How I migrated my Boot Camp setup into Parallels...

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07-13-2006, 09:37 AM #1
colddiver Junior Member Join: Jul 2006 Posts: 4	How I migrated my Boot Camp setup into Parallels... Yes, you read correctly. I did it and it works but it was a painful process. The challenges are as follows: 1. Backup your Boot Camp partition and convert it into a VM .hdd file. 2. Repair your Windows install so that it can work under the significant hardware change The process is as follows: 1. Boot on Windows and clone your drive (I used the evaluation version of Snapshop (http://www.drivesnapshot.de/en/) 1.1. You will need lots of disk space for this. In my case I had to save the snapshop files on my mac partition (through MacDrive) 1.2. This snapshot file will have to be made available to a Parallels VM so put is somewhere you can share it through Parallels Shared Folders. 2. Create a new virtual machine in Parallels and install Windows on it. Once it boots, install Snapshop. 2.1 Configure "Shared Folders" to make your snapshop files available to your new VM. 3. Create a new HD for your newly created virtual machine. Make sure it is as big (or bigger) than your Boot Camp partition. 4. Configure the new drive within Windows. For XP, instructions are available here: http://blog.kevindonahue.com/archive...tall_addit.php 5. Once your new virtual drive is available, open Snapshop and restore your Boot Camp cloned drived onto your 2nd hard drive. 6. Create a new Parallels VM that will use your virtual HD that now contains your restored Boot Camp partition. 7. You are not out of the wood yet... If you try to boot the new VM, it won't work. You need to boot from your Windows install CD and and enter the repair console to repair your Boot.ini file. Instructions on how to do this are here (follow method 2): http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314477/ 8. After doing this, my install still didn't boot (even safe mode didn't work - boot freezed after loading the Mup.sys driver) so I had to boot (again) from the windows install CD, select setup and repair my windows install as per the following instructions: http://www.theeldergeek.com/replace_motherboard.htm 9. Reboot (again) your new VM, install Parallels tools 10. Now if you want to get rid of the Windows selection screen at boot time, you will need to edit your boot.ini file to remove the entry that links to your boot camp partition. Instructions on how to do this are here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/289022/EN-US/. In my case, all I had to do was to delete the last line. 11. Now you probably open the Add/Remove programs control panel and remove the Mac drivers needed for Boot Camp. After going through all of this, you will have to reinstall all the windows updates you installed in Boot Camp (the Repair process reverts to the original Windows version) but you should have all your data, applications and settings intact. In my case, everything worked. I use Windows in a corporate environment and after going through that process, I still had all my logons to various corporate domains, all the corporate apps worked... Good luck! Colddiver

07-13-2006, 09:37 AM

colddiver
Junior Member

Join: Jul 2006
Posts: 4

How I migrated my Boot Camp setup into Parallels...

Yes, you read correctly. I did it and it works but it was a painful process.

The challenges are as follows:
1. Backup your Boot Camp partition and convert it into a VM .hdd file.
2. Repair your Windows install so that it can work under the significant hardware change

The process is as follows:
1. Boot on Windows and clone your drive (I used the evaluation version of Snapshop (http://www.drivesnapshot.de/en/)
1.1. You will need lots of disk space for this. In my case I had to save the snapshop files on my mac partition (through MacDrive)
1.2. This snapshot file will have to be made available to a Parallels VM so put is somewhere you can share it through Parallels Shared Folders.
2. Create a new virtual machine in Parallels and install Windows on it. Once it boots, install Snapshop.
2.1 Configure "Shared Folders" to make your snapshop files available to your new VM.
3. Create a new HD for your newly created virtual machine. Make sure it is as big (or bigger) than your Boot Camp partition.
4. Configure the new drive within Windows. For XP, instructions are available here: http://blog.kevindonahue.com/archive...tall_addit.php
5. Once your new virtual drive is available, open Snapshop and restore your Boot Camp cloned drived onto your 2nd hard drive.
6. Create a new Parallels VM that will use your virtual HD that now contains your restored Boot Camp partition.
7. You are not out of the wood yet... If you try to boot the new VM, it won't work. You need to boot from your Windows install CD and and enter the repair console to repair your Boot.ini file. Instructions on how to do this are here (follow method 2): http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314477/
8. After doing this, my install still didn't boot (even safe mode didn't work - boot freezed after loading the Mup.sys driver) so I had to boot (again) from the windows install CD, select setup and repair my windows install as per the following instructions: http://www.theeldergeek.com/replace_motherboard.htm
9. Reboot (again) your new VM, install Parallels tools
10. Now if you want to get rid of the Windows selection screen at boot time, you will need to edit your boot.ini file to remove the entry that links to your boot camp partition. Instructions on how to do this are here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/289022/EN-US/. In my case, all I had to do was to delete the last line.
11. Now you probably open the Add/Remove programs control panel and remove the Mac drivers needed for Boot Camp.

After going through all of this, you will have to reinstall all the windows updates you installed in Boot Camp (the Repair process reverts to the original Windows version) but you should have all your data, applications and settings intact. In my case, everything worked. I use Windows in a corporate environment and after going through that process, I still had all my logons to various corporate domains, all the corporate apps worked...

Good luck!

Colddiver

07-13-2006, 08:12 PM #2
constant Senior Member Join: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,041	. Well done. .

07-15-2006, 01:57 AM #3
visualpeople Junior Member Join: Jul 2006 Posts: 1	Do you think this would work to clone a regular PC? I have a 5+ year old dell sitting under my desk that has a bunch of stuff on it, but I'd love to get rid of it... Maybe I'll give this a try this weekend, anyone else alredy tried?

07-15-2006, 04:53 AM #4
mafoe Junior Member Join: Apr 2006 Posts: 9	REALLY cool! thank You very much, it would be great to get a tool from parallels which is able to convert pc's into parallels vm disk but your interoduction helps too! Thank You for sharing! cheers mafoe

07-15-2006, 05:02 AM #5
constant Senior Member Join: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,041	. Bit harsh talking about the nice Parallels staff like that. I doubt they could get around to everyone anyhow. .

07-18-2006, 07:54 AM #6
frank Junior Member Join: Jul 2006 Posts: 2	easier way of copying out the BootCamp partition >1. Boot on Windows and clone your drive (I used the evaluation version of Snapshop You can directly copy the BootCamp partition from a UNIX command shell (first eject the disk if it is visible in the Finder): cp /dev/disk0s3 C.hdd The generated file mounts directly in Parallels and is visible under a (previously installed) Windows (sic!), but not bootable. So create a new disk in Parallels, mount both C.hdd and the new disk (e.g. as D: and E:), boot into Windows under Parallels, and make a full file-by-file copy from D: to E: using Windows tools such as XCOPY or ROBOCOPY. You should then replace E:\WINDOWS\system32\hal.dll with the file with the same name ripped from the genuine Parallels installation. >7. You are not out of the wood yet... If you try to boot the new VM, it won't work. Instead of trying to make the HD image bootable, I created a bootable floppy disk (in a disk image file) and now just boot from that. The file A:\boot.ini must be modified to redirect the boot to the C drive: [boot loader] timeout=30 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Micro soft Windows XP Professional" I did not need to use the repair console or reinstall updates. Once you succeed to boot (I had to try a couple of times, also be patient if it appears to hang, it started to work reliably after a two or three attempts), uninstall the Apple drivers, then install Parallel Tools.

07-18-2006, 07:54 AM

frank
Junior Member

Join: Jul 2006
Posts: 2

easier way of copying out the BootCamp partition

>1. Boot on Windows and clone your drive (I used the evaluation version of Snapshop

You can directly copy the BootCamp partition from a UNIX command shell (first eject the disk if it is visible in the Finder):

cp /dev/disk0s3 C.hdd

The generated file mounts directly in Parallels and is visible under a (previously installed) Windows (sic!), but not bootable. So create a new disk in Parallels, mount both C.hdd and the new disk (e.g. as D: and E:), boot into Windows under Parallels, and make a full file-by-file copy from D: to E: using Windows tools such as XCOPY or ROBOCOPY.

You should then replace E:\WINDOWS\system32\hal.dll with the file with the same name ripped from the genuine Parallels installation.

>7. You are not out of the wood yet... If you try to boot the new VM, it won't work.

Instead of trying to make the HD image bootable, I created a bootable floppy disk (in a disk image file) and now just boot from that. The file A:\boot.ini must be modified to redirect the boot to the C drive:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Micro soft Windows XP Professional"

I did not need to use the repair console or reinstall updates.

Once you succeed to boot (I had to try a couple of times, also be patient if it appears to hang, it started to work reliably after a two or three attempts), uninstall the Apple drivers, then install Parallel Tools.

07-18-2006, 07:56 AM

frank
Junior Member

Join: Jul 2006
Posts: 2

Quote:

Originally Posted by mafoe

REALLY cool! thank You very much, it would be great to get a tool from parallels which is able to convert pc's into parallels vm disk but your interoduction helps too! Thank You for sharing!

cheers mafoe

The really cool tool would be to allow mounting /dev/disk0s3 directly as a disk image!

07-18-2006, 12:13 PM #8
cmckee Junior Member Join: Jul 2006 Posts: 1	Deleting Boot Camp Partition So my question is what is the best way to get rid of the boot camp partition when you no longer need it. I'm ready to scrap it entirely now that I'm using Parallels. Thanks!

07-18-2006, 01:10 PM

colddiver
Junior Member

Join: Jul 2006
Posts: 4

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmckee

So my question is what is the best way to get rid of the boot camp partition when you no longer need it. I'm ready to scrap it entirely now that I'm using Parallels. Thanks!

Just open the Boot Camp assistant and reclaim the space (follow the instructions). Very easy.

07-18-2006, 02:02 PM #10
old300 Junior Member Join: Jul 2006 Posts: 1	How do you save Snapshot files on the MAC Partition? I am cloning my drive in Windows, but when I am in windows, I can not access the macdrive. Any suggestions? I am a novice at this and new to Mac, but i love it. THANK YOU.

07-18-2006, 03:06 PM

#11

colddiver
Junior Member

Join: Jul 2006
Posts: 4

Quote:

Originally Posted by old300

I am cloning my drive in Windows, but when I am in windows, I can not access the macdrive. Any suggestions? I am a novice at this and new to Mac, but i love it. THANK YOU.

To access your Mac partition when you are booted into your Boot Camp Windows partition, you need a software called MacDrive (http://www.mediafour.com/products/macdrive6/)

07-20-2006, 08:40 AM #12
cube beetle Junior Member Join: Jul 2006 Posts: 1	i own a legal version of virtual pc profession, which incl. win xp with legal licence. is there a way to use this for parallels vm? cu beet

07-20-2006, 08:15 PM

#13

joem
Senior Member

Join: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,260

Quote:

Originally Posted by cube beetle

i own a legal version of virtual pc profession, which incl. win xp with legal licence.

is there a way to use this for parallels vm?

Sort of. I suspect you can get someone else's XP install disk, and use your serial number from your VPC bversion (as long as it isn't installed anywhere else) and MS will let you "authorize" it.

__________________
MacBook Pro 1.83; core duo; 2GB RAM, 200G HD 10.4.8
Win2K Pro, 768 Meg RAM Build 4560

08-01-2006, 08:58 PM #14
cybertubby Junior Member Join: Jul 2006 Posts: 20	booting from a restored virtual HDD Colddiver, that was brilliant! Two quick Q's: My restored image is nicely usable when XP from another virtual hdd is booted, but of course the point is to boot from the restored hdd. I'm stumped when it comes to step 7. When booting to the CD, the repair utility kicks me out, with an "unknown file" message, and C: cannot be read. Q1: When doing the backup, snapshot reported one unreadable sector . Is that fatal? Q2: Upon restore, snapshot lists the partition as ???. Is that because I'm using a dynamic virtual HDD? Should it be fixed-size instead? I tried repairing boot.ini by hand, it did not help.

08-01-2006, 08:58 PM

#14

cybertubby
Junior Member

Join: Jul 2006
Posts: 20

booting from a restored virtual HDD

Colddiver, that was brilliant!

Two quick Q's:

My restored image is nicely usable when XP from another virtual hdd is booted, but of course the point is to boot from the restored hdd. I'm stumped when it comes to step 7.
When booting to the CD, the repair utility kicks me out, with an "unknown file" message, and C: cannot be read.
Q1: When doing the backup, snapshot reported one unreadable sector . Is that fatal?
Q2: Upon restore, snapshot lists the partition as ???. Is that because I'm using a dynamic virtual HDD? Should it be fixed-size instead?

I tried repairing boot.ini by hand, it did not help.

08-02-2006, 02:55 AM

#15

colddiver
Junior Member

Join: Jul 2006
Posts: 4

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybertubby

Not sure what the problem is with respect to the step 7 error message you got. I used a Windows XP Pro SP2 install CD and had no problem.

With respect to Q1, I would say this could be the problem. Have you tried the easier method of copying the HD (post #6 in this thread)?

With respect to Q2, I don't recall seing the ??? but I may not have been paying too much attention at that stage. I did use a dynamic HDD image and it worked without any problems here. I did make sure that the size specified in when creating the virtual HDD was larger (or same size) as my Boot Camp partition.

Hope this helps...

Colddiver

08-03-2006, 11:42 AM #16
oranabana Junior Member Join: Aug 2006 Posts: 2	real HD partition?! sorry to sound dumb. Is it not possbible to use the XP installation one can do using BootCamp? I have two partitions on this MacBook Pro. One has Windows, the other one Mac OS X. Can Parallels use the existing Windows partition?!

08-04-2006, 05:44 AM

#17

joem
Senior Member

Join: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,260

Quote:

Originally Posted by oranabana

sorry to sound dumb. Is it not possbible to use the XP installation one can do using BootCamp? I have two partitions on this MacBook Pro. One has Windows, the other one Mac OS X.

Can Parallels use the existing Windows partition?!

No, it can't.

__________________
MacBook Pro 1.83; core duo; 2GB RAM, 200G HD 10.4.8
Win2K Pro, 768 Meg RAM Build 4560

08-10-2006, 08:49 PM #18
abhissekk Junior Member Join: Aug 2006 Posts: 1	Hi, I followed everystep, but i cannot get the new hdd to boot. I wrote the backup using the windows install on another .hdd file. when i associate this new .hdd file with another VM it doesnt boot. Is there anything I am missing? Thanks, Abhishek

08-18-2006, 03:04 PM

#19

cybertubby
Junior Member

Join: Jul 2006
Posts: 20

I was not copying from bootcamp, but from an external drive.
I'm using the parallels hdd clone of that drive successfully,
but still can't boot from it.
(A royal pain-- much re-install required. )

There was probably something wrong with the original drive physically-
the notebook it was in had taken a tumble :eek: .

Quote:

Originally Posted by colddiver

I was not copying from bootcamp, but from an external drive.
I'm using the parallels hdd clone of that drive successfully,
but still can't boot from it.
(A royal pain-- much re-intall required.)

There was probably something wrong with the original drive physically-
the notebook it was in had taken a tumble.

08-19-2006, 01:39 PM

#20

sparky
Junior Member

Join: Aug 2006
Posts: 17

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybertubby

I'm trying to do the same thing. I have a working 2 GB drive which contains Win98SE. I'd like to clone this and convert it to something Parallels can use.

How did you clone your drive?

I have an exact clone of the entire drive's files in a folder, I have a DMG of the drive I made in Disk Utility, and I have access to plug the original hard drive into the Mac via USB.

After reading this thread, it sounds like installing Windows from scratch would be easier.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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How I migrated my Boot Camp setup into Parallels...