Virtual PC: Cannot restore machine from hibernate

Question

I have two virtual machines set up from Virtual PC on Windows 7 Professional: Windows XP Mode and Xubuntu. Last time I used them (last month or so), I had closed them by hibernating.

Evidently, I have meanwhile downloaded a Windows Update affecting VPC and now receive the following error in restoring either of them from hibernation:

'Xubuntu' could not be restored because of either host processor type mismatch or lack of hardware-assisted virtualization support in the system.

I've been through the virtual machine's settings, and there's nowhere an option to simply reboot it. (Virtualization is not the problem, as I can create a new virtual machine without any problems.)

Any ideas?

Answer 1

I managed to find a solution: deleting the hibernation state file. This is similar to deleting hiberfil.sys when your computer won't return, although there is a Windows boot option to do this (press F8 during boot).

Here's how to do it for a Virtual PC virtual machine:

1. Navigate to the location of the virtual machine's settings file (.vmc file). In my case, it was in the same location as the virtual hard disk, under:

   C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Virtual PC\Virtual Machines\
   

2. If your machine had been hibernated last time you closed it, you will see a fairly sizable "Virtual Machine Saved State" file (.vsv). By deleting this file, you will delete the hibernation data, and the machine will boot normally.

   

Answer 2

If deleting the saved state doesn't work for you, fear not: I also discovered a way of easily accessing the data.

Open the "Disk Management" console, revealing the various disks and partitions on your system. You can easily reach it on any flavor of Windows by typing diskmgmt.msc in the Run dialog.

Once open, check the "Action" menu: you will see an option to attach a Virtual Hard Disk (VHD):

Hit Attach VHD, browse to the .vhd file, and it will show up as a disk in the Explorer. There it is: you can recover your data!