How do I read a VHD file

[qldtraveller]

I upgraded from XP to Vista Ultimate. Backed up data using image backup from
Vista Ultimate. Gave me 5 discs in VHD format. Subsequently did a clean
install using Home premium. It will not open the backup VHD images. I just
need a few documents from the backup set. Any suggestions please.

 

[Synapse Syndrome]

I upgraded from XP to Vista Ultimate. Backed up data using image backup
from Vista Ultimate. Gave me 5 discs in VHD format. Subsequently did a
clean install using Home premium. It will not open the backup VHD images. I
just need a few documents from the backup set. Any suggestions please.

VirtualPC virtual machine files are .vhd files. I don't see the connection
with Vista Backup. I do not use that myself, as I use TrueImage instead.
Can somebody explain?

ss.

 

[Synapse Syndrome]

VirtualPC virtual machine files are .vhd files. I don't see the
connection with Vista Backup. I do not use that myself, as I use
TrueImage instead. Can somebody explain?

I meant virtual hard drive files, not virtual machine files.

ss.

 

[Andrew McLaren]

I upgraded from XP to Vista Ultimate. Backed up data using image backup

VirtualPC virtual machine files are .vhd files. I don't see the
connection with Vista Backup. I do not use that myself, as I use
TrueImage instead. Can somebody explain?

The Complete PC Backup facility in Vista uses *.vhd format as its backup
format. The Complete PC backup makes a block-level copy of the disk; so, a
disk-oriented format such as vhd was felt to make more sense than a
file-oriented format like ZIP or BKF.

It's the same vhd format in both Virtual PC and Compleete PC Backup. In
fact, you can mount a backup vhd inside Virtual PC, as a hard disk.

The *downside* to this choice of vhd format is that there is no easy way to
isolate and restore a single file - it's "all or nothing". If you want to do
a complete system restore from the Vista repair console, it's great. If you
want to recover single file, it sucks.

As best I can work out, the solution is to use the VHDMount tool from
Virtual Server 2005. This allows you to mount the VHD file as a drive. You
can then copy individual files from the mounted vhd to your "real" hard disk
in teh usual manner. Then unmount the vhd.

Instructions on how to mount the vhd file are here:
http://technet2.microsoft.com/windo...7f-9866-3288fe2ad2d61033.mspx?mfr=trueVirtual Server is a free download from Microsoft.com: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/eval/virtualserver/default.mspxFortunately it is not very large (~41MB). After you have installed andretrieved to VHDMount.exe file, you could uninstall Virtual Server again, ifyou don't plan on running virtual machines.If you are already using Virtual PC, you could also mount the VHD inside aVM, and then copy the files across the virtual network to your local(physical) PC.Hope it helps,--Andrew McLarenamclar (at) optusnet dot com dot au

 

[Synapse Syndrome]

Had the same problem: MS Windows Vista 32 bit would not read it's own
VHD backup file.
Got it to work the following way:
VHD-file backup was made on several DVDs, volumes 1 through 4.
First offer the LAST Disk. Even without hitting OK, Recovery Console
will attempt to read or read and eventually complain that it is the
wrong file.
Then offer Disk 1 through 4 in this sequence after it complained
repeatedly.
Apparently, it offers poor user interface.
Note, the last digit in its error message is the disk number it is
looking for. In my case 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Hope it works for you, too!

You can also mount .vhd files as disk drives in VirtualPC.

ss.