How to create a virtual hard disk image in Microsoft Virtual PC 2004 (833148)

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To use the Virtual Disk Wizard to control the type, the size, and the format of the virtual hard disk image (.vhd) files, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to All Programs (in Microsoft Windows XP) or to Programs (in Microsoft Windows 2000), and then click Microsoft Virtual PC.
2. On the File menu of the Virtual PC Console, click Virtual Disk Wizard, and then click Next.
3. In Disk Options, make sure that the Create a new virtual disk option is selected, and then click Next.
4. In Virtual Disk Type, make sure that the A virtual hard disk option is selected, and then click Next.
5. In Virtual Hard Disk Location, type the location and the image name, including the .vhd extension, where you want to store the virtual hard disk image, and then click Next.
6. In Virtual Hard Disk Options, click one of the following virtual hard disk image type options, and then click Next:
   • Dynamically expanding (Recommended)
     
     This option creates a virtual hard disk image file that dynamically expands in 2-megabyte (MB) increments to the maximum size that you specify, or until it reaches the available hard disk space on the physical computer.
   • Fixed size
     
     This option creates a virtual hard disk image file of the actual size that you specify. For example, if you create a 10 gigabyte (GB) fixed-size virtual hard disk image, the created file is 10 GB, even if you do not load any data on the virtual hard disk. Because some versions of Linux use all the available hard disk space in a dynamically-expanding disk image file, it is a good idea to create a fixed-size disk image when you install Linux as a guest operating system.
   • Differencing
     
     This option creates a virtual hard disk image file that is linked to a second parent virtual hard disk image. This new image contains only data or files that are changed from data or files that are on the parent virtual hard disk image. You must create the parent virtual hard disk image file before you create the differencing virtual hard disk image file.
   • Linked to a hard disk (Advanced) This option creates a hard disk image file that is linked to a physical hard disk on the host computer. For additional information about this image type, see Virtual PC Help.
7. Type the maximum disk size that you want for this virtual hard disk image in the Virtual hard disk size box, and then click Next.
   
   Note The actual virtual hard disk image size is limited by the available hard disk space on the host computer. You can create a virtual hard disk image that is larger than the available hard disk space on the host computer, but the newly created virtual hard disk image only expands to use the hard disk space that is available on the volume where you create the virtual hard disk image.
8. Read the information about the "Completing the Virtual Disk Wizard" page, and then click Finish. The virtual hard disk image is created. It may take several minutes to create a large fixed-size hard disk image.
9. When the virtual hard disk image is successfully created, click Close.