Copy Bootcamp XP install to Parallels?

What I'm wondering is, can I somehow copy my Bootcamp Windows XP installation to the Parallels? I see notes about this here and there, but no clear report.

I thought the TRANSPORTER software with Parallels Build 3186 would work, but I believe I read in the manual that it specifically will NOT work--did I get that wrong?

Thanks.

Any tips and tricks for using Parallels with Vista and getting the AERO version instead of Vista Basic? Much appreciated.

FBX

 

Here's what I did on a MacBook with a BootCamp installation.

Installed Parallels (UK retail boxed), fired it up and updated to 3186.
Created new VM using BootCamp partition as source and chose bridged mode for networking.
Downloaded windows Transporter and installed it in the new BootCamp based VM.
With BootCamp VM running and Windows Transporter agent started, ran Mac Transporter and chose Express Migration Mode and then From another computer. The BootCamp VM shows up and Transporter happily migrated the BootCamp partition to a VHD on the Mac partition.

I've now removed the BootCamp partition and everything seems to be running fine on the new VHD.

 

This sounds reasonable, but requires a little more explanation for it to be useful to a dumb ball like me.

For instance. I already have my BootCamp partition, quite large, filled with WIN XP and programs and data. I also have a parallels VM with Vista on it and very little else.

From this point do I remove the Parallels Vista Install and start over with a new Parallels VM? Or do I add a 2nd Parallels VM using the Bootcamp partition as source. If the latter, exactly HOW DO I DO THAT?

And then what steps are taken to bring across all the programs and data, especially as I'm not sure the Parallels VM can "see" the BootCamp partition at all?

Sorry to be dense here, if I am being dense, which I expect I am.

 

Amazingly enough I got this to work just as transient suggested. Well, at least it's working so far, it seems teh Bootcamp installation migrated to a VM, and it runs on the iMac. I suppose I COULD now return the iMac's hard disk to a single partition, eliminating the BootCamp partition (or would I have to delete the VM that uses the BootCamp installation first?).

Anyway, enough for today. Much thanks to transient. All suggestions, ideas, opinions eagerly sought and much appreciated.

fbx

 

My question nearly answered ...

What I'm hoping to achieve is resizing my Bootcamp partition.

If I create a new VM out of my current bootcamp XP installation, can I then delete or resize the partition then restore the Bootcamp version using the larger partition size?

I use some apps which work/work better in Bootcamp, so want to maintain that option.

Has anyone achived this?

Regard,

Colin
[This thread http://forum.parallels.com/showthread.php?t=6433 with info from MacDadaVM seems to answer my question, which I found 30s after posting this, however are there any plans or suggestions for a less laborious approach? Is a version of Transporter likely to be released which manages this? Thanks for any info.]

 

Great to hear! So, my question: has this experience given you any insight into whether or not you can go the other way around, and use Transporter to create a Bootcamp-able version of some other Windows PC?

 

None. THere's another thread here about that and a 48 step plan for doing it (not kidding), but I didn't try it.

 

Although I did this once and it seemed to work, I find this in the Parallels Transporter READ ME file:

"WARNING. Although Parallels Transporter Agent can be successfully installed
on Boot Camp partition with Windows XP, migration from this partition cannot
be performed successfully. "

3/10/07

A side note: I did this again last night and it worked again. Key is using "bridged mode" for networking, I believe. And being sure you have Transporter Agent started on the Parallels Bootcamp Win XP installation.

 

This works only if Bootcamp has XP install, but not for Vista (even with 3188 version); and BootCamp has Vista, the option is grayed

Thanks
http://www.venublog.com/

 

All sounds logical however for me I run VMWare fusion and it sees bootcamp partition and does to reliably. ie. switching b/w bootcamp and vmware is a no brainer.

now in my case I want to clone bootcamp partition but right now I don't trust Parallels to leave my bootcamp partition in a state that's useable in VMware or bootcamp directly if I create a VM from bootcamp partition.