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Reclaim free disk space

Before using the Virtual Disk Assistant in Microsoft Virtual PC to reclaim space on a virtual hard disk image, you must first use a third-party product to "zero out" or permanently remove all data from the virtual hard disk image. You can then use the Virtual Disk Assistant to finish the process. Before you begin, be sure there is enough space free on your Macintosh hard drive for the temporary file.

  1. Make sure the virtual machine whose virtual hard disk image you want to change is shut down completely. In Virtual PC List, the status of the virtual machine must be "Not Running".

    If it is not shut down completely, start the virtual machine. In Microsoft Virtual PC, on the PC menu, click Shut Down. Click the Shut down option, and then click the Shut Down button.

  2. In Virtual PC, on the Window menu, click Virtual Disk Assistant.
  3. Click Examine or modify existing hard disk image, and then click Next.
  4. Click Select a hard disk image attached to a PC, and then click Next.
  5. In the PC box, select the virtual machine associated with the virtual hard disk image you want to modify.
  6. In the Disk box, select the virtual hard disk image that you want to modify, and then click Next.
  7. Click Reclaim zeroed disk image space, and then click Done.

Note   You can reclaim disk space only on a dynamically expanding virtual hard disk image.

See also

About reclaiming free disk space