Why does it make a separate .vdi for the system volume?

[Rockworthy]

This is frustrating. Whenever I convert a backup image of Windows 7 to a virtual hard drive, no matter what type even, it always makes a separate .vdi file for the 100MB system volume. So when I go to mount it using Virtualbox, it sees the main OS partition as one drive and the system volume as a second drive, and I get an error saying that the system can't boot. Very frustrating. Why does it make the physical hard drive into a virtual hard drive, instead of turning each partition on a hard drive into a separate virtual hard drive? I can't be the only one having this problem. I tried to search for a solution too but couldn't find one.

[Perryg]

That is a Windows 7 issue. Converting a physical volume to a virtual one has nothing to do with VirtualBox.
I would think the Windows forum will have your answer.

[Rockworthy]

Oh okay thanks. I wasn't sure where to start. It just seems like Virtualbox users are going to need to know how to solve this problem, as it's going to come up ALL THE TIME you know? I mean it's Windows 7, and everyone has it or will have it pretty soon, so I'm sure there is a simple solution to this silly problem out there some where...

[Sasquatch]

But nobody uses it like you are. They all install it as a fresh system inside a VM.

[BillG]

Oe use disk2vhd from sysinternals which allows you to select which partitions to move to the vhd.

[Perryg]

Oe use disk2vhd from sysinternals which allows you to select which partitions to move to the vhd.

BillG,
I haven't done a lot with Windows 7 and the *new* 100 MB partition that they make, but I was under the impression that it was needed. Do you mean that you can actually delete this special part of Windows 7 and it will work? Or does it take into account that it exists and actually makes the dual partition on the VHD file?

[Sasquatch]

I hope it does the latter, because if it would remove it, you get an unbootable system. The Windows bootloader is on that partition and the MBR points to this partition.

[BillG]

Oe use disk2vhd from sysinternals which allows you to select which partitions to move to the vhd.

BillG,
I haven't done a lot with Windows 7 and the *new* 100 MB partition that they make, but I was under the impression that it was needed. Do you mean that you can actually delete this special part of Windows 7 and it will work? Or does it take into account that it exists and actually makes the dual partition on the VHD file?

Good question! I guess I didn't think it through! I have used this method to copy just the boot partition, but that was probably Vista, not Win 7.

I am currently having a look at this. It does not look promising. It appears to create the two partitions, regardless of whether you check or uncheck the hidden 100MB partition. But it doesn't boot in either case. I have only looked at the vhd file from Winimage. I don't know much about the .vhd format. Maybe mpack can add something on this. I will let you know if I make any progress.

[Perryg]

I know that on install you can usurp this by partitioning the drive before you install and I know of a hack that you can do to remove it during setup. But with the data already stored in the 100MB area which is the boot files and system files so you can boot without the recovery CD if something goes south I don't know how you can actually image it the way Microsoft has it setup.