I’ve installed Virtual Server 2005 SP2 Beta1 and was thrilled to find the tool VHDMount. It’s used to map up virtual hardrives (vhd’s) as regular drives in windows. Only I ran in to a slight problem under XP.

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Virtual Server\Vhdmount>vhdmount.exe /m ”g:\Work\VPC’s\MOSS 2007 Tech Resource CD\MOSSBeta2.vhd”

Virtual Disk Service (VDS) is not available. This option uses Virtual Disk Service to mount the volumes on the VHD file. Use /p.

So I tried using the /p flag.

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Virtual Server\Vhdmount>vhdmount.exe /p ”g:\Work\VPC’s\MOSS 2007 Tech Resource CD\MOSSBeta2.vhd”

The VHD file is successfully plugged in as a virtual disk device.

Only problem now is that the disk does not get configured correctly. So what you have to do is to inter the Device Manager and find the faulty disk.

Well I guess you figured out witch one it is. Now, right click it and chose Update Driver…

You don’t want search Windows Update for it.

Chose to install from a specific location.

Don’t search.

Point to the Microsoft Virtual Server Storage Devices.

Viola, your disk is up an running. It’s to bad we can’t use /m option when mounting and set the drive letter. Now, it’s up to windows to assign it. So if you just forgot to get some files off your VPC it’s a neat way without having to go trough the trouble of starting it up. But if you’re trying to script against it… Well do it on a server that has the Virtual Disk Service Installed.