Bad VHD file

[g***@phys.washington.edu]

Hi,
I've been using VPC and a Vista install (running on Vista) to do
some simple test work.

Unfortunately, while doing the install of VS2008 Beta 2 the machine
seemed to have hung. No VPC windows would respond to clicks (cpu idle,
and no disk activity). So I attempted to stop the program. Finally,
Windows cut in and took VPC down.

Sadly, like an idiot, I was not running with an undo disk. I have no
idea why I wasn't: I almost always do with my other VPC images.
Idiot. :-)

Unfortunately, it looks like the vhd disk was in an inconsitent
state when this happened. No one recognizes the disk any more: VPC
pops a dialog box saying that the VHD is not recognized, vhdmount
claims it is not a valid vhd file, and when I try to access with the
disk editor I get the error message: "It or one of its parent drive
images may be in use by a running virtual machine, the Virtual Disk
Wizard, or you may not have the proper access privileges. Please
select another file" There are no parent images, as far as I know, and
it certianly isn't in use.

So -- it would be nice to recover some of the work that was on that
disk. Is that possible to do somehow? It is at the level that if it is
lost forever, well, it is gone, but there is some work on there that
would be nice to not have to recreate.

Cheers,
Gordon.

[g***@phys.washington.edu]

I should mention that I tried winimage -- unfortunately it crashed
right away.

Post by g***@phys.washington.edu
Hi,
I've been using VPC and a Vista install (running on Vista) to do
some simple test work.
Unfortunately, while doing the install of VS2008 Beta 2 the machine
seemed to have hung. No VPC windows would respond to clicks (cpu idle,
and no disk activity). So I attempted to stop the program. Finally,
Windows cut in and took VPC down.
Sadly, like an idiot, I was not running with an undo disk. I have no
idea why I wasn't: I almost always do with my other VPC images.
Idiot. :-)
Unfortunately, it looks like the vhd disk was in an inconsitent
state when this happened. No one recognizes the disk any more: VPC
pops a dialog box saying that the VHD is not recognized, vhdmount
claims it is not a valid vhd file, and when I try to access with the
disk editor I get the error message: "It or one of its parent drive
images may be in use by a running virtual machine, the Virtual Disk
Wizard, or you may not have the proper access privileges. Please
select another file" There are no parent images, as far as I know, and
it certianly isn't in use.
So -- it would be nice to recover some of the work that was on that
disk. Is that possible to do somehow? It is at the level that if it is
lost forever, well, it is gone, but there is some work on there that
would be nice to not have to recreate.
Cheers,
Gordon.

[Jasmine Lee]

I'm having a similar problem and I really need to recover the data on the .vhd.

When I try to start the image in the normal way through VirtualPC, I get this message:

"Windows could not start becuaset he following file is missing or corrupt:
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
You can attempt to repair the file by starting Windows Setup using the original Setup CD-ROM. Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair."

I don't have the original setup CD, so that option is out.

I tried WinImage, and it appeared to open the .vhd and show me the top level folders, but if I tried to browse the folders or copy a folder, WinImage crashes and says:
"WinImage application file has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience."

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Jasmine

Post by g***@phys.washington.edu
Hi,
I've been using VPC and a Vista install (running on Vista) to do
some simple test work.
Unfortunately, while doing the install of VS2008 Beta 2 the machine
seemed to have hung. No VPC windows would respond to clicks (cpu idle,
and no disk activity). So I attempted to stop the program. Finally,
Windows cut in and took VPC down.
Sadly, like an idiot, I was not running with an undo disk. I have no
idea why I wasn't: I almost always do with my other VPC images.
Idiot. :-)
Unfortunately, it looks like the vhd disk was in an inconsitent
state when this happened. No one recognizes the disk any more: VPC
pops a dialog box saying that the VHD is not recognized, vhdmount
claims it is not a valid vhd file, and when I try to access with the
disk editor I get the error message: "It or one of its parent drive
images may be in use by a running virtual machine, the Virtual Disk
Wizard, or you may not have the proper access privileges. Please
select another file" There are no parent images, as far as I know, and
it certianly isn't in use.
So -- it would be nice to recover some of the work that was on that
disk. Is that possible to do somehow? It is at the level that if it is
lost forever, well, it is gone, but there is some work on there that
would be nice to not have to recreate.
Cheers,
Gordon.

Post by g***@phys.washington.edu
I should mention that I tried winimage -- unfortunately it crashed
right away.
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[Jasmine Lee]

(For some reason part of my message above didn't appear when submitted, so I'm trying again)

I'm having a similar problem and I really need to recover the data on the .vhd.

When I try to start the image in the normal way through VirtualPC, I get this message:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
You can attempt to repair the file by starting Windows Setup using the original Setup CD-ROM. Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair."

I don't have the original setup CD, so that option is out.

I tried WinImage, and it appeared to open the .vhd and show me the top level folders, but if I tried to browse the folders or copy a folder, WinImage crashes and says:

WinImage application file has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Jasmine

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[RossettoeCioccolato]

If you are running Windows 7 you can mount the vhd directly:

http://thelazyadmin.com/blogs/thelazyadmin/archive/2009/01/15/mount-a-vhd-within-windows-7-server-2008-r2.aspx.

Regards,

Rossetoecioccolato.

Post by Jasmine Lee
(For some reason part of my message above didn't appear when submitted, so
I'm trying again)
I'm having a similar problem and I really need to recover the data on the .vhd.
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
You can attempt to repair the file by starting Windows Setup using the
original Setup CD-ROM. Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair."
I don't have the original setup CD, so that option is out.
I tried WinImage, and it appeared to open the .vhd and show me the top
level folders, but if I tried to browse the folders or copy a folder,
WinImage application file has encountered a problem and needs to close. We
are sorry for the inconvenience.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Jasmine
Submitted via EggHeadCafe - Software Developer Portal of Choice
Using ASP.NET Session with Silverlight and WCF Services
http://www.eggheadcafe.com/tutorials/aspnet/c72cc77a-bf84-4180-a35b-46b8726ab782/using-aspnet-session-with-silverlight-and-wcf-services.aspx

[Uwe Kotyczka]

Post by Jasmine Lee
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
You can attempt to repair the file by starting Windows Setup using the original Setup CD-ROM.
Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair."

It looks like \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
is defect in your virtual hard drive.
You could try to repair it. This is what I would do:

1. Create a new virtual PC with a new virtual
hard disk+new Windows (or with an existing
installed virtual hard disk)

2. Add the defect image as a second hard disk.

Now you should be able to start the virtual PC.
Probably the first image will be mounted as C:
and the second (defect) Image will be mounted as D:

The defect file is now D:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
which is just an ordinary file, so you should be able to
access ist. If you have a copy/backup/... you can replace
the defect file. Make sure that you can undo all the steps.
Or you can try to replace it by the SYSTEM file of a similar
configured virtual machine.
BTW, SYSTEM contains the registry branch HKLM\SYSTEM.

You also may want to take a look at EruNT which is quite
useful for backing up the registry.

Next you can try to make the defect image the primary
virtual HDD again and see if it boots.

HTH