Using Disk2vhd to Build Virtual Hard Disks from Online Physical Machines

I spend a lot of my time talking and writing about Hyper V and virtual machines.  Windows Server 2008 R2 and Hyper V version 2.0 provide a platform to do some great things in your network.  The virtual hard disk (VHD) that Hyper V, Virtual Server, and Virtual PC all use as the base component for virtual machines contain the operating system, applications, and data.  Generally VHD's are built from scratch. Raw disk space is allocated, then an operating system is installed in that vhd space.  Early on in the timeline of virtualization someone decided it would be a great idea, instead of creating raw disk space and then installing an operating system, it would be very convenient to be able to build a vhd out of a running physical machine.  The possibility has existed in the physical to virtual wizard that is part of System Center Virtual Machine Manager.  Unfortunately there is a cost associated with SCVMM.  Mark Russinovich and Bryce Cogswell have produced a tool called Disk2vhd.  This tool has 2 huge benefits.  first its free.  Second It will capture a running online physical machine and make a vhd out of it.    You have to see it in action.  I recorded a short video for your enjoyment. 

 

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