Resizing .VHD files

After a long disturbing journey through the process of changing the size of a .vhd disk smaller than or equal to 4GB I finally found a solution.

You need 3 (three) programs listed below and a Windows XP cd with at least SP1:

1. VHD Resizer

• http://vmtoolkit.com/files/folders/converters/entry87.aspx

2. Bart's Preinstalled Environment (BartPE) bootable live windows CD/DVD

• http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/#download

3. Testdisk utility.

• http://www.xtralogic.com/testdisk_rebuild_bootsector.shtml

First of all install VHD resizer and change your .vhd to the desired size.

If you have crossed one of the following boundaries - 528Mb, 1Gb, 2Gb, 4Gb you are now in trouble!!!!

When you start your new resized Virtual Machine you get the message:

                      A disk read error occurred

Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart

Now it’s time to install Bart's Preinstalled Environment and find your XP-cd. Also download the Testdisk Utility and unzip it.

Run PE Builder (Bart's Preinstalled Environment)

Source: (path to Windows installation files)

D:\ is my CD-Drive

“Custom (include files and folders from this directory)”

 is where I unzipped the Testdisk Utility

I choose to create ISO image

Press the “Build”-button

Now start your new expanded Virtual Machine you just created

You get this message:

A disk read error occurred

Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart

In the top of the Virtual Machine screen choose the CD:

Capture the ISO image you just created with PE Builder.

In the top of the Virtual Machine screen choose Action:

And select Ctrl+Alt+Del

Now you will boot in “Bart mode” which looks like this:

Click “No” in the box as you don’t need network support at this moment

Now select the orange “Go” in the lower left corner.

Select system – Storage – DiskPart as shown here:

You will get this screen:

First of all we have to apply the extension to your disk so type:

list volume

to display the existing volumes on the computer.

Type

Select volume X

where X is the number of the volume that you want to extend.

Type

Extend

Now type Exit

So far so good – hang on you are almost there……

Now we have to start our Testdisk utility. Select the orange “Go” in the lower left corner again, and choose the “Run” option and type:

D:\win\testdisk_win.exe

Follow the instructions here from Step 2: http://www.xtralogic.com/testdisk_rebuild_bootsector.shtml

and you are finished.

Just remember to release the ISO image and then restart your Virtual Machine

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