Using Vista's backup image as VM

[mpack]

none of the partitions are marked as bootable. That seems to be the only problem.

Curiosity got the better of me on this issue. So, I cloned a Win7 backup VHD to a VDI - this step is not necessary, it just so happens that I know my way around inside a VDI somewhat more so than a VHD. Having done that I then used a hex editor to patch the partition table, correcting the CHS info and marking the partition as bootable.

The result was, the VDI would not boot, it just hangs at a black screen. There are lots of things that could cause this (I tried enabling the IO APIC), so I have to say that the result is inconclusive. The VDI does however work perfectly as a second drive in an XP VM.

[Alon]

Hi,

Well, let me start with saying that it didnt work... neither my other option - see at the end.

What I did is the following:
1. created a new VM in VB from my original laptop Vista Recovery DVD (original of Dell) - 20GB (VDI)
2. created a backup image of my original vista - 178GB
3. created a slave VDI of 200GB size
4. used HDClone to copy the 20GB virtual HD to the 200GB virtual HD
5. removed the master and changed the slave to be a master
(6. the VM did satrt from that clone but after putting the password the windows just hanged with the blue-green vista entry screen without any options, just empty)
7. boot the VM from the vista recovery DVD
8. selected Windows complete PC restore
9. pointed to my backup image
10. after a few seconds I got the following error:

restore error.JPG (32.99 KiB) Viewed 926 times

I couldnt find any relevant information about the bmrui.exe process and by that this trial failed.


Then I discovered the Sysinternals Disk2vhd and thought that here is my salvation - I used the Disk2vhd and created my vhd copy of my current vista.
Tried to load it in the VB - I just got a black screen hanging forever
Tried to load it in the Win7 Virtual PC but overthere the error came on the last phase of the wizard saying I have problematic properties (I used the standard and there is not much to change anyhow).
I did read somewhere that someone has been able to use the Disk2vhd created vhd in VB.

The only thing I can think of is the size of my actual HD - 178GB. It says that VPC has a problem to load HD of more than 127GB but I dont know if it applys only to VPC 2007 or also to Win7's.

Till here is my story.

And as usual, any suggestion about what's next are most welcome,

Alon