Easiest way to make VM bigger

[Howard Brazee]

My wife is running out of room in her Windows VM. What is the easiest non-destructive way of making it larger?

I have been searching for a way to do this without luck.

 

[AlanH]

The really simple way is to use a shared folder on the Mac for your data files. This has several advantages. Your data is not locked up in a single big virtual disk file, and it can always be accessed from another VM if your original one goes belly up. And, in Leopard, Time Machine will painlessly back up those files as they change individually.

The next simplest way, if you really want a Windows disk, is to create a new virtual disk attached to the VM, then format it in Windows and use it for data. If you move *all* your user data over to that drive then you can back up your user data simply by backing up that .hdd file.

If you really need to expand the C: drive then there are documents around here that tell you how. Basically, you use Parallels Image Tool to extend your existing .hdd file. This creates new space on the end of the drive which you have to merge into your existing C: drive. You can't do that merge operation on the boot disk, so you need to boot the VM from another drive so that your newly extended C: drive image is not the boot drive. There are two documented ways to do this:

- You can reboot the VM using a copy of the original .hdd file, and use Windows DISKPART to expand the C: volume to use the extra space. I've done this and it worked.

- Or you can use a gparted live CD image to boot the VM, and use gparted to do the merge. I had trouble gegtting this option to boot, probably because I used the wrong live CD image, or didn't configure it correctly.

 

[MarkHolbrook]

If you don't want to use a new drive for data (sometimes a pain with Windows) you can do this:

1) FIRST and MOST IMPORTANT - Make a complete copy of your VM in case something goes wrong!!!

2) Download or buy Acronis True Image
3) Install it in your VM
4) Shutdown your VM, using Parallels create a new virtual HD of the size you want. It will/should show up as drive D:
5) Start up your VM. Run Acronis and "clone" your image from C to D. Acronis has some options so read them carefully. You want a true clone.
6) Shutdown your VM.
7) In Parallels set the new volume as your primary HD. In my case I removed the other volume complete. I figured since I had a complete copy from step 1 I was safe.
8) Reboot into parallels and your VM. You should have a bigger disk now!

 

[Lew]

Mark,

Thanks for your detailed instructions. Added 3GB to my virtual hd last night. XP loads quicker and runs much better.

Lew

 

[smayer]

adding a d:drive

I am using 3.0 and am trying to expand the size of my disk drive. I have installed the Acronis software. I understand the best way to create a D: partition that is larger and then delete the existing C: Could you direct me to the information to create a larger virtual D: partition? Thanks

 

[rogercohen]

Method to Expland Parallels Disk Image Size

There are many procedures posted on the Net for expanding the Parallels
Windows disk image size, but most rely on using extra partitioning software.
The method posted by Parallels does not expand the existing disk image size.
Instead, it creates a new disk partition in Windows.

I found the following simpler procedure, which worked like a charm.

Reproduced here, with the grammar and instructions cleaned up a bit.


<http://deseloper.org/read/2006/12/expanding-a-parallels-disk-imagewhat-they
-dont-tell-you/>

Expanding a Parallels Disk Image. What They Dont Tell You.

On the initial install of Windows XP under Parallels, I was very
conservative in the disk space I allocated to it. After Windows repeatedly
yelling at me to do something about the lack of disk space I figured I
would.

When setting up the Windows Virtual Machine, I had the image set to
Expanding. A bit deceiving, for there is a procedure that is not
included in the help file for accomplishing this. This procedure allows
Windows to see the extra space that Parallels has allocated:

1. Find your hard disk image file on the host machine (in this case Mac OS).
Run the Parallels Image Tool.app on it and expand it to the desired size.

My Parallels disk image is located in:

~/Library/Parallels/Microsoft Windows XP/winxp.hdd

These days, Parallels is installing that image in:

~/Documents/Parallels


2. Use the Finder to duplicate the hard disk image you wish to expand.

3. Open Parallels but do not start Windows. Open the Parallels Preferences
for the virtual machine. Change the hard disk image path to the duplicate
image. (Note, this is not the "Default Folder for Virtual Machine" setting
you first see. It is the Hard Disk setting, lower on the Preferences
screen.)

4. Add a new hard disk via the Add button at the bottom of the screen. Set
the new hard disk's path to the original image. The purpose of this and the
above step is to boot from the duplicate disk, so that Windows can have full
access to the disk (original image) you wish to expand.

5. Boot up Windows. Windows will report that it has identified new hardware.
After that is finished, then navigate to Start -> Run. Type <DISKPART> (no
<chevrons> and no quotes), and press Run/Enter.

6. In the new window that appears type: <list volume> <return>

7. After that process runs, a list of disks appears. Notice that Volume 1
and Volume 2 look identical. Note: Volume 2 should be the original hard disk
image.

8. Select Volume 2 by typing: <select volume 2> <return>. Then extend it by
typing <extend> <return>. Once that is complete type <exit> <return>. Then
shut down Windows.

9. Before starting Windows, clean up the Virtual Machine preferences by
using the Parallels preferences to delete the second hard disk, and to
switch the Hard Disk 1 path back to the original hard disk image. You can
put the duplicated Win XP hard disk image into the Mac Trash.

10. Restart Windows. Rebooting may be necessary if Windows "detects new
hardware."