Share via


Create boot menu entries for .vhdx image files using bcdedit?

Question

Wednesday, January 2, 2019 9:50 PM

I created a .VHDX file from disk manager called Acronis.vhdx, attached it and then mounted it to D:\VHDX. Under File Explorer it shows as V:\AcronisVHDX.   I then used PowerISO to extract the contents of AcronisRescuePE.Iso to V:\AcronisVHDX. I can see the folders and files with V:\AcronisVHDX.  

What I need/want to do now is create a GUID entry(?) using BCDEDIT (?) to create an entry to boot this .VHDX. I have researched the various documentation on technet/msdn and the web in general but I cannot find anything specific on how to add a boot entry to boot a .vhdx that resides on the D; drive specifically. When booted under winre, C: becomes D; so I assume that D: would become E:, where X: is winre itself. Will V: then move to W:?  I'm above my paygrade here. If anybody can help me this I would greatly appreciate it.  

What I am basically trying to do is convert multiple bootable winpe based .iso images from various companies, so that I can boot direct into them from an entry within winre. You will notice from below that I have boot entries both for Macrium Reflect 7 Home and EaseUSTodo already as boot options when I boot up windows directly.

I hope all of this makes sense. 

I have tried ALL the so-called USB multi-boot creators and none of them work with my 64-bit UEFI bios

Xboot does copy the 6 winpe based iso's to the usb drive but my bios will not recognize it as bootable, even though it will boot any other winpe based usb flash drive. It doesn't like grub4dos or syslinix.

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.17763.195]
(c) 2018 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>reagentc /info
Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE) and system reset configuration
Information:

    Windows RE status:         Enabled
    Windows RE location:       \?\GLOBALROOT\device\harddisk1\partition5\Recovery\WindowsRE
    Boot Configuration Data (BCD) identifier: 57b6bb18-e095-11e8-9a73-90ddbf97c8ee
    Recovery image location:
    Recovery image index:      0
    Custom image location:
    Custom image index:        0

REAGENTC.EXE: Operation Successful.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>bcdedit

Windows Boot Manager

identifier              {bootmgr}
device                  partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume4
path                    \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi
description             Windows Boot Manager
locale                  en-US
inherit                 {globalsettings}
badmemoryaccess         Yes
flightsigning           Yes
default                 {current}
resumeobject            {15a5625b-e095-11e8-947a-0c54157ab777}
displayorder            {current}
                        {a608dab3-db8f-11e8-945c-0c54157ab777}
                        {b3b69293-3e25-e2db-b89f-da816ab284e9}
toolsdisplayorder       {memdiag}
timeout                 10

Windows Boot Loader

identifier              {current}
device                  partition=C:
path                    \WINDOWS\system32\winload.efi
description             Windows 10
locale                  en-US
inherit                 {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence        {57b6bb18-e095-11e8-9a73-90ddbf97c8ee}
displaymessageoverride  Recovery
recoveryenabled         Yes
badmemoryaccess         Yes
isolatedcontext         Yes
flightsigning           Yes
allowedinmemorysettings 0x15000075
osdevice                partition=C:
systemroot              \WINDOWS
resumeobject            {15a5625b-e095-11e8-947a-0c54157ab777}
nx                      OptIn
bootmenupolicy          Standard
hypervisorlaunchtype    Off

Windows Boot Loader

identifier              {a608dab3-db8f-11e8-945c-0c54157ab777}
device                  ramdisk=[C:]\boot\macrium\WA10KFiles\media\sources\boot.wim,{ramdiskoptions}
path                    \windows\system32\boot\winload.efi
description             Macrium Reflect System Recovery
badmemoryaccess         Yes
flightsigning           Yes
osdevice                ramdisk=[C:]\boot\macrium\WA10KFiles\media\sources\boot.wim,{ramdiskoptions}
systemroot              \Windows
nx                      OptIn
detecthal               Yes
winpe                   Yes

Windows Boot Loader

identifier              {b3b69293-3e25-e2db-b89f-da816ab284e9}
device                  ramdisk=[C:]\boot\EASEUSPE.WIM,{e2b69392-2f34-f1ca-c7af-ca816ab183e9}
path                    \Windows\system32\winload.efi
description             EaseUS Todo Backup Windows PE
locale                  en-US
inherit                 {bootloadersettings}
badmemoryaccess         Yes
osdevice                ramdisk=[C:]\boot\EASEUSPE.WIM,{e2b69392-2f34-f1ca-c7af-ca816ab183e9}
systemroot              \windows
nx                      OptIn
detecthal               Yes
winpe                   Yes

C:\WINDOWS\system32>diskpart

Microsoft DiskPart version 10.0.17763.1

Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: HADES-CANYON

DISKPART> list disk

  Disk ###  Status         Size     Free     Dyn  Gpt
           
  Disk 0    Online          953 GB    95 GB        *
  Disk 1    Online          476 GB    47 GB        *
  Disk 2    Online          476 GB    47 GB        *
  Disk 3    Online         1024 MB  1984 KB
  Disk 4    Online         1862 GB  1024 KB        *
  Disk 5    Online         1024 MB      0 B        *
  Disk 6    Online          465 GB  2048 KB        *
  Disk 7    Online           40 GB      0 B        *

DISKPART> select disk 5

Disk 5 is now the selected disk.

DISKPART> list partition

  Partition ###  Type              Size     Offset
       
  Partition 1    Reserved            15 MB    17 KB
  Partition 2    Primary           1007 MB    16 MB

DISKPART> select partition 1

Partition 1 is now the selected partition.

DISKPART> detail partition

Partition 1
Type    : e3c9e316-0b5c-4db8-817d-f92df00215ae  < MSFT Reserved Partition
Hidden  : Yes
Required: No
Attrib  : 0000000000000000
Offset in Bytes: 17408

There is no volume associated with this partition.

DISKPART> select partition 2

Partition 2 is now the selected partition.

DISKPART> detail partition

Partition 2
Type    : ebd0a0a2-b9e5-4433-87c0-68b6b72699c7         <

The data partition type that is created and recognized by Windows.

Only partitions of this type can be assigned drive letters, receive volume GUID paths, host mounted folders (also called volume mount points

Hidden  : No
Required: No
Attrib  : 0000000000000000
Offset in Bytes: 16777216

  Volume ###  Ltr  Label        Fs     Type        Size     Status     Info
               
* Volume 9     V   AcronisVHDX  FAT32  Partition   1007 MB  Healthy

DISKPART> select volume 9

Volume 9 is the selected volume.

DISKPART> detail volume

  Disk ###  Status         Size     Free     Dyn  Gpt
           
* Disk 5    Online         1024 MB      0 B        *

Read-only              : No
Hidden                 : No
No Default Drive Letter: No
Shadow Copy            : No
Offline                : No
BitLocker Encrypted    : No
Installable            : Yes

Volume Capacity        : 1006 MB
Volume Free Space      :  447 MB

All replies (2)

Thursday, January 3, 2019 9:55 AM

Hi,

Please check the steps in the link below about using BCD tool.

How to Add a Native-Boot Virtual Hard Disk to the Boot Menu

https://mountainss.wordpress.com/2012/12/16/how-to-add-a-native-boot-virtual-hard-disk-to-the-boot-menu-hyperv/

Please Note: Since the website is not hosted by Microsoft, the link may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.

Regards,

Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help.
If you have feedback for TechNet Subscriber Support, contact [email protected].


Wednesday, January 16, 2019 2:29 AM

Hi,

Haven't received your message a few days, was your issue resolved?
I am proposing previous helpful replies as "Answered". Please feel free to try it and let me know the result. If the reply is helpful, please remember to mark it as answer which can help other community members who have same questions and find the helpful reply quickly.
Best regards,
Carl

Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help.
If you have feedback for TechNet Subscriber Support, contact [email protected].