Very easy to boot and install windows 7 from VHD files. Additional info about VHD, you can take a look here
A Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) is a file formatted to be structurally identical to a physical Hard Disk Drive. It is typically used in various virtualization packages, and can be used to install a wide variety of operating systems (various versions of Microsoft Windows and Linux).[1] The format was created by Connectix which was later acquired by Microsoft for Virtual PC. Since June 2005 Microsoft has made the VHD Image Format Specification available to third parties under the Microsoft Open Specification Promise.[2]
Start from Windows 7 and Windows 2008 R2, VHD natively support by Microsoft. Even more, we can boot into Windows 7 or Windows 2008 R2 from VHD file. There's two version VHD disk type,
- Dynamically expanding
- Fixed Size
Now the best part,
- Create VHD files
- Go to Computer Management
- Click on Action and Choose Create VHD files
- Choose VHD Location
- Choose Virtual hard disk format. Fixed size is recommended by Microsoft
- Mount the VHD into Z: for example
- Install Windows 7
- Load your Windows 7 disk or Windows 7 Image into drives. For example drive i:
- run command prompt with administrator rights
- type this command imagex /apply i:\sources\install.win 5 h: (in this example 5 is the windows 7 edition which windows 7 ultimate. To get the list type imagex /info i:\sources\install.wim
- wait the process
- Install into MBR
- run command prompt with administrator rights
- type bcdboot h:\windows
After this, you'll get another booting option which can boot your OS from VHD files. Note, this VHD files only can be applied into Windows 7, Windows 2008 R2 forwards.
