How to quickly experience free version of Win8.1 with VHDX

Computer shop news: Last night, the free version of Win8.1 (Win8.1 with Bing) download accidentally leaked. This free version of Win8.1 will be Bing as the default search engine, compiled based on Win8.1 core version, the essential function is consistent with the normal version of Win8.1. So how do our existing Win8.1 users quickly experience this free version of Win8.1?

For advanced users, you can use the virtual machine software, or use the command line to deploy Windows To Go version Win8.1, we can also deploy and start Win8.1 with directly through the VHD/VHDX virtual disk. The Bing version of the system does not even require separate partitions and grids.

Why install the free version of Win8.1 system with VHD/VHDX?

• Advantages:

1, do not have to separate the disk partition to install Win8.1, no impact on the original system, like dual system;

2, compared to virtual Machine + virtual disk installed Win8.1, the experience is greatly reduced, and after installing Win8.1 from VHD/VHDX virtual disk, you can get the performance experience of the equivalent physical machine;

3, easy to manage, the whole Win8.1 The system saves a VHD/VHDX disk file and supports loading, deleting or uninstalling.

• Disadvantages:

Compared to virtual machines, to experience the VHD/VHDX version of Win8.1 system, you need to restart and install it separately.

Below, let's quickly learn how to quickly install the VHD/VHDX version of Win8.1 with Bing system.

First, preparation:

1, Win8.1 with Bing ISO system image (click to download); imagex 6.3.9600 image management tool (click to download)

2 Premise: A Win7 Ultimate, Win7 Enterprise, Win8.1 Professional/Enterprise Edition corresponds to the computer equipment, does not support Win7 Home Edition, Professional Edition.

IT Home Reminder: Win7 low version users can use the Windows Anytime Upgrade component to upgrade to Win7 Ultimate, or a new upgrade to Win8.1 platform.

Second, create a VHD /VHDX virtual disk

1, take the Win8.1 working environment as an example. Open the right mouse button, select the disk management operation, create a VHD;

2. First specify the virtual disk location, for example, create a win8.1 with bing.VHDX disk (preferably VHDX format) As for the size of the VHD, since it is a 32-bit system, we can choose 10G size, it is recommended to create a dynamic extension;

3. Initialize the win8.1 with Bing virtual disk. Create an MBR master boot record or GPT partition according to whether your computer uses traditional BIOS or UEFI boot;

4. After initializing the virtual disk, we manually create a new one. E: New volume, as shown below.

Third, deploy VHD/VHDX version Win8.1

1, use the virtual drive (Win8.1 comes with) to load Win8.1 with Bing ISO image, for example X:\\sources\\install.wim, where X stands for virtual drive letter;

2. Unzip the x86 version of imagex.exe from Imagex 6.3.9600 and copy it to the local system disk\\system32 directory.

3, right click on the start button of Win8.1 traditional desktop (or combination key Win+X), open ” command prompt (administrator) & rdquo;, enter the following code:

Imagex.exe /apply X:\\sources\\install.wim 1 Y:

//Deploy the X:\\sources\\install.wim image to the current Y: virtual disk, where X represents the virtual drive letter, Y represents the current virtual disk drive letter.

4, and then wait for the image deployment, if it is an SSD hard disk, the deployment work can be completed in a few minutes, and finally shows 100% completion.

5, add the boot boot menu, continue to enter in the command prompt window:

Bcdboot Y:\\windows /sc: /l zh-cn

//here C: represents the current system active partition, if there is a 350MB hidden partition, you must redistribute other drive letters, such as D drive, Y represents the current virtual disk drive letter.

When the prompt “boot files successfully created", means that the current system disk BOOTMGR has been updated, automatically add the startup item of win8.1 with Bing.VHDX virtual disk, as shown below Shown:

Fourth, configure Win8.1

When you complete the above three steps, you can safely restart the current system. At this time, we will see two Win8.1 startup items, one is the original hard disk system, the other is VHDX version Win8.1 system; then VHDX version Win8.1 will automatically initialize the system, prepare the device, install the application, continue Restart the remaining personalized configuration, and finally successfully enter the virtual disk Win8.1 system, the volume also occupies 3.8G size.

When the VHDX version of Win8.1 is configured, the Win8.1 startup page will automatically identify the storage path, such as \\My Documents\\win8.1 vhd.VHDX, as shown above .

V. Conclusion:

This installation tutorial is very straightforward, and does not use third-party application tools, only use imagex imaging tools, system command operators, which is also the most VHDX version of Win8.1 Magical. Of course, this installation method is also applicable to the Win7 platform, and readers can test it themselves. Therefore, we can use VHDX virtual disk to build 32-bit + 64-bit Win8.1 dual combination,

However, Xiaobian also encountered many problems in use, VHD/VHDX still has some limitations. For example: If the current system crashes or reinstalls, this VHD version of Win8.1 can not be started, you need to manually redeploy, activate the startup item again.