Cannot boot into VHD on Windows 7 PC
I have a brand new Windows 7 PC (HP Compaq 6300 Pro - C3A33ET#ABU). I have been asked to convert an existing Windows XP PC to a VHD, make the new Windows 7 PC a dual boot system.
I took a VHD of the existing XP system using Disk2VHD. I chose VHD as opposed to VHDX, and I chose the option to "Prepare for use in VHD".
I have copied the VHD to C:\VHDs\SALES.VHD, and have created a new BCD entry however, when I choose to boot from the VHD, the PC hangs at "Windows is loading files".
I'm not sure how to get past this...
I took a VHD of the existing XP system using Disk2VHD. I chose VHD as opposed to VHDX, and I chose the option to "Prepare for use in VHD".
I have copied the VHD to C:\VHDs\SALES.VHD, and have created a new BCD entry however, when I choose to boot from the VHD, the PC hangs at "Windows is loading files".
I'm not sure how to get past this...
You have made the machine as a virtual machine. So then run it as a virtual machine and that will be better than dual boot anyway.
If you have Windows 7 Pro, you can download XP Mode for free from Microsoft and install it. Then install your software in XP Mode. That is also a good way to go.
..... Thinkpads_User
If you have Windows 7 Pro, you can download XP Mode for free from Microsoft and install it. Then install your software in XP Mode. That is also a good way to go.
..... Thinkpads_User
Change your BCD back to original to see if that allows you boot Windows 7.
.... Thinkpads_User
.... Thinkpads_User
What is the error you get when trying to boot the system?
If you have access to command line, type bcdedit to identify the VHD boot entry.
Then enter bcdedit /delete {entry} where entry is the identifier of the BCD entry you want to delete.
Have you tried pressing F8 after the system started booting from VHD? Maybe some driver(s) are left in VHD that prevent booting correctly. Although "Prepare for use in VHD" should have prepared the image, you never know.
Try using Windows XP Mode if you have correct Windows 7 version (Professional, Ultimate, Enterprise) or use Oracle Virtualbox to run VHD instead of booting from VHD.
If you have access to command line, type bcdedit to identify the VHD boot entry.
Then enter bcdedit /delete {entry} where entry is the identifier of the BCD entry you want to delete.
Have you tried pressing F8 after the system started booting from VHD? Maybe some driver(s) are left in VHD that prevent booting correctly. Although "Prepare for use in VHD" should have prepared the image, you never know.
Try using Windows XP Mode if you have correct Windows 7 version (Professional, Ultimate, Enterprise) or use Oracle Virtualbox to run VHD instead of booting from VHD.
ASKER
Right, I ended up having to restore the Windows 7 PC back to factory settings because I couldn't get it to start at all since trying to boot the VHD natively.
I've now tried loading my Windows XP VHDs using Oracle Virtual Box. I have 3 VHDs now, all creating from different XP machines (some with Disk2VHD, some that were converted from True Image .tib files).
None of the VHDs boot in Virtual Box - they all give me the following error:-
Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
<Windows root>\system32\ntoskrnl.ex
Please reinstall a copy of the above file
I've now tried loading my Windows XP VHDs using Oracle Virtual Box. I have 3 VHDs now, all creating from different XP machines (some with Disk2VHD, some that were converted from True Image .tib files).
None of the VHDs boot in Virtual Box - they all give me the following error:-
Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
<Windows root>\system32\ntoskrnl.ex
Please reinstall a copy of the above file
Can you re-convert the XP machines to new VHD files, making sure they are for virtual use?
.... Thinkpads_User
.... Thinkpads_User
ASKER
I've already done so prior to my last post....
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
None of my VHDs worked, so am going to have to resort to XP Mode even though that was one of the things that I was trying to avoid!
@Chris Millard - Thanks and I was happy to help you. ... Thinkpads_User
ASKER