07-12-2008, 08:58 PM

Hello everybody, nice forum!

I switched to Mac from a PC, and I would really like to have the exact copy of the disk I had on my PC available running in virtual Windows machine on Mac. Now the problem is I don't just need the files, I need disk to be the same, meaning that the path names shouldn't be changed. How can I do such image of my PC disk, and how do I run it in VMware on Mac? Thank you!

07-12-2008, 09:30 PM

It won't work, you need to install Window fresh on the Mac via Bootcamp or VMWare of Fusion then go from there, WIndows doesn't like it's install mutilated with if switching things like motherboards or in this case, machines, it'll simply refuse to boot.

07-12-2008, 09:39 PM

predsednik,

Your first task is to get Windows installed in a VM on the Mac, either with Parallels or Fusion (there is also a free VM). Then you should make an image of your Windows PC using something like Acronis True Image and put that image on a USB or Firewire external hard drive. Then use that hard drive, connect it to your Mac, and in Disk Utility, select the drive and restore the image to your Windows in the VM.

Note, I don't believe you could have an image with multiple partitions because it would clash with your Mac partitions. You may be able to do this if everything on your PC is on the C drive.

Since I haven't seen anyone ask this question before, I'm not absolutely certain you'd be successful transferring the image to the Windows in VM, but it's worth a try. Otherwise, you'd need to recreate your PC setup all over in the VM.

One other thought. You COULD try to install the PC image directly into Parallels or Fusion initially, although I'm not sure it would accept that kind of install. If it didn't work, then install Windows in the VM and go from there...

Noel