Dualboot windows 8 and VHDX

I have Windows 8.1 as main OS in UEFI environment, I wanted to have another Windows 8.1 as a VHDX (native boot).

I used EasyBCD to add entry for the VHDX but, it didn't boot the VHDX and the boot menu was without GUI (EasyBCD don't support UEFI).

I tried using BCDEdit Command-Line and added VHDX boot successfully with GUI but I noticed that, my Windows 8.1 load first then, it gives me the boot menu meaning when I chose Windows 8.1 it gives me the longing screen IMMEDIATELY and when I chose VHDX it reboots and load the VHDX so i lose my "fast boot" to my main win8.1 with a start-up time of a few seconds .

What I need is to go straight to VHDX without booting the main Windows 8.1. How can I do that?

here is my BCDEdit output:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.3.9600]
(c) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>bcdedit

Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier              {bootmgr}
device                  partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume2
path                    \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi
description             Windows Boot Manager
locale                  en-US
inherit                 {globalsettings}
integrityservices       Enable
default                 {current}
resumeobject            {639e8f6b-85d9-11e3-827e-d4c9ef700a6a}
displayorder            {current}
                        {639e8f68-85d9-11e3-827e-d4c9ef700a6a}
toolsdisplayorder       {memdiag}
timeout                 30

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier              {current}
device                  partition=C:
path                    \Windows\system32\winload.efi
description             Windows 8.1
locale                  en-US
inherit                 {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence        {639e8f6d-85d9-11e3-827e-d4c9ef700a6a}
integrityservices       Enable
recoveryenabled         Yes
isolatedcontext         Yes
allowedinmemorysettings 0x15000075
osdevice                partition=C:
systemroot              \Windows
resumeobject            {639e8f6b-85d9-11e3-827e-d4c9ef700a6a}
nx                      OptIn
bootmenupolicy          Standard

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier              {639e8f68-85d9-11e3-827e-d4c9ef700a6a}
device                  vhd=[D:]\win8.vhdx
path                    \Windows\system32\winload.efi
description             vhd boot (D)
locale                  en-US
inherit                 {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence        {639e8f69-85d9-11e3-827e-d4c9ef700a6a}
integrityservices       Enable
recoveryenabled         Yes
isolatedcontext         Yes
allowedinmemorysettings 0x15000075
osdevice                vhd=[D:]\win8.vhdx
systemroot              \Windows
resumeobject            {c4677075-7115-11e3-aa4f-c37c6d2ea04c}
nx                      OptIn
bootmenupolicy          Standard
hypervisorlaunchtype    Auto

C:\Windows\system32>


  • Edited by Power-9 Saturday, February 01, 2014 9:16 AM typo
January 31st, 2014 10:32pm

 That isn't restricted to booting from .vhdx . That happens with dualboot ( I like duabloot better!) when both are on HDDs. I think it is probably the result of changes to loading (like fast boot). You can't have fast boot on both systems - one will have to do a standard boot. 

   Does the .vhdx system fast boot if it was the last one used?

  Why did you post this in the Virtualization forum? You are not virtualizing any

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
February 1st, 2014 4:24am

thanks Bill,

i do lose fast boot in both

how to move the post to the right forum ?


  • Edited by Power-9 Saturday, February 01, 2014 10:47 AM
February 1st, 2014 12:19pm

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