen or throw it away

[mpack]

Not with a Mac. Chances are it won't work. Macs boot using UEFI. Windows thinks it boots BIOS.

That is among the reasons why I suggested installing another Windows first. Since Win7, the windows installer creates a creates a boot sector, then a boot partition, and then a system volume which contains the actual OS. If you replaced only the latter from a backup then I think it has a chance of working. The former two are the bits that care about legacy vs EFI BIOS. What I don't know is if the system volume itself contains any kind of verification of the partition UUID. If so that check would fail, but it sounds like something a repair tool would fix.