How to install vhdx image onto win 10 new computer

Attach the drive with the VHD file to any windows 8/10 PC

I assume the .VHD(X) file is on an external USB drive.... we'll example it as drive letter USB:\

Mount the .VHD(X) file ... we'll example it as drive letter VHD:\

Then from that PC, open command prompt (admin)

if mounted x86 VHD - use cmd > bcdboot VHD:\Windows /s USB: /f BIOS
if mounted x64 VHD - use cmd > bcdboot VHD:\Windows /s USB: /f ALL

The above will write the files required to boot the VHD to the external drive...
then just set the external drive as your Boot device, to boot the windows vhd..

Just glad I could help..

Explain where the VHD file is located
and where you wrote the boot files

You also have to be booting in Legacy mode (legacy support enabled) - if using a usb stick...
as uefi booting would require an partitioned drive

no need to pre-attach (mount) VHD in order to boot it..

Kyhi said:

You also have to be booting in Legacy mode (legacy support enabled) - if using a usb stick...
as uefi booting would require an partitioned drive

no need to pre-attach (mount) VHD in order to boot it..

I think the above is the cause of my issue.

First off, the VHDX file is located on a 'WD MyBook' drive which is attached via a USB port. And I do see UEFI in my boot menu (next to some, but not all, boot options).

So basically, what is UEFI and is it possible for me to enable legacy mode? (I'll do some digging around on this myself, too).

In addition, when I executed your commands my USB drive was mapped to drive W and the VHDX file (located on that same drive) was mounted to drive H.

EDIT: I can see that legacy mode is enabled for the USB drive and so I'm guessing that looks ok. Could my problem be that my VHDX was created from a 'UEFI Windows 10' install and it somehow needs to be modified to be a 'Legacy Windows Install'?

You could try this but be warned it might not work due to driver issues.

Copy vhdx file to say c:\vhd folder as say win10.vhdx

Then boot from a windows 10 installation usb drive

Then, select language etc, and at install now screen, press shift+f10

Then enter these commands

diskpart

select vdisk file=c:\vhd\win10.vhdx

attach vdisk

exit

exit

Remove installation usb drive and reboot. You will now be able to boot from vhdx.

With luck it will boot but you might get driver issues. If so, installing vhdx in a vm is more likely to work.

Day Trooper said:

Thanks for the reply. I was able to attach my VHDX, but unfortunately after rebooting the VHDX is no longer attached.

Any other ideas?

Sorry my brain was not in gear - I forgot to mention the bcdboot commands needed

When running diskpart after attaching vhd, you have to find the volume that contains the system reserved (legacy bios) or efi partition (uefi), and assign a drive letter to it temporarily.


in diskpart still, run

list vol

and you get something like

Volume 0 C 10 Pro N NTFS Partition 195 GB Healthy Boot
Volume 1 E Data NTFS Partition 735 GB Healthy
Volume 2 FAT32 Partition 329 MB Healthy System
Volume 3 NTFS Partition 465 MB Healthy Hidden
Volume 4 F Disk 2 NTFS Partition 471 GB Healthy
Volume 5 G Disk 2 NTFS Partition 459 GB Healthy
Volume 6 D 10 Home NTFS Partition 149 GB Healthy

Here volume 2 is mine - it is the FAT32 volume

To assign drive letter still in diskpart:

select volume 2 (in my case)

assign letter=s (could be any letter but I use S for system)

Here volume 6 is my vhd attached as per earlier command and is drive D in my case

Then you exit diskpart and type

bcdboot d:\windows /s s: /f uefi (or bios as appropriate)

See step 4 in this guide.

Boot to VHD (Native Boot): Add a Virtual Hard Disk to the Boot Menu

Kyhi said:

Explain where the VHD file is located
and where you wrote the boot files

You also have to be booting in Legacy mode (legacy support enabled) - if using a usb stick...
as uefi booting would require an partitioned drive

no need to pre-attach (mount) VHD in order to boot it..

Good to see you back. Hope things are going ok with you.