This article explains simple steps to backup VHD files safely, restore backup images, and create scheduled backups on Windows for better data protection.
In Hyper-V environments, data protection plays a vital role in maintaining business stability. Each virtual machine relies on VHD or VHDX files that store its operating system, applications, and user data, making these files crucial for recovery in case of system errors or disk failure.
With AOMEI Partition Assistant, VHD file backup can be handled easily and safely. The Attach VHD feature allows the virtual hard disk to be mounted and recognized as a local drive, after which the Clone Disk feature can be used to duplicate the entire VHD to another storage device or location. This approach provides a practical way to secure important data without the need to export the whole virtual machine.
By combining these features, AOMEI Partition Assistant offers a convenient and reliable method to back up Hyper-V VHD files, helping ensure data safety and continuous operation in virtual environments.
Creating a backup of your VHD or VHDX file is an important step to keep your virtual machine data safe and avoid data loss. Because these files store the full operating system and user data of a virtual machine, having a copy ensures you can quickly restore everything if the original file becomes corrupted or deleted.
For Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Server users, AOMEI Partition Assistant provides an easy and efficient way to back up VHD files. With its Attach VHD feature, you can mount the VHD or VHDX file so it appears as a local disk on your PC. After mounting, simply use the Clone Disk or Clone Partition function to copy all the data from the virtual disk to another drive, SSD, or even another VHD file.
This method removes the need for complex command-line tools and guarantees that every file and setting on the virtual disk is safely cloned. Since AOMEI Partition Assistant supports both VHD and VHDX formats, it’s a reliable and user-friendly choice for anyone looking to back up or clone VHD files on Windows computers. This powerful software even supports enabling BitLocker for VHD file on Windows Home edition.
The Best Windows Disk Partition Manager and PC Optimizer
Before cloning a VHD or VHDX file, you must attach it first. Attaching mounts the virtual disk so Windows recognizes it as a real drive with visible partitions and data. This step allows tools like AOMEI Partition Assistant to detect and copy the entire contents accurately, ensuring a smooth, complete, and secure VHD cloning process.
Step 1. Select the "Attach VHD" option after clicking the"Virtual Disk" tab.
Step 2. Click "Browse" to locate the location where the .vhd or .vhdx file is saved. Select the .vhd or .vhdx file you want to attach and click "Open" to attach it.
Step 3. Once the virtual file is selected, you can click "OK" to start attaching the VHD.
Step 4. Once the process is finished, you will see that the VHD is attached successfully.
Once the VHD is attached and recognized by Windows, the next step is to clone it to a physical hard drive to achieve backup VHD file. Using a reliable tool like AOMEI Partition Assistant, you can transfer all data, partitions, and system settings from the virtual disk to the HDD efficiently. Simply select the attached VHD as the source disk, choose your physical HDD as the destination, and start the cloning process. This ensures a complete and safe transfer from virtual to real disk. You can also use it to transfer data from an HDD to an SSD or from an SSD to an HDD.
The Best Windows Disk Partition Manager and PC Optimizer
Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant, click "Clone" in the main interface, and select "Clone Disk".
Step 2. Choose the hard disk that you need to clone as the source disk and click "Next".
Step 3. Select another drive as the destination disk, and then click "Next".
Step 4. Then, you can check the source and destination disk in the next window or change to "Sector to Sector clone", and click the "Confirm" button to continue if there is no problem.
Here, you can also click the "Settings" button to adjust the partition size on the destination disk or tick "4k alignment" to improve the reading and writing speed of the SSD.
Step 6. You can preview the disk cloning operation by viewing the "Pending Operations". To commit the "Pending Operations", please click "Apply" and "Proceed".
Backing up VHD and VHDX files is essential for protecting virtual machine data and preventing unexpected data loss. With AOMEI Partition Assistant, you can easily attach and clone VHD files on Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, and Windows Server without complex commands. Its user-friendly features, such as Attach VHD and Clone Disk, make it simple to copy your virtual disks to another drive or device securely. Whether you want to back up VHD files, clone VHD to HDD, or ensure data safety in Hyper-V environments, AOMEI Partition Assistant offers a reliable and efficient solution for maintaining smooth virtual machine operations.