Windows 7 to add native support for Virtual Hard Disks


Recommended Posts

  Tom Servo said:
And booting from VHDs? What's the point? Windows ****s all over itself if main components like mainboard chipset or CPU change (the emulated environment in a VM is a different one than your real one). Not to mention the funky performance loss on disk IO due to NTFS -> VHD -> NTFS, especially with Windows' ****ty IO scheduler.

Riiiiight... the IO scheduler that Linux has taken over a decade to come close to catching up with. Uh huh.

I swapped out a motherboard + CPU a few weeks ago on this very system. Vista had absolutely no problems detecting the new hardware and booting up just fine. On my Macbook I can boot between VMware and the native partition via BootCamp, and have no troubles at all.

  Brandon Live said:
Riiiiight... the IO scheduler that Linux has taken over a decade to come close to catching up with. Uh huh.

Yeah, right, the Windows SCAN scheduler is the pinnacle of IO scheduling. Go away.

  Brandon Live said:
I swapped out a motherboard + CPU a few weeks ago on this very system. Vista had absolutely no problems detecting the new hardware and booting up just fine. On my Macbook I can boot between VMware and the native partition via BootCamp, and have no troubles at all.

I switched mainboard and CPU too a few weeks ago, coincidentally. Vista however decided to do a boot loop. That did really help, so much for that. And I didn't even change CPU architecture, e.g. from Intel to AMD or the other way.

  Long said:
Maybe not so impossible.

I've already posted that this driver is available since quite some time now. That screenshot means exactly squat.

  Quote
New Features in Virtual Server R2 SP1

VHD Mount Command-line Tool and APIs

Provides the ability to mount a virtual hard disk file (.vhd file) as a virtual disk device on another operating system.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/virtualse...vsoverview.mspx

  Tom Servo said:
Yeah, right, the Windows SCAN scheduler is the pinnacle of IO scheduling. Go away.

Yeah, because you obviously know so much about how NT works.

Seriously, don't most Linux systems still lack I/O prioritization? Cancellable I/O? Last I recall they still don't support propogating I/O completion tasks to user-mode threads, either.

I was mainly talking about how far behind Linux used to be, before the 2.6 kernel, or before AIO started to become adopted. Things seem to be more evenly matched, these days.

  Brandon Live said:
Yeah, because you obviously know so much about how NT works.

Then tell me how the scheduler works! You're always telling me I'm full of myself, yet never spill the beans to actually correct me. Until then, I rely and believe what I find elsewhere, and they tell me it's a crappy SCAN algorithm.

  Brandon Live said:
Seriously, don't most Linux systems still lack I/O prioritization? Cancellable I/O? Last I recall they still don't support propogating I/O completion tasks to user-mode threads, either.

I was mainly talking about how far behind Linux used to be, before the 2.6 kernel, or before AIO started to become adopted. Things seem to be more evenly matched, these days.

How would I know? Does it look like I'm a Linux user?

But seriously, Linux comes with prioritization and cancellable IO. Who the hell knows about completition tasks, ask an actual Linux user. But hey, good job picking arguments that are completely silly, because it took the release of Vista for Windows to get the stuff you're holding against me as an argument. Linux had at least the two things I mentioned around Vista's release timeframe already.

  doncoyote.cl said:
... and Microsoft promises this... and then promises that... and then the promises are not accomplished

The same story over and over again.

Let's see the final product, then we talk.

-Rodrigo

You do know this is an advert for employees not a "LOOK HOW SHINY THIS IS!" thing, right?

  zer0l0gic said:
Sounds great. But, we should all take a deep breath, remember all the promises of Vista?

So, if Microsoft delivers. Top marks.

  doncoyote.cl said:
... and Microsoft promises this... and then promises that... and then the promises are not accomplished

The same story over and over again.

Let's see the final product, then we talk.

-Rodrigo

Microsoft isn't promising anything. Read the article.

  Quote
I have a nice hat that you might be interested in... it's made from tin foil!

lol

VHD native support would be a more than welcome addition.

Also the virtual drive or disc for mountin disc images would be great. Or at least native support for creating virual folder that run on ram.

Um, isn't that a feature that was supposed to be in Vista already? I remember I read somewhere that Vista will have the ability to mount vhds that are used by Virtual PC.

Later when I got my hands on Vista, I was quite frustrated when I found out it didn't work.

This is just one of the features that should have been in Vista, and now is coming in the next version.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • Sorry for having to do sponsored deals in order to keep the lights on. Our Stackcommerce partner determines the deals we publish (I do not choose them myself) but I suppose what people don't see or worry about doesn't affect them. If a tiny percentage of these articles (1 Neowin Deal a day) affects you this much, then I am sorry. We're not the only news site to have to do this btw others have to as well
    • My guess. Much like the original Siri, Apple never intended to innovate in the AI space. I bet their whole plan was to buy some up-and-coming AI company, slap their logo on it, and make it proprietary. But they either waited too late, or couldn't find a company willing to accept their low ball offer. Now they're forced to do it but they will be kicking and screaming the whole time. IMO, they will eventually purchase a company, slap their logo on it, and use their tier 1 marketing department to leap frog the competition.
    • The best wireless controller for PC is now even more affordable by Taras Buria I recently reviewed the GameSir Super Nova wireless controller for PC and mobile devices, and I came to the conclusion that this gamepad is one of the best in the business, as long as you do not play on consoles. It is affordable, well-made, and insanely customizable. Besides, you get durable Hall Effect sticks and triggers, a dock station that works as a USB hub, and a 1000Hz polling rate. Best part? The Super Nova is now even more affordable than before, with a 25% discount on Amazon. The GameSir Super Nova is available in two colors: Blue and Pink. However, you can remove the front plate and replace it with another one, like Purple. What I like about this gamepad is that it delivers the complete package: good-quality craftsmanship, solid materials, customizable RGB lights, a solid multi-device connection, and very deep customization via the GameSir app on Windows and mobile devices. It also has a gyro that works with all supported devices, not just the Nintendo Switch. The Super Nova is a no-go only for those playing games on Xbox or PlayStation. The controller is not compatible with consoles, but other than that, this gamepad is hard to beat at just $44.99. Not only is it cheaper than the standard Xbox Wireless Controller, but it also offers fantastic value for the money and a rich feature set. GameSir Super Nova Wireless Controller for PC and mobile - $44.99 | 25% off on Amazon US This Amazon deal is US-specific and not available in other regions unless specified. If you don't like it or want to look at more options, check out the Amazon US deals page here. Get Prime (SNAP), Prime Video, Audible Plus or Kindle / Music Unlimited. Free for 30 days. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
    • How to change folder colors in OneDrive by Taras Buria Microsoft's OneDrive cloud storage has plenty of useful productivity features that help you get around your file libraries. Colored folders are a relatively new feature that not every OneDrive user is aware of. While the ability to have colorful folders might seem minor at first glance, it can be very helpful for sorting stuff in your OneDrive. Microsoft says the feature lets users "personalize and manage folder colors for better content visibility." Even Apple agrees with this—iOS, iPadOS, and macOS 26 let you change folder colors in the Files/Finder app. Change folder color in OneDrive on Windows The process is very simple, but it is not the same as changing a folder icon in File Explorer. While you can change the icon of any folder in OneDrive on Windows 11 (Right Click > Properties > Customize > Change Icon), these icons do not sync across platforms. At the same time, while OneDrive folder colors do sync, the feature is not available for personal accounts in the web version of OneDrive. As for mobile devices, it is coming soon to Android and iOS OneDrive clients. Despite the current limitations, here is how to change folder colors in OneDrive on Windows: Make sure OneDrive is set up and running and sync is not paused. Find the folder whose color you want to change, and right-click it. Select OneDrive > Folder Color. Pick one of the 16 colors available and click Ok. The OneDrive app will sync your changes so that they appear across all devices that support folder colors in OneDrive. If you have a business account, you can open OneDrive for the web, right-click any folder and select Folder Color. Changes will sync across your devices right away. Do you find colored folders in OneDrive useful? Share your thoughts in the comments.
    • Awesome. That's what I was thinking Jim. Yea from what I can tell you connect the AIC card to the AIC header on the motherboard, so it doesn't just run through the PCI lanes. That's fine guys. Thanks for clarifying 🙂 I was getting a little bit lost with all of this, but I need a minimum of TB3 and the connector on the MB has it, but not on the back of my PC chassis / MB IO shield. Anyway I found that the cheapest I can get it is Amazon at 70 quid, so I'm just gonna have to fork out for it. Thanks everyone. 🙂 👍  Don't worry about Mindovermaster. He's just his chirpy cheerful self lol. Thanks everyone 🙂
  • Recent Achievements

    • Reacting Well
      rshit earned a badge
      Reacting Well
    • Reacting Well
      Alan- earned a badge
      Reacting Well
    • Week One Done
      IAMFLUXX earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • One Month Later
      Æhund earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • One Month Later
      CoolRaoul earned a badge
      One Month Later
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      535
    2. 2
      ATLien_0
      269
    3. 3
      +FloatingFatMan
      211
    4. 4
      +Edouard
      204
    5. 5
      snowy owl
      140
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!