Best VHD Recovery Tools to Recover VHD Files
Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) files are commonly used to store virtual machine data in virtualization software. However, these files can become corrupt or damaged, leading to data loss. Fortunately, there are several VHD recovery tools available that can help recover lost or damaged VHD files. In this article, we will discuss some of the best VHD recovery tools on the market.
One of the top VHD recovery tools is DiskInternals VMFS Recovery. This powerful software is designed to recover data from corrupted VHD files as well as other virtual machine file systems, such as VMFS and VMDK. With its user-friendly interface and advanced recovery algorithms, DiskInternals VMFS Recovery is an excellent choice for both novice and advanced users looking to recover VHD files.
In this article, we'll explore some of the best VHD recovery tools in more detail, including their features, pricing, and user-friendliness. By reading the entire article, you'll be able to make an informed decision about which VHD recovery tool is right for your specific needs and situation. Don't miss out on the valuable insights and information that this article has to offer.
What is a VHD?
A Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) is a file format used to represent a virtual hard disk drive. It is a container that emulates the functionality of a physical hard disk drive within a virtual machine environment.
VHDs are commonly used in virtualization software, such as Microsoft's Hyper-V and Oracle's VirtualBox, to store the operating system, applications, and data of a virtual machine. By using VHDs, virtual machines can be easily created, managed, and moved between physical machines without requiring any changes to the underlying hardware.
VHDs are also used in cloud computing, where they allow users to create virtual machines in the cloud and store them as VHDs.
Where are VHD files stored?
VHD files are stored on the host machine or storage device that is running the virtualization software.
In a typical virtual machine setup, the VHD file is created and stored on the physical hard drive of the host machine or on a network-attached storage (NAS) device. The virtual machine software then maps the VHD file to the virtual machine as a virtual hard disk.
In cloud computing, VHD files are typically stored in a cloud storage service provided by the cloud provider, such as Azure Blob Storage or Amazon S3. The cloud provider's virtualization software then maps the VHD file to the virtual machine running in the cloud.
Why is a VHD useful?
- Virtualization: VHDs are commonly used in virtualization software to store the operating system, applications, and data of a virtual machine. This allows users to create and manage multiple virtual machines on a single physical machine, making it more efficient to run multiple operating systems or test applications in different environments.
- Backup and Recovery: VHDs can be used to create backup images of a physical machine or a virtual machine. In the event of a system failure, the VHD can be restored to the original or a new physical or virtual machine, allowing for quick recovery.
- Portability: VHDs are portable, meaning they can be moved between physical machines or cloud environments without requiring any changes to the underlying hardware. This makes it easy to transfer virtual machines and their data between different environments.
- Disk Management: VHDs can be used as a disk management tool, allowing users to partition and format virtual hard disks as they would a physical hard disk. This can be useful for testing new disk configurations or partitioning schemes before implementing them on a physical machine.
6 Best VHD Recovery Tools
1. DiskInternals VMFS Recovery
DiskInternals VMFS Recovery is a powerful software tool designed to recover data from virtual machines, including VHD files. VHD files, or virtual hard disk files, are used to store data in a virtual environment.
Here are some key features and benefits of DiskInternals VMFS Recovery as a VHD recovery tool:
- VHD Recovery: DiskInternals VMFS Recovery is specifically designed to recover VHD files. The tool can restore VHD files even if they have been corrupted, damaged, or lost due to hardware or software failures.
- Support for Multiple Formats: The software can recover VHD files created with popular virtualization software, such as Hyper-V, VirtualBox, VMware, and others.
- User-Friendly Interface: The software has a simple and easy-to-use interface that allows users to recover VHD files without any technical knowledge.
- Preview Functionality: DiskInternals VMFS Recovery provides a preview function that allows users to view the content of VHD files before recovery. This can help users to identify the files they need to recover and ensure that they are recovering the right files.
- Advanced Scanning Options: The software uses advanced scanning algorithms that can recover data from even the most severely damaged VHD files. Users can choose from several scanning options, including Quick Scan, Full Scan, and Raw Recovery.
- Customizable Recovery: The software allows users to customize their recovery options to suit their needs. Users can choose to recover specific files or folders, and they can also select the location where recovered files will be saved.
- Fast and Efficient: DiskInternals VMFS Recovery is a fast and efficient tool that can recover VHD files quickly, saving users time and effort.
Overall, DiskInternals VMFS Recovery is an excellent VHD recovery tool that can help users to recover lost or damaged VHD files with ease. Its user-friendly interface, advanced scanning options, and customizable recovery make it a powerful tool for anyone who needs to recover data from virtual machines.
2. Bitrecover VHD Recovery Wizard
Bitrecover VHD Recovery Wizard is a software tool designed to recover data from virtual hard disk (VHD) files. The tool can restore data from corrupt, damaged or inaccessible VHD files created with popular virtualization software such as Hyper-V, VirtualBox, and VMware. It features a simple and intuitive user interface, preview functionality to view content before recovery, advanced scanning algorithms that can recover data from severely damaged VHD files, customizable recovery options, and fast recovery speeds. Overall, Bitrecover VHD Recovery Wizard is a reliable tool that can quickly and easily recover lost or damaged VHD files.
Unlike some other VHD recovery tools, Bitrecover VHD Recovery Wizard doesn't offer a free version. Users must purchase a license to use the software. Compared to some other VHD recovery tools, Bitrecover VHD Recovery Wizard has relatively limited features. For example, it doesn't have options for creating disk images, cloning disks, or repairing file system errors.
3. Kernel for VHD Recovery
The software allows users to customize their recovery options to suit their needs. Users can choose to recover specific files or folders, and they can also select the location where recovered files will be saved. Kernel for VHD Recovery is a fast and efficient tool that can recover VHD files quickly, saving users time and effort. While the software offers technical support, the support options are somewhat limited compared to other VHD recovery tools. Like Bitrecover VHD Recovery Wizard, Kernel for VHD Recovery does not offer a free version. Users must purchase a license to use the software. The software does not offer some advanced features found in other VHD recovery tools, such as disk cloning or the ability to repair file system errors.
4. Recoverit Data Recovery
If you have deleted or lost VHD files, you can use Recoverit Data Recovery to scan your hard drive or storage device and locate the VHD files. The software can also recover data from VHD files that are corrupt or inaccessible due to file system errors.
However, Recoverit Data Recovery may not be able to recover data from severely damaged VHD files or if the VHD file itself is corrupted beyond repair. In those cases, you may need a specialized VHD recovery tool like those mentioned earlier, such as DiskInternals VMFS Recovery or Kernel for VHD Recovery.
5. Aryson VHD Recovery
Aryson VHD Recovery offers two recovery modes - Standard and Advanced - to suit different user needs. The Standard mode is ideal for recovering common VHD file errors, while the Advanced mode is designed for more complex recovery scenarios. The software allows users to recover data from VHD files that have been severely corrupted or damaged using RAW recovery. This feature bypasses the file system and directly reads the disk sectors to recover data. While the software offers technical support, the support options are somewhat limited compared to other VHD recovery tools. Aryson VHD Recovery does not offer a free version. Users must purchase a license to use the software.
6. Sysinfo VHD Recovery
The software can recover data from VHD files created using Hyper-V, VirtualBox, and other virtualization software. SysInfo VHD Recovery supports RAW recovery, which allows users to recover data from severely corrupted or damaged VHD files. The software includes a preview feature that allows users to preview recovered files before saving them. This can help users to ensure that they are recovering the correct files. SysInfo VHD Recovery does not offer advanced scanning options, such as sector-level scanning or deep scanning, which may limit its effectiveness in some recovery scenarios.
How to Recover Deleted VHD file with DiskInternals VMFS Recovery
- Download and install DiskInternals VMFS Recovery on your computer.
- Launch the software and select the drive or disk where the VHD file was stored.
- Click on the "Scan" button to start the scanning process. The software will scan the selected drive or disk for deleted VHD files.
- Once the scan is complete, you can preview the recoverable files by clicking on them.
- Select the deleted VHD file that you want to recover and click on the "Recovery" button.
- Choose a location to save the recovered VHD file and click on "OK".
- Wait for the software to complete the recovery process. This may take some time, depending on the size of the VHD file.
Once the recovery process is complete, you can check the saved location for the recovered VHD file. It is important to note that the recovered file should be saved to a different location than the original VHD file to prevent overwriting the lost data.
Are VHD files viruses?
No, VHD files are not viruses. A VHD (Virtual Hard Disk) file is a type of file format used to store the contents of a virtual machine's hard disk. It is not inherently malicious or harmful.
However, like any other file format, VHD files can be used by malicious actors to store and distribute viruses or other forms of malware. It is always important to be cautious when downloading or opening files from unknown or untrusted sources, regardless of their file type.
If you suspect that a VHD file or any other file may contain a virus or other malicious code, you should always run an up-to-date antivirus software to scan the file before opening it.
Are VHD files safe?
VHD (Virtual Hard Disk) files are generally safe when used properly. VHD files are commonly used in virtualization environments to store the contents of a virtual machine's hard disk, and they are also used to create disk images for backup and recovery purposes.
However, as with any file format, VHD files can be used to distribute malware or other malicious code. It's always important to be cautious when downloading or opening files from untrusted sources, even if they are in the VHD format.
In addition, VHD files can be vulnerable to data corruption or loss if not properly managed or backed up. It's important to ensure that VHD files are stored on reliable storage media and that proper backup and recovery procedures are in place.
Overall, VHD files are safe to use as long as they are obtained from a trusted source and managed properly to prevent data loss or corruption.
What is VHD boot?
VHD boot is a feature in Windows operating systems that allows you to boot the computer from a VHD (Virtual Hard Disk) file. This means that instead of booting from the physical hard drive installed in the computer, the operating system can be installed and run from a virtual hard disk file.
This feature is particularly useful for testing new operating systems or applications without the need to install them directly on the physical hard drive. It allows you to create a virtual environment that is isolated from the host operating system, making it easy to test and experiment with new software without risking damage to the host system.
To use VHD boot, you need to create a VHD file containing the operating system or application you want to test, and then configure the computer to boot from the VHD file. This can be done using the Disk Management tool in Windows, or through the command line using the BCDEdit utility.
VHD boot is supported in Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 operating systems.
FAQ
What file types does your VHD Recovery tool support for recovery?
VHD files can contain any type of file that can be stored on a physical hard drive, including documents, images, videos, and other types of files. The file types that are most commonly found on VHD images will depend on the purpose for which the image was created.
For example, VHD files used for virtual machine environments may contain operating system files, applications, and other system files. VHD files used for backup and recovery purposes may contain system images or backup files. The file types found on a VHD image will also depend on the types of files that were originally stored on the physical hard drive from which the image was created.
How can I recover VHD/VHDX files with VHD Recovery tool?
- Download and install DiskInternals VMFS Recovery on your computer.
- Launch the software and select the drive or disk where the VHD file was stored.
- Click on the "Scan" button to start the scanning process. The software will scan the selected drive or disk for deleted VHD files.
- Once the scan is complete, you can preview the recoverable files by clicking on them.
- Select the deleted VHD file that you want to recover and click on the "Recovery" button.
- Choose a location to save the recovered VHD file and click on "OK".
- Wait for the software to complete the recovery process. This may take some time, depending on the size of the VHD file.
What is the difference between VHD and VHDX?
- Size: VHD files have a maximum size limit of 2 TB, while VHDX files can support a maximum size of 64 TB. This makes VHDX files more suitable for large-scale virtualization environments.
- Performance: VHDX files offer improved performance over VHD files due to their ability to use larger block sizes, which allows for faster read/write operations.
- Resilience: VHDX files support a higher degree of resilience than VHD files due to their ability to store metadata in multiple locations, which helps prevent data corruption and improves recovery in case of file system failures.
- Compatibility: VHD files are more widely supported across different virtualization platforms and operating systems, while VHDX files are only compatible with Windows 8 and newer operating systems.
- Features: VHDX files offer several new features compared to VHD files, including the ability to support larger block sizes, improved performance, improved resilience, and support for dynamic and differencing disks.
My VHD file is heavily corrupted. What should I do?
If your VHD (Virtual Hard Disk) file is heavily corrupted, the first thing you should do is try to determine the cause of the corruption. Some common causes of VHD file corruption include power failures, software errors, hardware failures, and viruses or malware.
Once you have identified the cause of the corruption, you can take the following steps to try to recover the data from the corrupted VHD file:
- Use a VHD recovery tool: There are many data recovery tools available that are specifically designed to recover data from VHD files, such as DiskInternals VMFS Recovery. This tool can scan the corrupted VHD file and attempt to recover any data that was lost or damaged.
- Try a backup copy: If you have a backup copy of the VHD file, try restoring it to see if the data is intact. If you do not have a backup, consider implementing a backup solution to avoid data loss in the future.
- Use CHKDSK command: You can also try using the CHKDSK command to repair any file system errors on the VHD file. Open the Command Prompt, type "chkdsk /f [drive letter]:", and press Enter. Replace [drive letter] with the drive letter of the VHD file.
- Contact a professional data recovery service: If none of the above steps work, you may need to contact a professional data recovery service. These services have specialized tools and expertise to recover data from heavily damaged VHD files, but they can be expensive.
It's important to note that the success of any data recovery attempt will depend on the extent of the damage to the VHD file and the specific tools and techniques used for recovery. It's always recommended to make a backup copy of the original VHD file before attempting any recovery process, to avoid any accidental data loss or corruption.