Howto clone VM with Windows XP

[Alexander Ramisch]

Hi Forum,

as posted in http://forum.parallels.com/showthread.php?t=99407 I have a Windows-XP VM running on Parallels on a MacBook Pro (latest Parallels Build) which is working fine, but cannot be rebooted (after shutdown the machine does not boot)

Because I did not get help on this question I have another Idea:
Is it possible, to clone the contents of the Harddisk of the VM into a new one with a working MBR?
Or is there another poissibility to transfer all installed Software and data from the running VM (which cannot be rebooted) to a new virtual machine?

Thanks a lot!
Alex

 

[I-che]

Hi Alex,
I can think of 3 options now:
1. Copy all user files you need from the faulty VM (using shared folders, for instance) and use them later in newly installed virtual machine
2. suspend the faulty VM, open it with Parallels Mounter and try to copy user files to Mac
3. create new virtual machine, add hard drive from faulty virtual machine (in suspended state) to configuration of new VM, start new VM and using My Computer copy the content/files from old drive to system drive

Option 3 is quite safe. Parallels does not provide an utility to clone entire content of a VM to another VM. Of course you will have to reinstall all applications on new VM - but you can keep all current data.