Virtual hard disks
 

.vmdk virtual hard disk image for use with winuae ?


Noticed Beta 6 .vhd support. For .vmdk there are many, many free small Kb utilities to make, resize, mount etc. Making .vmdk very accessable, probably more resiliant than .vhd :)

vhd has been there for ages ("dynamic hardfile).. and it was selected because it has very simple format.

and you do not resize or mount amiga partitions anyway with PC utilities..

Resize etc. agree only for windows only patitions never for amiga. Which is done with an amiga partition or amigs disk tool to do that. If possible with vd winuae, never used before always used folders upto now. Would like to use vmdk disks formated using winaue to amiga hd disk spec for use with winuae. But winuae would to to have support for them as does .vhd correct ?

Here is six free .vmdk standalone tools, to set up a vmdk disk easily vmxbuilder

If you can mount vmdk files in Windows, you can use the Add Harddrive function of WinUAE to access them.

What is so superiour about vmdk over vhd in your opinion?

"Why?"

_Only_ reason for vhd support is "dynamic" part of vhd, can easily use and test HUGE hardfiles. It was not meant for mounting any existing images (why would you need that?)

I still don't see your point. No existing PC software understands (mounts, defragments, resizes etc..) Amiga formatted disk images, vhd or vmdk or whatever.

Ok understand vhd is only used mainly for internal testing.

For me it is having an actual file disk, with all files contained within. As i don't have or to to use a single hdd for winuae amiga. And fed up with folders as drives, files scattered all over the drive. To keep them all together in one place needs a container, virtual disks are ideal for this. Vmdk for me over time has been more reliable than vhd, or has more win os features.

To compare i will have to get a vhd drive up and running again. Anyone know of software that i can make quickly vhd disk files. Like the software i posted above for vmdk files.

Tests for reliabilty defragmenting, mounting, unmounting as well as compatibilty with other softwares using xp os (x86) only.


Thanks Thomas for heads up with using it as drive. I'm building up a pc from older bits for a better vmware pc. It will have more memory slots and memory for use. Putting in fan controllers as it's another northwood dualcore cpu, with a 12'' quiet fan psu. all 400mhz mem for 800fsb so on, all on the cheap now as as seen as old tat. :)

This pc i also use for amiga with winuae, have not had chance to test if vmdk possible or not with amiga.

Virtual disk once mounted can be used as a disk. Hoping for to use vmdk virtual disks, with winuae and make to an amiga disk. Like using a real physical hardware hdd.

Haven't yet tried with use a real hdd or virtual disk with winuae, previously only used folders as disks. Now needing for all files to be contained in one place on physical hdd. Using a container such as vmdk virtual would allow for this.

Vhd when last tested (a while ago) vmdk was more stable and quicker to use setup up disks. This may have changed and will need to test them again when pc rebuild running, soon. Small tool to make vhd would be needed as newer ms virtual os is vista or win7 only, xp os (x86) is what i use.

WinUAE creates a VHD file when "dynamic HDF" is checked. No need to install any virtualisation software.

VirtualPC 2007 runs perfectly well on WinXP.

Virtual Server 2005 (vhdmount tool) can be installed on WinXP Pro. It can also be installed in XP Home if registry is changed to Pro. (Been there, done that.)

There is really no need for vmdk support in WinUAE.

Ok thanks Thomas will try out your suggestions soon. Didn't know dynamic was a vhd disk, never looked at any winuae manual to know any different. If a manual exists, not so easy to maintain sucha manual, since winuae is ever evolving. ;)

amn i hate the thougt of that, missing some winuae function that could be very useful. Will have to have a look over at wiki to see if any winuae manual is there. So far just used what is shown on winuae ui, if its not there i haven't used it yet. :sad

The virtualpc 207 i did try if is the free version, found it very clunky and awkward. Not that has anything to do with winuae at all.

What vhd version code is winuae using for the 'Dynamic HDF', is it ever updated ?

When i used vhd on pro i just selected mount from rmb drop list for the vhd disk icon if remember correctly. Don't know about xp home, never used it.

If vhd is running stable and code is updated as you say no need for vmdk. Looking forward to getting amiga up and running again using virtual disks :great :)

Toni told you this in his very first reply.

So he did, and which i had forgotten in 11 days. Hadn't set in yet, has now since we are talking about it. :D