Switch existing VM with Bootcamp Windows 7/8

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Switch existing VM with Bootcamp Windows 7/8

So currently I have Windows 7 set up as a Boot Camp parition on my Mac Pro. I have VMWare fusion, and I configured it so that I can run the Boot Camp parition within my Mac so I don't have to natively boot to it.

I recently created a Windows 8 VM image within VMware Fusion, but due to the whole "move your mouse to the corner of the screen" thing with Windows 8, it's kind of a pain to have it run within VMware. So I found out that I could not have two different Windows paritions within Bootcamp.

Basically what I'm trying to do is backup/save my Boot Camp image as a vmdk file so I can still open it via VMware (and not lose the information already on it), then install Windows 8 on Boot Camp so I can natively boot to it, and still be able to open it via VMWare Fusion like I'm doing now with my Win 7 Bootcamp partition.

I really don't care about transitioning my Windows 8 Virtual Machine directly to Bootcamp, so I don't care if I need to install Windows. I just want to backup/save my Windows 7 Bootcamp parition as a VM.

If I didn't care about saving my Win 7 information, I'd simply remove Windows 7, install Windows 8 and make a new virtual machine and install Win 7 to it.

Looking for help, suggestions on this. I'm assuming that there is a way to backup the Bootcamp VM somewhere within VMWare Fusion...

Bootcamp/ VMWare Fusion 5-OTHER, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.1), VMWare Fusion 5.0 using Boot Camp

Posted on Aug 31, 2012 1:56 PM

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Answer 1

The hatter

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Sep 1, 2012 10:11 AM in response to cnoyes

It is a Mac Pro. that means you can have Windows on its own hard drive(s) and those drives, not having OS X, don't have limit of only one, don't even require BCA for partitions.

Just pull drives but the one you want ot install Windows on.

Can't help you move from Fusion to physical but Windows 8 is going to have to be redone anyway in 2-3 months and just start over.

Asked Fusion Community?

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Answer 2

cnoyes Author

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Sep 1, 2012 1:33 PM in response to The hatter

I have the full retail Win 8, not just the RC.

I'm assuming the only way to really do this is find someway to create a vmwarevm file directly from my Bootcamp partion. I didn't have the HDD for this so I just deleted the bootcamp partition and I'll be installing Windows 8 fresh on it.

Would like to know if anyone in the future would have any creative ideas in moving Bootcamp partitions to full vmware files...

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Answer 3

The hatter

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Sep 1, 2012 3:27 PM in response to cnoyes

There is no retail unless you have TechNet or MSDN. Otherwise just the Trial version of Enterprise.

In which case I don't know why you would need help.

You don't delete, as in you use BCA to remove and not Disk Utility.

Yes. VMware knows about such things which often require having Windows already and then moving VMs around. So do Paragon that can do Windows Virtual to Physical and such and supports VMware and others. Some of those programs cost in the $50 to $99 bracket.

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Answer 4

Csound1

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Sep 2, 2012 6:00 AM in response to cnoyes

cnoyes wrote:

I have the full retail Win 8,

No you don't, it doesn't exist yet.

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Answer 5

cnoyes Author

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Sep 2, 2012 11:47 AM in response to Csound1

I am previewing for a business, for which I have a Technet account so I am privy to the full retail release before it is released. Before you or anyone else wants to try and pick apart my question without having all the facts, please refrain from posting.

Again, if anyone knows a method for saving Bootcamp partitions as Virtual Machines, I would gladly welcome the information although I no longer require this information as I've wiped my Win 7 Bootcamp partition away, only to find that the Bootcamp manager cannot repartition my Harddrive, which I'm assuming means I have to format and restore via time machine.

If anyone else wants to question whether or not I have Windows 8, or make any other comment not pertaining to the question I'm asking, please do the right thing and not reply to this thread.

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Answer 6

Csound1

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Sep 2, 2012 11:53 AM in response to cnoyes

Import the Boot Camp partition to Fusion, save it.

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Answer 7

cnoyes Author

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Sep 2, 2012 11:57 AM in response to Csound1

Thanks for the link, but if I wipe away my Bootcamp partition, it will remove it from my VM list and the info will be gone forever. I'm also assuming, and correct me if I'm wrong, that when you make an add in VMWare fusion, it just adds a pointer and doesn't actual create a new VMware file saved in the system. I'm assuming this because I don't have a "Bootcamp" file listed in my Virtual Machines folder, and I don't have a separate file on my file system that is similar in size to the used space on my Bootcamp partition.

I'm assuming it would be a much more involved/lengthy process if it was to make a VMware file for ~20GB of used partition space.

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Answer 8

Csound1

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Sep 2, 2012 12:02 PM in response to cnoyes

cnoyes wrote:

Thanks for the link, but if I wipe away my Bootcamp partition, it will remove it from my VM list and the info will be gone forever.

There is no reason to wipe your BootCamp partition, just import it with Fusion and save it, your Boot Camp partition is still there until you remove it.

I'm also assuming, and correct me if I'm wrong, that when you make an add in VMWare fusion, it just adds a pointer and doesn't actual create a new VMware file saved in the system.

Yes, you're wrong, so I'll correct, once you have imported and saved the virtual machine created from your Boot Camp installation you have a file that you can treat like any other virtual machine file. And you have the original Boot Camp partition.

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Answer 9

cnoyes Author

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Sep 2, 2012 5:11 PM in response to Csound1

So if it creates an honest to goodness VMware file, where is it located on the filesystem.

Your talking about a file on the filesystem, not just within VMWare correct?

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Answer 10

Csound1

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Sep 2, 2012 5:14 PM in response to cnoyes

The default storage location is >User>Documents>Virtual Machines, but as it is only a file you can put it anywhere you like.

Make sure you import rather than add new.

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Answer 11

cnoyes Author

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Sep 2, 2012 5:14 PM in response to Csound1

Hmm, the only files I see in there are for my other VM's, nothing for Bootcamp sadly...

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Answer 12

Csound1

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Sep 2, 2012 5:15 PM in response to cnoyes

It's a VMWare file, what other VM's do you have?

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Answer 13

cnoyes Author

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Sep 2, 2012 5:17 PM in response to Csound1

One for Ubuntu, another for Win 8, nothing for Win 7 which is installed on Bootcamp partition.

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Answer 14

Csound1

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Sep 2, 2012 5:27 PM in response to cnoyes

Did you open VMware, import BootCamp, (File>Import: select BootCamp) then do a save as on the VMware BootCamp file (remember where it went next time) or not?. This is not a difficult procedure normally:

Just note where you save it in case it does not go to the default store.

Here is the relevant section from the document I linked to earlier.

Importing a Boot Camp partition in VMware Fusion

Purpose

This article provides steps to import your Boot Camp partition into VMware Fusion.

An imported Boot Camp virtual machine has access to features that are not supported when booting directly from an existing Boot Camp partition (such as taking snapshots and the ability to suspend). For more information, see Working with VMware Fusion and Boot Camp partitions (1014515).

This process creates a copy of the physical disk and converts it to a virtual disk ( .vmdk), leaving the original Boot Camp partition intact. The imported Boot Camp virtual machine and the Boot Camp partition have no further connection.

Resolution

Note: Fusion is essentially copying your Boot Camp partition into a file on your Mac OS partition. This process requires an amount of free space on your Mac OS partition equal to the size of the Boot Camp partition. If your Boot Camp partition is half the size of your hard disk, you cannot import it to your Mac. You must use an external hard drive with enough free space and save the imported virtual machine there.

To import your Boot Camp partition:

Launch Fusion.
From Fusion's menu bar, click Window > Virtual Machine Library.
Right-click the Boot Camp entry in the Library.
Click Import.
Enter an administrator username and password, then click OK.
Next:
- For Fusion 3.x and later, choose a place to save the new virtual machine (the default location is a folder called Virtual Machines, inside your Documents folder), and click Save.
- For Fusion 1.x and 2.x, when the Import Assistant launches, click Import.
When the import is completed, the newly created virtual machine appears in the Virtual Machine Library window.
Note: The time it takes for the import process to complete depends on the size of your Boot Camp partition.

If you encounter any difficulties, see Troubleshooting importing a Boot Camp partition into Fusion (1027882).

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=display KC&externalId=1015088

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Answer 15

The hatter

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Sep 3, 2012 6:53 AM in response to cnoyes

I no longer require this information as I've wiped my Win 7 Bootcamp partition away,

VMware FAQ and Knowledge Base wasnt' the first stop? I'd bet you could find it from the Help menu in Fusion.

Someone else did your research for you. Thank them. They put in the time to look it up.

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