Your changes are saved on the disk image when you shut down your virtual machine in Virtual PC 2004 (834313)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Virtual PC 2004

SYMPTOMS

When you shut down your Microsoft Virtual PC 2004 virtual machine, your changes may be saved on the disk image.

CAUSE

This behavior may occur if the Undo Disks feature is not turned on for the virtual machine that you are using.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this behavior, turn on the Undo Disks feature for the virtual machine where you want to undo changes. To do so, follow these steps:
  1. Start Virtual PC 2004.
  2. In the Virtual PC console, click the virtual machine where you want to turn on the Undo Disks feature, and then click Settings.
  3. Click Undo Disks, and then click to select the Enable undo disks check box.
Notes
  • If the virtual machine is running or in a saved state, the Enable undo disks feature is not available. Therefore, you cannot change the Enable undo disks feature while the virtual machine is running or in a saved state.
  • Virtual PC 2004 creates an undo disk for each virtual hard disk that is configured on the virtual machine.
  • If the Enable undo disks feature is turned on, any changes that you make during a virtual machine session are saved to an undo disk (.vud) file. An undo disk file is a temporary file and is separate from the virtual hard disk. The undo disk file is stored in the same folder as the virtual machine configuration (.vmc) file. When you close the virtual machine, you can delete the changes that are stored in the undo disk, commit them to the virtual hard disk file, or saved them for later. When you delete or commit the changes, the temporary file is removed.
  • If an undo disk file exists, and you turn off the Enable undo disks feature, or if you configure the Hard Disk 1 setting to use a different hard disk, Virtual PC deletes the undo disk. Virtual PC prompts you to verify this action before it deletes the undo disk.

MORE INFORMATION

You can use the Close options in Virtual PC Console to control how to close a virtual machine. By default, when you close a virtual machine, you are prompted to select a method to close. The configuration of the virtual machine determines the available options. If you have Virtual Machine Additions installed, you can provide more close options. If you select the Show messages with these options at close check box, you are prompted with the available close options every time the virtual machine closes. You must select any one of the options to close the virtual machine.

To configure the Close options in Virtual PC Console, follow these steps:
  1. Start Virtual PC 2004.
  2. In the Virtual PC console, click the virtual machine where you want to configure the Close options, and then click Settings.
  3. Click Close, and then click to select from the following options:
    • Click to select the Save state check box to include the Save state option in the list of available close options. If the option is not selected, you cannot save the virtual machine state when you close the virtual machine.
    • Click to select the Shut down check box to include the Shut down option from the list of available close options. If you do not select the option, you cannot use the operating system's shut down option. The Shut down option is available only if Virtual Machine Additions is installed.
    • Click to select the Turn off check box to include the Turn off option in the list of available close options. If you do not select this option, all the turn off options are unavailable when you close the virtual machine. If the undo disks feature is enabled but this option is not selected, none of the turn off options for undo disks are available.
After you turn on the Enable undo disks feature, when you click Close on the Action menu, the Close dialog box appears. On the dialog box, you have the following options:
  • To save changes to the undo disk image, select the Save state and save changes check box, and then click OK.
  • To shut down the operating system and save changes to the undo disk image, select the Shut down virtual machine name and save changes check box, and then click OK.
  • To save changes to the undo disk image, select the Turn off and save changes check box, and then click OK.
  • To discard the changes, select the Turn off and delete changes check box, and then click OK.
  • To permanently commit the changes from the undo disk image into the original virtual hard disk when you close the virtual machine, select the Commit changes to the virtual hard disk check box.
To view the Help topic about how to manage the close methods for virtual machines, click Virtual PC Help on the Help menu, click the Search tab, type managing the close methods for virtual machines, and then click Display.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:3/10/2004
Keywords:kbinfo KB834313 kbAudEndUser
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