Native boot into VHDX

Native boot into VHDX

Why would you boot into VHDX instead of dual booting? Because it is easy(ier) vs adjusting partition post-Windows installation. And the partition layout may not be easy to adjust without using advanced partitioning tool. Also booting into native VHDX gives full access to the hardware without the penalty of virtualization. This allow you to run say other virtuaization on top of native boot!
I prepare VHDX using Hyper-V and once it is ready to my liking I use the VHDX to boot into it. Below are the general steps:

• Copy a VHDX into the desired location. For example, copy C:\VMs\W21H1M2\Virtual Hard Disks\W21H1M2.vhdx to C:\VMs\NaviteBoot\NaviteBoot.vhdx
• Mount C:\VMs\NaviteBoot\NaviteBoot.vhdx using File Explorer
• Note of volume/drive letter for the mounted VHDX, e.g. V:
• Change directory to V:\Windows
• Run bcdboot V:\Windows. This should have added the VHDX into the boot options
• Optional, change the boot description. Get the GUID entry for the just added VHDX. The GUID can be displayed by running bcdedit /v. Look for the GUID that corresponds to the folder location of the VHDX. Then run bcdedit /set like below

  c:\>bcdedit /set {02e6ec1d-d2c3-11ea-a71f-b3a579503f4b} description “W10VHDX2”

  
  Where:
  {02e6ec1d-d2c3-11ea-a71f-b3a579503f4b}: was taken from step above
  W10VHDX2: is the label
• Optional, change boot order. Using the same GUID, run bcdedit /default like below

  c:\>bcdedit /default {02e6ec1d-d2c3-11ea-a71f-b3a579503f4b}

Now reboot and note that the first entry in the boot sequence is labled W10VHDX2. To delete the entry use msconfig.exe