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linked drives

Source: microsoft.public.virtualserver
Sent: 04/05/2007
From: "Jon Rowlan" <(email address - cut out)>
Message:

I am really confused by linked vitrual disks ...

I hae a spare drive on my server, I have linked it but don't seem to be able
to do anything useful with it.

The documentation only seems to tell me how to link it ... not how to use it
???

Any ideas anyone please?

thanks,

jON

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Related Messages

RE: linked drives

Sent: 04/05/2007
From: Steve Jain
Message:

You really can't do anything useful with a linked disk in Virtual Server.
The only thing you can really do is use it to make a VHD image from it. You
can't directly access a linked disk.

"Jon Rowlan" wrote:

Show quoted text

> I am really confused by linked vitrual disks ...
>
> I hae a spare drive on my server, I have linked it but don't seem to be able
> to do anything useful with it.
>
> The documentation only seems to tell me how to link it ... not how to use it
> ???
>
> Any ideas anyone please?
>
> thanks,
>
> jON
>
>
>

Re: linked drives

Sent: 04/06/2007
From: (email address - cut out)
Message:

On Apr 5, 10:36 am, "Jon Rowlan" <(email address - cut out)> wrote:

One idea may be for multiple VMs to use the same linked drive. The
linked drive may contain software install files. However, I think
mounting ISOs is easier.

Todd

Show quoted text

Re: linked drives

Sent: 04/12/2007
From: Steve Jain <(email address - cut out)>
Message:

On Thu, 12 Apr 2007 13:17:35 +0100, "Jon Rowlan" <(email address - cut out)>
wrote:

Have you looked in the Admin guide? I found this when I searched for
"linked":

Copying a physical disk to a virtual hard disk

You can create a copy of a physical hard disk for use as a virtual
hard disk so that a virtual machine can use an exact duplicate of the
contents of a physical hard disk. This process uses virtual disk
management features available on the Administration Website to copy
the data.

For more information about the Administration Website, see Using the
Administration Website.

Important

This process is intended to be used on data disks only. Attempting to
copy a physical startup disk for use in a virtual machine can have
unexpected results due to differences such as hardware or storage
configuration.

Before you begin
You will need to store the virtual hard disk on a separate physical
disk from the one you want to copy while you make the copy. This means
that you must have access to two physical disks to complete the
copying process.

About the procedures
You can create a copy of a physical disk for use as a virtual hard
disk in a virtual machine by performing two procedures. Following are
descriptions of each procedure, along with links to detailed
instructions.

Create a linked virtual hard disk.
You use this procedure to create a virtual hard disk (.vhd file)
linked to the physical disk that stores the contents you want to copy.
When you complete this procedure, the .vhd file will not contain a
copy of the contents of the physical disk; it is simply a reference
point. To copy the disk contents from the physical disk to the .vhd
file, you must convert the linked virtual hard disk by completing the
second procedure.

When you create the linked virtual hard disk, specify a temporary name
and location, such as C:\TempDrive.vhd. Make sure that you specify a
location on a separate physical disk from the one you want to copy.
For instructions on completing this procedure, see To create a virtual
hard disk linked to a physical disk.

Convert the linked disk to a dynamically expanding virtual hard disk.
You use this procedure to copy the contents from the physical disk to
the virtual hard disk by performing a conversion. When you perform
this procedure, make the following selections:

Start the conversion process by inspecting the disk. When you select a
disk to inspect, select the linked virtual hard disk you created in
the first procedure, such as C:\TempDrive.vhd.
When you specify name and location for the converted virtual hard
disk, make sure that you specify a location on a separate physical
disk from the one you want to copy.
Virtual Server creates a virtual hard disk that contains a copy of the
physical disk's data. This can be a time-consuming process; the amount
of time depends on the size of the physical hard disk. After you
complete the steps, the conversion process starts. For instructions on
completing this procedure, see To convert a virtual hard disk.

To convert a virtual hard disk
Open the Administration Website.
In the navigation pane, under Virtual Disks, click Inspect.
Do one of the following, and then click Inspect:
In Known virtual hard disks, select the virtual hard disk to convert.
In Fully qualified path to file, type the fully qualified path to the
virtual hard disk file to convert.
Under Actions, click Convert virtual hard disk.
In Location, select the folder in which to store the converted virtual
hard disk file. If the folder you want does not appear in the list,
you must type the fully qualified path to the folder in Step 6.
In Converted virtual hard disk name, after the path to the folder,
type the file name (.vhd) of the converted virtual hard disk that you
want to create.
Click Convert.
Important

Converting a virtual hard disk can use a large percentage of processor
resources. We recommend that you do not perform this operation on a
production computer.
Notes

To perform this procedure, you must have the appropriate permissions.
If you do not have the appropriate permissions, you will either
receive an error message or you will not be able to view certain menu
items and options described in this procedure. To change your
permissions, contact your Virtual Server administrator. For more
information, see Securing Virtual Server.
For instructions on opening the Administration Website, see "Open the
Administration Website" in Related Topics.
You can convert a virtual hard disk only when it is not in use.
This procedure converts a virtual hard disk from one type of disk to
another, such as from a dynamically expanding virtual hard disk to a
fixed-size virtual hard disk. For more information, see "Converting
virtual hard disks" in Related Topics.
When typing paths to folders or files, note that local file paths (for
example, C:\my disk files\my disk.vhd) reference the computer running
the Virtual Server service. If the file or folder that you want to
reference is on a computer other than the one running the Virtual
Server service, you must use a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path
(for example, \\computer name\share\folder\file name).

----------- ---- --- -- - - - -
Cheers,
Steve Jain, Virtual Machine MVP
http://vpc.essjae.com/

Show quoted text

>I thought I would be able to do this but the doc's don't explain how to ....
>they just say that you 'can' ???
>
>jON

Re: linked drives

Sent: 04/12/2007
From: (email address - cut out)
Message:

On Apr 12, 5:17 am, "Jon Rowlan" <(email address - cut out)> wrote:

You can do this a couple of ways. Here is 1.

1) Create a new virtual machine. However, do not specify a virtual
disk. You will attached it later.
2) Create a new Virtual Disk. Make sure you select Differencing
disk. Specify the name of the new virtual disk. I would have it
created in the same folder as the VM you just created. Then you select
the partent disk - This is the BASE image.
3) Edit your Virtual Machine that you just created and attached the
new disk you just created.
Done.

Todd Mera

Show quoted text

> I thought I would be able to do this but the doc's don't explain how to ....
> they just say that you 'can' ???
>
> jON
>
> "Steve Jain" <(email address - cut out)am> wrote in message
>
> news:(email address - cut out)...
>
>
>
> > You really can't do anything useful with a linked disk in Virtual Server.
> > The only thing you can really do is use it to make a VHD image from it.
> > You
> > can't directly access a linked disk.
>
> > "Jon Rowlan" wrote:
>
> >> I am really confused by linked vitrual disks ...
>
> >> I hae a spare drive on my server, I have linked it but don't seem to be
> >> able
> >> to do anything useful with it.
>
> >> The documentation only seems to tell me how to link it ... not how to use
> >> it
> >> ???
>
> >> Any ideas anyone please?
>
> >> thanks,
>
> >> jON- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Re: linked drives

Sent: 04/12/2007
From: "Jon Rowlan" <(email address - cut out)>
Message:

I thought I would be able to do this but the doc's don't explain how to ....
they just say that you 'can' ???

jON

"Steve Jain" <(email address - cut out)am> wrote in message
news:(email address - cut out)...

Show quoted text

> You really can't do anything useful with a linked disk in Virtual Server.
> The only thing you can really do is use it to make a VHD image from it.
> You
> can't directly access a linked disk.
>
> "Jon Rowlan" wrote:
>
>> I am really confused by linked vitrual disks ...
>>
>> I hae a spare drive on my server, I have linked it but don't seem to be
>> able
>> to do anything useful with it.
>>
>> The documentation only seems to tell me how to link it ... not how to use
>> it
>> ???
>>
>> Any ideas anyone please?
>>
>> thanks,
>>
>> jON
>>
>>
>>

Re: linked drives

Sent: 04/12/2007
From: (email address - cut out)
Message:

On Apr 12, 5:17 am, "Jon Rowlan" <(email address - cut out)> wrote:

Here is one way to setup link drives...
Note: This is all done via the Microsoft Virtual Server Admin Website
1) Create a virtual machine. Do not attach a drive. We will do this
later.
2) Create a virtual hard drive of type Differencing. Create it in the
same folder that the VM in step one was created. Also specify the
path to the base VHD file (your base image).
3) Go back and edit your VM and attached the new differencing drive to
it.
4) Done

Todd Mera

Show quoted text

Re: linked drives

Sent: 04/12/2007
From: Paul Adare <(email address - cut out)>
Message:

On 12 Apr 2007 13:42:51 -0700, (email address - cut out) wrote:

You're describing a differencing disk, not a linked disk, they are two
completely separate things.
--
Paul Adare
MVP - Windows - Virtual Machine
http://www.identit.ca
"The English language, complete with irony, satire, and sarcasm, has
survived for centuries without smileys. Only the new crop of modern
computer geeks finds it impossible to detect a joke that is not clearly
labeled as such."
Ray Shea

Show quoted text

> Here is one way to setup link drives...
> Note: This is all done via the Microsoft Virtual Server Admin Website
> 1) Create a virtual machine. Do not attach a drive. We will do this
> later.
> 2) Create a virtual hard drive of type Differencing. Create it in the
> same folder that the VM in step one was created. Also specify the
> path to the base VHD file (your base image).
> 3) Go back and edit your VM and attached the new differencing drive to
> it.
> 4) Done

Re: linked drives

Sent: 04/12/2007
From: (email address - cut out)
Message:

On Apr 12, 2:30 pm, Paul Adare <(email address - cut out)> wrote:

Ooops. You are right. Another virtualization product uses the word
Linked to mean something else. Went on auto pilot Should think
before I type ;-).

Show quoted text

> On 12 Apr 2007 13:42:51 -0700, (email address - cut out) wrote:
>
> > Here is one way to setup link drives...
> > Note: This is all done via the Microsoft Virtual Server Admin Website
> > 1) Create a virtual machine. Do not attach a drive. We will do this
> > later.
> > 2) Create a virtual hard drive of type Differencing. Create it in the
> > same folder that the VM in step one was created. Also specify the
> > path to the base VHD file (your base image).
> > 3) Go back and edit your VM and attached the new differencing drive to
> > it.
> > 4) Done
>
> You're describing a differencing disk, not a linked disk, they are two
> completely separate things.
> --
> Paul Adare
> MVP - Windows - Virtual Machinehttp://www.identit.ca
> "The English language, complete with irony, satire, and sarcasm, has
> survived for centuries without smileys. Only the new crop of modern
> computer geeks finds it impossible to detect a joke that is not clearly
> labeled as such."
> Ray Shea

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