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How to Convert Physical Machine to VirtualBox

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Author: Konstantinos Tsoukalas , Last updated: February 6th, 2023

If you want to convert a physical machine to a virtual machine ready to run in

VirtualBox, continue reading below.

Sometimes you may need to keep an old computer for the programs and files it
contains. In such a case you can either keep the old computer (if it has no
hardware problems), or convert the physical computer into a virtual machine that
you can open using VirtualBox.

In this tutorial you will learn how to turn a physical Windows XP machine into a
VirtualBox machine. The same instructions can be used to convert any physical
× machine running Windows 7, 8 or 10 OS to VirtualBox.

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How to Convert a Physical Windows

PC to a VirtualBox Virtual Machine.
Step 1. Convert Physical Machine's Hard Disk to
Virtual Disk.
The first step to convert a physical machine to a VirtualBox machine, is to
convert the physical machine's hard disk to a Virtual Hard Disk image file (VHD
or VHDX). To do that, the only you need is the disk2vhd utility from
[Link].*

* Info: Disk2vhd is a utility that can create a Virtual Hard Disk image file (VHD or
VHDX) from a physical disk for use in VirtualBox, Microsoft Virtual PC or
Microsoft Hyper-V virtual machines (VMs).

To convert a physical disk to virtual disk with Disk2vhd:

1. Download and extract the [Link] file on the computer that you want to
convert to a VirtualBox machine, or on another computer where you have
attached the disk of the physical machine that you want to convert to virtual.

2. From the extracted folder, right-click on [Link] and select Run as

administrator. Then ask yes at UAC warning.

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3. At Disk2vhd window:

1. Uncheck the Use Vhdx checkbox. *

2. Select the physical disk that you want to convert to virtual disk. (In
this example I have connected the disk I want to convert to virtual to
another pc).

3. Select a destination folder and type a name for the created virtual disk
file (e.g. "[Link]"). **

4. Finally, click Create to create the virtual disk image from the physical disk.

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* Notes:
1. VirtualBox supports VHD files but not VHDX.
2. If you are running Disk2vhd on the same machine that you want to convert to
virtual, then save the virtual disk file to another drive and not in disk C:

4. Now wait until the virtual disk file is created. Once done, continue to next step.

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Step 2. Convert VHDX image file to VDI file

(OPTIONAL). *
Note: As I said above, VirtualBox can read VHD disk image files without any
problem but not VHDX files. If for any reason you have created a VHDX file, then
proceed to convert it to a VDI file by following the steps below otherwise, skip to
next step.

To convert VHDX to VDI:

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.

2. In command prompt, give the following command and hit enter:

cd C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox

3. Now give the following commnand to convert the VHDX file to a VDI file:

VBoxManage clonehd [Link] [Link] –format VDI

* Note: Where FILENAME1=the filename (and the path) of the VHDX file &
FILENAME2=the filename of the converted VDI file. e.g.:

VBoxManage clonehd C:\VHDX\[Link]

C:\VHDX\[Link] –format VDI

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Step 3. Setup a new VM in VirtualBox using the VHD

file.
1. Open VirtualBox Manager and select New to create a new VM machine.

2. Give a name for the VM machine and click Next.

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3. Specify the allocated memory size for the new VM and click Next.

4a. Select Use an existing virtual hard disk file and click Browse.

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YOUR PRIVATE
ISLAND PARADISE

4b. Choose Add and select the VHD (or the VDI) file.

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4c. Finally select Create to create the new VM machine.

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5. When the virtual machine is created go to System and in Motherboard

settings apply the following actions:

1. Set Hard Disk as first boot device.

2. Enable I/O APIC extended feature. (otherwise the VM machine wouldn't

boot).

3. Also, if the guest OS is UEFI based, Enable EFI (special OSes only).
(Otherwise leave this setting unchecked).

6. Start the Virtual machine. *

×

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* Note: If Windows couldn't boot with Blue Screen (BSOD) error 0x0000007b,
then go to Storage menu and change the Controller Type to AHCI. If it is
already AHCI, change it to ICH6.

7. Once the VM is started, proceed to install the VirtualBox guest additions to

optimize the operating system for better performance and usability and you're
done!

That's it! Let me know if this guide has helped you by leaving your comment
about your experience. Please like and share this guide to help others.

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Author Recent Posts

× Konstantinos Tsoukalas

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Konstantinos is the founder and administrator of [Link]. Since 1995 he works

and provides IT support as a computer and network expert to individuals and large
companies. He is specialized in solving problems related to Windows or other
Microsoft products (Windows Server, Office, Microsoft 365, etc.).

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