Moving Virtual PC from Host's

Dear Readers,

Happy New Year - 2009.
I am happy to start with my blog on "Troubleshooting Virtual PC" as my first on this year.

Let is jump into the topic, which is "How to move a Virutal PC instance from host to host?"
I am not able to find (at least several pages of search results in google) correct answers though there are many posts available (i can say questions) on the same.

Here is the scenario, I had host machine with Microsoft Vista Home edition (this case is applicable for all Vista editions) and I installed virtual PC with sp1 (download available at Microsoft download center) and I had XP running on this virtual PC. I had separated the VPC in a partition and I did not combine with vista system directory.

All of sudden the host machine failed (Acer Aspire – Service center is still figuring out the issue) but fortunately I can recover the data from the HDD. I copied the Virtual PC Partition into a external HDD (the important file is *.vhd)

Now I need to run this instance on my standby notebook so that my work does not get disturbed (since it is outsourced job from US).

Here are the steps.
1.Install the virtual PC on the new machines. It can be any host operating system (xp, 2000 or vista). Important thing is make sure you use the same Virtual PC version.
2.After the installation restart the PC.
3.Connect the external HDD (via usb or whatever), where you had copied the file from your old host machine.
4.Start the Virtual PC console, select new.
5.The “New Virtual Machine Wizard” Will start, press next to continue.
6.Select “Create New Virtual Machine”
7.Specify the Name and location of the new virtual machine instance, - it could be into your host file system.
8.Select the operating system – should be windows Xp in this case.
9.Next, select the recommended RAM Settings
10.Next, this is important – select “Existing Virtual Hard Disk” , presss Next.
It is ask you to select the vhd file, now, you browse and choose the vhd file from the external HDD. That’s it.
11.Run the instance from the Virtual PC. There you go.


Hope this helps, if you need any further information on the same. Leave your questions here.

Thank you, Readers

JS