How to shrink Windows 7 XP Mode VHD files?

Question

I'm trying to shrink a Windows 7 XP Mode VHD file with VhdResizer with little success.

When I select my VHD file, it says "VhdExpand only supports fixed and dynamic VHD files". My XP Mode VHDs are dynamic files.

Does anyone have any idea why it is failing?

Failing that, does anyone have a process that I can use to shrink my XP mode VHD files on Windows 7 (64 bit)?

Answer 1

Here's how I do it:

1) Make sure the VHD is shutdown (status should be Powered down)

2) In the Virtual Machines folder, click the VHD

3) Click Settings on the menu

4) Select the HD in question and click Modify

5) Select the option to Compact

Answer 2

In fact, Michael's answer is about how to compact the vhd, while the original question was how to shrink the .vhd, which can (or not) be the same thing, depending on what the original user wanted. At the end of a compactation, the size of the virtual hard disk is the same (from the guest point of view), but it has been reorganized so that the .vhd file is smaller (from the host point of view).

However, if you need to shrink a dynamic VHD (from the guest point of view), so that at the end of the process your virtual machine has a smaller virtual hard drive (because you oversized them during the installation, or any other reason), please have a look at http://jagbarcelo.blogspot.com/2011/11/how-to-shrink-vhd-virtual-hard-disk.html

I hope it helps someone. Regards.

Answer 3

Using Windows 7 to compact a VHD (using i:\ as an example):

Prior to compacting the VHD run cleanmgr /d c within the VM to delete any temporary files.

1. Load up computer management -> disk management
2. Mount the VHD from the actions menu using Attach VHD

3. Extract precompact.exe from

   C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Virtual PC\Integration Components\Precompact.iso

4. Run:

   precompact.exe -SetDisks:i
   

5. Defrag the drive. This will require admin privileges so use runas to open command prompt or enter command prompt into the search box and select context item 'run as administrator'

   defrag i: /H /U /X
   

6. Within disk management select action Detach VHD.

7. Compact the drive inside Virtual PC settings.

Precompact.exe zeros the VHD - that way using the compactor actually works. Note that in some cases this process can increase the VHD size!