cloning vm in windowsvirtualpc
TRANSCRIPT
CLONING A VIRTUAL MACHINE IN "WINDOWS VIRTUAL PC"
HIGH-LEVEL EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: In "Windows Virtual PC", you cannot copy a virtual machine directly. In "Windows Virtual PC", you can copy a .VHD virtual hard drive directly using "Windows Explorer" or "My Computer". Then you create a new virtual machine and attach it to the cloned virtual hard drive.
TECHNICAL DETAILS: When you follow this procedure to clone a virtual machine, the new virtual machine that you create will have a new, unique "UUID.BIOS" (="computer UUID"). However, the virtual hard drive of the new virtual machine will have the same "hard disk UUID" as the virtual hard drive of the original virtual machine. In "Windows Virtual PC", the *.vmc file of a virtual machine stores the "UUID.BIOS". The "UUID.BIOS" is also known as a "motherboard UUID" or a "system UUID". In "Windows Virtual PC", the "hard drive UUID" is stored inside the .vhd "virtual hard drive" file. When you follow this procedure, the new virtual network adapter that is created in the cloned virtual machine will have a unique MAC address that is different from the original virtual machine. When you follow this procedure, the new .vhd "virtual hard drive" that is created for the new, cloned virtual machine will have the exact same Windows "SID" or "Security Identifier" as the original virtual machine. This is not an issue for virtual
machines that are in the same "workgroup". This is sometimes a problem for virtual machines that are in the same "Windows Server" "domain".
STEP-BY-STEP EXAMPLE: Step 1: Open the Windows "Control Panel". Step 2: Double-click on the "Folder Options" icon:
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Step 10: If you are running "Windows 7" or "Windows Vista" in the host computer, double-click on "Users" in the right-most pane. If you are running "Windows XP" in the host computer, double-click on "Documents and Settings" in the right-most pane.
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* Note that in our example, the "Windows 7 Enterprise Trial" virtual machine is not in the default location for "Windows Virtual PC" virtual machines so we will now look at an alternate location where "Windows Virtual PC" virtual machines were stored by the end user of this computer:
Step 22: We have located the .vhd "virtual hard drive" file of the "Windows 7 Enterprise Trial 32-bit" virtual machine:
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Step 23: Use the right mouse button to click on the file called Windows 7 Enterprise Trial 32-bit.vhd Step 24: A pop-up context menu will be displayed:
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Step 26: Navigate to the location where you want to copy the *.vhd "virtual hard disk" file to. Step 27: Use the right mouse button to perform a click at this location. Step 28: A pop-up context menu will be displayed:
Step 30: A new file called <name of old file> - Copy.vhd will be shown at the desired location:
* In our example, the new file is called Windows 7 Enterprise Trial32-bit - Copy.vhd
Step 34: Type in an appropriate name for the new .vhd file: In our example, we typed in Windows 7 Enterprise Trial 32-bit - Clone01.vhd
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Step 35: Press the "Enter" key to lock in the new file name:
* Step 36: Click on the Windows "Start" button. Step 37: Click on "All Programs".
Step 38: Scroll downward to the bottom of the left-most side of the "Start menu":
* Step 39: Click on "Windows Virtual PC".
Step 42: A list of virtual machine .vmcx files will be shown at C:\Users\<your profile name>\Virtual Machines\
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Step 45: Type in a name for your new virtual machine: In this example, we typed in Windows 7 Enterprise Trial 32-bit clone01
* Step 46: Change the default location for virtual machine, if you want to.
Step 49: Adjust the memory to a value that is less than half the amount of RAM in the host computer. Take into account how many virtual machines that you wish to run at the same time:
* Note that for "Windows Virtual PC" virtual machines, you cannot have more than 3.712 Gigabytes of memory allocated to any single virtual machine:
Step 55: Navigate to the location of the .vhd "virtual hard disk" that you created in the earlier steps of this procedure: *
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Step 56: Click on the .vhd "virtual hard disk" file. In this example, we clicked on Windows 7 Enterprise Trial 32-bit - Clone01.vhd
* Step 57: Click on the "Open" button:
Step 58: Click on the "Create" button:
* Step 59: The "Add a virtual hard disk" box will disappear. *
Step 61: Click on "All Programs". Scroll down vertically in the left-most side of the "Start menu":
* Step 62: Click on "Windows Virtual PC".
Step 64: Click on the "Windows Virtual PC" submenu item. Step 65: All of your virtual machines will be displayed:
* Step 66: Use the right mouse button to click on the newly-created virtual machine. In this case, we used our right mouse button to click on Windows 7 Enterprise Trial clone01.vmcx