Converting .vhd to .vdi (Windows 7 Virtual PC)

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Windows hosts.
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dpotter
Posts: 4
Joined: 27. Sep 2010, 18:08
Primary OS: MS Windows 7
VBox Version: OSE other
Guest OSses: XP, Vista, 7, Server 2008

Converting .vhd to .vdi (Windows 7 Virtual PC)

Post by dpotter »

Not sure if this query has been posted before (could not see any posting, so apologies for any duplication)

I have recently moved over from Virtual PC (the Win 7 'XP Mode' version) and now wish to convert the .vhd's that I currently have , to .vdi's for the purpose of using in Virtual Box

I have used following command (

Code: Select all

--variant standard 
when converting to a dynamic disk, correct?)

Code: Select all

VBoxManage convertfromraw  sourcefile.vhd  targetfile.vhd --variant standard
Then end result is, that I get a .vdi created. Which I am able to attach to a Virtual machine. However, when I attempt to start up the virtual machine the following message appears (even though it was configured as the bootable drive)
FATAL: No bootable medium found! System Halted
Any ideas as to what I'm doing wrong?
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Converting .vhd to .vdi (Windows 7 Virtual PC)

Post by mpack »

You are doing several things wrong, for example a VHD is not a raw file, so "convertfromraw" is not likely to do anything useful. The easiest solution for you is probably to download the CloneVDI tool - see the sticky at the top of this forum. It will convert VHD to VDI, and its a GUI tool which I suspect you will find easier to use.

Note that CloneVDI (and VBoxManage) if used correctly will allow you to convert the VHD media type to the VDI media type. The media content is unaffected by this transformation, and some of that content will be wrong for VirtualBox: meaning you may have problems getting the XP mode VM to survive the (virtual) hardware changes and to activate. There was talk about making VBox support XP Mode VMs, but I don't know if that was done.
dpotter
Posts: 4
Joined: 27. Sep 2010, 18:08
Primary OS: MS Windows 7
VBox Version: OSE other
Guest OSses: XP, Vista, 7, Server 2008

Re: Converting .vhd to .vdi (Windows 7 Virtual PC)

Post by dpotter »

Many thanks, I'll give that try
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