How to open .VHDX files in virtualbox?

Question

I used disk2vhd by microsoft so I tried to create a new virtualbox using it and I got this error

Failed to open the hard disk C:\Users\user\Documents\Virtual Box Images\win7vir.VHDX

Could not open the medium 'C:\Users\user\Documents\Virtual Box Images\win7vir.VHDX'.

VHDX: Required flag of metadata item does not meet expectations 'C:\Users\user\Documents\Virtual Box Images\win7vir.VHDX' (VERR_VD_GEN_INVALID_HEADER).

VHDX: BAT region in image 'C:\Users\user\Documents\Virtual Box Images\win7vir.VHDX' is missing (VERR_VD_GEN_INVALID_HEADER).

VD: error VERR_VD_GEN_INVALID_HEADER opening image file 'C:\Users\user\Documents\Virtual Box Images\win7vir.VHDX' (VERR_VD_GEN_INVALID_HEADER).

Result Code: E_FAIL (0x80004005)
Component: Medium
Interface: IMedium {29989373-b111-4654-8493-2e1176cba890}
Callee: IVirtualBox {3b2f08eb-b810-4715-bee0-bb06b9880ad2}
Callee RC: VBOX_E_OBJECT_NOT_FOUND (0x80BB0001)

Solution 1

Short answer: use the powershell commandlet to convert the VHDX to VHD. AFAIK it requires hyperv or one of it's variants to be installed to have the convert-vhd commandlet available.

Convert-VHD –Path c:\test\MY-VM.vhdx –DestinationPath c:\test\MY-NEW-VM.vhd

Solution 2

Just uncheck "Make VHDX" when creating the image in Disk2vhd. Virtual Box doesn't support the .VHDX format.

Solution 3

VirtualBox since 4.2 changelog says support added for VHDX "Storage: added readonly support for VHDX images".

Solution 4

On the GUI of VirtualBOX when selecting the disk image to attach to a virtual machine, there is an option to choose a new virtual disk or one that exists.

If you choose to use one that exists, on the combo box there is an option for VHDX, but any time you try it tell you file format is not supported.

Why is that vhdx option there? Just to confuse users?

It seems that VirtualBox in in pre-state of implemented vhdx support, but some parts has arrived at user side while they are not really implemented.

At least till version 5.1.22

Solution 5

Had an SOB time converting this. I had backed up all of my hyperv's before moving to linux, only to find out you have to specifically export them from Hyper-v in the vhd format.

After getting on linux I realized virtualbox doesn't support vhdx. I had to boot a windows 10 VM, move the files over, install hyper-v and all associated components, just to convert the damn file and move it back.

*Convert-VHD –Path c:\test\MY-VM.vhdx –DestinationPath c:\test\MY-NEW-VM.vhd*

But alas, we have success.

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Comments

[Ramhound]

You have to convert them to VHD files.VirtualBox does not support the .VHDX file format.

[schweik]

I agree! I spent the whole day to install, patch & tune VirtualBox 6.0.4 with the same result: error: VHDX is not supported format! Finaly we googled out that you can "Add virtual disk" directly in "Disk Manager" in MS-Windows 10. There is a "Read only" check box option.

[Samir]

Six years later, the year is 2021 and VirtualBox 6.1.16 still doesn't support VHDX.

[Samir]

I have used this command on Windows 10 Pro (20H2 build 19042.804) and I can confirm that it's available and can convert VHDX to VHD. The Convert-VHD cmdlet is only available if Hyper-V is enabled, and Hyper-V is only available on the Pro 64-bit and Enterprise 64-bit edition of Windows 8 and all 64-bit editions of Windows 10 except Windows 10 Home.

[avia]

@Samir and Microsoft still makes it super unfriendly to create full system images, yep yep. I feel that's the main concern in terms of this overall topic. There should be easy steps-by-steps to virtualize Win10 or Win11 PCs, but hey...