Working with .vhd(x) files

Acronis backups (.tibx files) of disks or partitions can be converted to virtual hard disks (.vhd(x) files).

How to use .vhd(x) files

• You can boot your computer from the converted .vhd(x) file to test whether the backup is valid and can be recovered to a bootable operating system.
• You can keep a converted .vhd(x) file for emergency situations. For example, if your computer cannot start and you need to run it right away, you can boot from the .vhd(x) file.
• In Windows 7, you can mount a .vhd(x) file as an additional drive. The .vhd(x) file may contain any partitions – system or non-system.
• You can run a converted .vhd(x) file as a virtual machine.

Limitations and additional information

• A file backup cannot be converted to a .vhd(x) file.

• To boot from a converted .vhd(x) file, it must contain:

  • System partition of the same computer. You cannot boot other computers using the same .vhd(x) file.
  • Windows 7 or later operating system.
• Any changes you make to a booted or mounted .vhd(x) file are saved to it. If you boot from a .vhd(x) file and make changes to the data that was not backed up, these changes will affect your live system.
• The standalone versions of Acronis True Image that start when booting from the bootable media do not support conversion operations.
• Acronis True Image cannot convert .tibx files that contain dynamic volumes which were originally located on more than one disk drive (for example, spanned or striped dynamic volumes).