Windows 7: Virtual Hard Disk - Create and Attach VHD

            Step by Step Configuration of VHD

Here's How:

1. Open the Control Panel (icons view).

A) Click on the Administrative Tools icon, and click on Computer Management.

B) Go to step 3.

OR

2. Open the Start Menu.

A) In the Search box, type compmgmt.msc and press Enter.

3. If prompted by UAC, click on Yes, then do either step 4 or 5 below.

4. To Attach an Existing VHD File
NOTE: This is for a detached VHD file that you had already created in step 5 below, or from an existing VHD file.

A) In the left pane, right click on Disk Management, and click on Attach VHD
NOTE: You can also click on Disk Management, Action on the menu bar, and Attach VHD.

B) Click on the Browse button

C) Navigate to the VHD file location and select it, then click on the Open button.

D) If you want the VHD to be read-only, then check the box, otherwise leave it unchecked. Click on OK.

E) If the existing VHD file is unallocated, go to step 6.
WARNING: Be sure to create a backup copy of the VHD file first to be safe in case of data loss.

F) If the existing VHD file is allocated, go to step 8.

5. To Create and Attach a New Virtual Hard Disk (VHD file)

A) In the left pane, right click on Disk Management, and click on Create VHD.
NOTE: You can also click on Disk Management, Action on the menu bar, and Create VHD.

B) Click on the Browse button

C) Navigate to the location you would like to store the new VHD file, type in a name for the VHD file, and click on Save

.

D) Type in the maximum size you want the Virtual Hard Disk to be, and select the size to be MB, GB, or TB (1024 MB = 1 GB, 1024 GB = 1 TB).

E) Select (dot) if you want the new VHD size to be Dynamic or Fixed, and click on OK

F) Continue to step 6.

6. To Initialize the Virtual Hard Disk

A) Right click on the new unallocated VHD Disk # and click on Initialize Disk

B) Select (check) the Disk # from above for the new VHD. Select (dot) if you want the new VHD to have a MBR (Master Boot Record) or GPT (GUID Partition Table) partition, and click on OK

C) Continue to step 7.

7. To Create a New Simple Volume in the VHD

A) Right click on the new unallocated VHD and click on New Simple Volume.

B) Click on the Next button.

C) Type in how much of the maximum disk space (step 5D) you want for the size of this VHD partition, and click on Next.

NOTE: If you do not use the maximum space, then you will have a second unallocated VHD partition left with the remaining available disk space

D) Select the file system (NTFS or FAT32) you want the VHD partition to be.

E) Type in a name for the VHD to be displayed in Computer.

F) Check the Perform a quick format box, and click on Next.

G) Click on the Finish button

8. The VHD is now attached and ready to access like a HDD.

That's it