Best Methods to Repair Corrupt VHD File in Windows

Summary: Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) files are widely used in the world of virtualization to store data and run virtual machines. However, like any other file format, VHD files can become corrupted accidentally.  The occurrence of various causes are sudden power failures, improper shutdowns, malware attacks, or system errors. When a VHD file gets corrupted, it can lead to data loss and disruption of virtual machine operations. In this complete blog, we will explore the best methods to repair corrupt VHD files in Windows. Additionally, we provide an automated tool VHD Recovery Software to do the same.Download Now Purchase Now

Possible Reasons for VHD Corruption:

Before delving into the repair methods, it’s essential to understand the common causes of VHD corruption. These are as follows:

• Sudden system shutdowns or power failures.
• Virus or malware attacks.
• File system errors.
• Software or hardware issues.
• Improper handling of virtual machines.

Now let’s explore the methods to fix corrupt VHD files:

How to Repair Corrupt VHD File?

There are numerous methods to fix corrupt VHD files including manual and automated solutions. Proceed with the upcoming section to understand the methods to repair VHD from corruption.

#Method 01: Direct way to Repair Virtualbox VHD File

The VHD Recovery Software is specially designed to repair corrupt VHD files. This software provides the complete retrieval of your corrupted and inaccessible data from VHD files. Moreover, it introduces the three recovery modes available for restoring corrupted or unreadable VHD files: Standard, Advanced, and Deep. Also, it can retrieve a data file from both MBR and GPT formats of a virtual hard disk. Apart from that, there is no limit to corrupted VHD files to fix. Additionally, this tool recovers dynamic and static VHD files across various file systems including FAT, FAT16, FAT32, FAT64, NTFS, HFS+, and EXT4. Along with that, it is compatible with every iteration of the MS Windows Operating System. Now, we will accomplish the steps to access the corrupted VHD file.

Steps to Fix Corrupt VHD File:

1. Firstly, install and run VHD Recovery Software on your Windows OS.
2. Now, select either Dynamic or Fixed disk type >> Next.
3. From the next window, choose the VHD file and pick scanning mode.
4. Afterward, choose the recovery mode that best suits your needs.
5. Here, you can preview the scanned files in a tree-view format.
6. Finally, save the recovered VHD file to the desired destination path.

After these clicks, your VHD files are free from corruption. However, it is a user-friendly application suitable for both technical and non-technical users. If you have technical expertise, you can attempt to repair the corrupt VHD file manually using disk repair and data recovery techniques. However, this method requires a deep understanding of file structures and is not recommended for novice users.

#Method 02: Repair VHD Files Using CHKDSK Command

To repair VHD files using the CHKDSK (Check Disk) command, follow these steps:

1. Initially, mount a .vhd file within the parent partition section.
2. After that, type the CHKDSK Command to repair the VHD files.
3. Next, confirm the integrity of the VHD file using a Hyper-V virtual machine.
4. Later, summarize the VHD file using the IDE controller and then choose the “Inspect” option.
5. Here, individuals can sum up the VHD and AVHD files. Both files have created a file in the same directory as the VHD file.
6. In the end, to resolve the corruption issue with your file, please download the Microsoft VHD tool.
7. This tool allows you to repair corrupt files, expand the base VHD during the repair process and manage multiple VHD files simultaneously.

By following these steps, you can use the CHKDSK command to repair VHD files and assure their integrity for virtual machine usage.

#Method 03: Fix damaged .vhd file using DiskPart Utility

DiskPart is primarily a command-line disk partitioning utility in Windows. It’s not specifically designed for repairing damaged Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) files. However, you can still attempt to repair a damaged VHD file using some command-line tools in Windows. Here are the general steps on how to access Corrupted VHD:

1. To begin, hit on the START button and then type “cmd”.
2. After that, right-click on Command Prompt >> Run as Administrator.
3. Subsequently, enter “DiskPart” and press the Enter key.
4. Enter the following command and press Enter, replace the file with the full path to your corrupt VHD file: Select disk file=”d:\C\folder\vdh.vhdx
5. Type attach vdh read-only>> Enter >> compact vdh >> Enter >> detach vdh >> Enter>> Exit.

Note: Remember to always work on a copy of the damaged VHD file, as some operations may further corrupt the file. Performing manual methods to repair corrupt VHD files is not suitable due to complexity, potential data loss, and lack of reliability. Additionally, if the data on the VHD is crucial, consider seeking professional assistance to ensure the highest chances of successful recovery.

Time to Wam Up

Corruption of VHD files can be a significant concern for virtualization environments Otherwise, it can lead to data loss and disruption of operations. However, with the mentioned tools and techniques, you can repair corrupt VHD files and recover valuable data. It’s crucial to act promptly to minimize the impact of VHD corruption on your virtual infrastructure. Moreover, you can rely on built-in utilities, PowerShell commands, or third-party software.

According to experts, using the suggested software can effectively restore functionality to your virtual machines and prevent future data loss incidents.

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