A Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) is a fundamental file in a computer system used by Microsoft’s virtual PCs. Just like physical drives, virtual disks appear in the disk management tool as a VHD file. Virtual drives also work in much the same way as external hard drives. However, certain issues can cause the loss of the VHD. How do you recover a deleted virtual hard disk? Discover the various possible solutions here.
Deleted VHD: what are the different reasons?
Various factors can lead to VHD files being deleted. Here are a few:
- An improper system shutdown;
- A system failure;
- Virus attacks;
- A malfunction of the storage medium used;
- Human error;
- Use of damaged hardware;
- Installing antivirus software on the virtual disk…
How do you recover a VHD for a deleted file?
You need to download a third-party data recovery tool. After installing it, follow the process for recovering an erased, damaged, or corrupted VHD:
- Select the location where the VHD was erased. This can be a local disk drive or removable storage on your PC;
- Right-click on the file location, then run the scan;
- Scan the entire device to allow the tool to perform a thorough search for your lost data;
- A result will display the deleted files. All deleted files are found in the file ;
- In the folder, get a preview of the files. Then look for the files you want to recover;
- Find the VHD file and click “Recover”.
How do you recover corrupted or damaged VHD files?
It is also possible that the file is still there, but it isn’t working. In this case, it may be damaged or corrupted. Follow one of the processes below to recover the VHD file:
Recover the VHD by creating virtual machines
To create a virtual machine :
- Set up a new server and add a new disk to it;
- Right-click on “Settings” and select the drive you created;
- Navigate to the virtual disk file to be repaired;
- Open the VHD wizard and choose a compact option ;
- Convert it to a fixed-size alternative;
- Save it again;
- Attach the new file to the original server after compacting.
Recover the deleted VHD via the Microsoft Tool for VHD
For this recovery process, you need to:
- Download the executable Microsoft VHD file ;
- Run this file as a new administrator;
- Run the VHD line, and the Microsoft tool will run it automatically through a scanning process.
These methods are essential for recovering a VHD, whether it has been attacked by a virus, deleted, destroyed by a malfunction of the storage medium used, or by a system failure. But you can also call on a data recovery professional. !