"No boot device" error after transporting Bootcamp

[SJR]

I am trying to move my bootcamp installation of Windows 7 to a non-bootcamp VM so that I can make backups using snapshot, which I am unable to do with a bootcamp installation.

I am running OSX 10.7.2 (Lion), Parallels Desktop for Mac v7 and have transported a Bootcamp installation of Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit.

The 'imported' VM simply won't boot for me...

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I have tried every SATA location and no joy.

The following images show my setup:

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Click for large view - Uploaded with Skitch

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I even repeated the complete transporter export/import process a second time, but same result...

Please help!

[megavolt17]

If your only concern is having a backup in Windows there are alternatives. I have even set up Windows to back itself up to my Time Capsule. In addition Windows makes "restore points" (at least when running in Boot Camp - not 100% sure if it does so from within Parallels).

Can't help the import problem, but at least this comment will bump your post back to the top of the message list again.

[joevt]

I would try converting the expanding disk to a fixed size disk, then renaming the .hds file as .dmg so it can be mounted by Disk Utility, and then use command line tools to diagnose the issue.
- "sudo fdisk /dev/rdisk#" to check the boot flag and MBR partitions.
- "sudo dd if=/dev/rdisk# skip=startblock count=1 | xxd" to check the boot code of the MBR and the partitions.
- "ls /Volumes/BootcampPartitionName/" (or use the Finder) to check the boot files: /bootmgr, /Boot/, and /Windows/.

But before all that, I would use those command line tools and the following to check the original Boot Camp partition.
- "sudo gpt -r show -l /dev/disk0" to check the GPT partition table.
- "diskutil list"

The idea is to make sure that the transporter got all the important stuff.

[SJR]

Thanks for all the advice, but it transires that Parallels Transporter does not correctly allow you to import a Bootcamp installation of Windows to a new VM.

The correct method (and this worked for me, thanks to Parallels support for the heads-up) is to follow these instructions:
http://download.parallels.com/deskto...uide/32733.htm

I hope this helps others!

[Mike Boreham]

Thanks for all the advice, but it transires that Parallels Transporter does not correctly allow you to import a Bootcamp installation of Windows to a new VM.

The correct method (and this worked for me, thanks to Parallels support for the heads-up) is to follow these instructions:
http://download.parallels.com/deskto...uide/32733.htm

I hope this helps others!

It certainly does...seems a bit too good to be true.

Why isn't this completely different and much simpler method in the manual (perhaps it is?)

I have tried the Transporter Agent in the past and failed. Now I want to do the same again....that is import my BC Windows 7 into a new VM, then delete the BC partition to get the whole HD back.

Are there snags?
Anyone else done it?
Am I misunderstanding anything?
Presumably after the import to new machine, I can test the new VM thoroughly and still go back to BC if I change my mind?

Thanks

[joevt]

Why isn't this completely different and much simpler method in the manual (perhaps it is?)

I have tried the Transporter Agent in the past and failed. Now I want to do the same again....that is import my BC Windows 7 into a new VM, then delete the BC partition to get the whole HD back.

Are there snags?
Anyone else done it?
Am I misunderstanding anything?
Presumably after the import to new machine, I can test the new VM thoroughly and still go back to BC if I change my mind?
Thanks

The Import Boot Camp method is in the manual. The linked URL says it's part of the Parallels Desktop User’s Guide. The PDF is available at
http://www.parallels.com/products/de...documentation/

After the import, you can test the new VM. If it works then you can remove the Boot Camp partition. If it doesn't work then you can go back to using the Boot Camp partition.

I didn't mention this method because I forgot about it and because I was curious about why the Transporter method doesn't work since a Boot Camp partition shouldn't be any different than a partition from a PC. There are further notes about moving Windows partitions at
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=916146 I wonder if Transporter does all those steps? Some command lines in Mac OS or Linux can determine that. Windows 7 may require different or addition steps, especially if the system and boot files are on different partitions. For example, Windows 7 (and Vista) use a BCD file instead of a boot.ini file to specify the boot menu so you would need to use a program like bcdedit or EasyBCD to fix it.

[Mike Boreham]

The Import Boot Camp method is in the manual.

Apologies for that. When I tried a few years ago I read the manuals very carefully (at least the Transporter ones), but confess I haven't read the version 7 at all, and missed any info about when it was introduced.

Thanks for the link.

[Mike Boreham]

Still mulling over whether to do this import option.

One or two questions please....the link implies that after importing you can test the new imported VM and either delete it or delete the Bootcamp partition.

Is it actually an option to continue with both indefinitely?

I realise it will be necessary to activate the new VM, but can the activation exist alongside the Bootcamp activation, as it does with the other option of having Parallels run, but not import, the bootcamp volume?

I also realise the two Windows 7 installs would be completely independent as far as updating and data are concerned.

Thanks

[joevt]

The deletion of either the VM or the Bootcamp partition is a manual process and completely up to you whether you choose to do either.

If you keep both virtual machines (one using a Boot Camp partition and the other using a virtual hard disk image file), then you should make sure they're using different MAC addresses for their virtual network card.

I don't know about the activation issues.

[tbiegner]

Hi

I use Parallels 6 and I tried to import windows 7 32 bit from the Boot camp partition.

But now the import process seems to be stuck at

"Please wait while importing Boot Camp"
"Reconfiguring the resulting virtual machine"

It has been stuck at this for a couple of hours now to I fear nothing is happening.

I fear it might have something to do with having to change to boot.ini and someother Parallels file in Windows/system32 ?
I am only guessing here since I read something like that somewhere.

Or does anybody else know what I could possible do?

Thanks a lot

Thorsten

[tbiegner]

Hi

I use Parallels 6 and I tried to import windows 7 32 bit from the Boot camp partition.

But now the import process seems to be stuck at

"Please wait while importing Boot Camp"
"Reconfiguring the resulting virtual machine"

It has been stuck at this for a couple of hours now to I fear nothing is happening.

I fear it might have something to do with having to change to boot.ini and someother Parallels file in Windows/system32 ?
I am only guessing here since I read something like that somewhere.

Or does anybody else know what I could possible do?

Thanks a lot

Thorsten

To make it sort it now all works here is what happened:

Ok I have now just forcefully closed parallels. Tried to start it again it wouldn't.
First it wanted to send an error repoart I agreed to that and it froze again.
So I closed it again and then everytime I tried to open it it would just jump a bit in the dock but wouldn't start.
Then I restarted the computerbut it wouldn't shutdown: grey screen and spinning wheel.
So I forefully turned off the power.
Then I started the Mac and also started paarallels all worked fine.
The imported VM also seems to work fine.

So the import thing seems to work except for at the end it crashes but that doesn't seem to make any damage... go figure...

[NHerby]

Hi,

I ran in exactly the same issue after trying to migrate a bootcamp partition into a parallels VM using parallels transporter.

I finaly managed to do it this way:

- First, I made a backup of the bootcamp partition using winclone (http://winclone.en.softonic.com/mac), freeware that allows you to easily make a backup of the bootcamp partition.

- With winclone again I restore the bootcamp partition from the image made before on an external drive previously formatted in Fat32. If not formatted in Fat32, Winclone will make an error at the end of the restore process. At this point, I have an external drive with an exact copy of the bootcamp partition.

- Next step is to download disk2vhd (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s...rnals/ee656415) and convert the external HDD with the bootcamp partition to a virtual hard dik (VHD) file.

- I then used parallels transporter, choosed the option to import an existing virtual machine then pointed to the newly created vhd file and followed the usual import process.
And that's all folks!!!!

I use parallels desktop 5 under OSX 10.6 and the OS to move is a Win7 64.

This process is very long and painfull but it works... Too bad that PD doesn't allow to do this the easy way!