How to Recover Deleted VHD and VHDX Files in Windows 10/11

About VHD/VHDX Image Files VHD (Virtual Hard Disk) and VHDX (Virtual Hard Disk Next Generation) are virtual disk formats primarily used for storing operating systems, applications, and other data in virtualized environments. These file formats were developed by Microsoft and are widely utilized in Hyper-V virtual machines as well as other virtualization platforms. 1. VHD Files: This is the older virtual disk format, supporting three types: fixed size, dynamically expanding, and differencing disks. A fixed-size VHD preallocates the entire disk space, while dynamically expanding VHDs only increase in size as needed. Differencing disks record all changes made to the parent disk (the base VHD). 2. VHDX Files: VHDX is an upgraded version of VHD, designed to address capacity limitations and data integrity issues in the original format. VHDX supports a significantly larger maximum capacity (up to 16EB) and offers better error correction and data protection mechanisms. It also has the same three types: fixed, dynamic, and differencing disks. Both these image file formats can be used to create, backup, and migrate virtual machines. They can also be converted into other formats, such as ISO disc images or copies of physical hard drives. VHD/VHDX files are particularly useful in scenarios like system deployment, testing new software, or disaster recovery.

VHD or VHDX is a virtual hard disk file format that some backup software creates when you back up your computer. It may contain what's on a physical hard drive, such as disk partitions and the file system with files and folders. It's crucial for system restore and recovery if something goes wrong with your Windows setup and you don't want to reinstall it.

The storage capacity for VHDX has been increased up to 64 TB, compared to the 2 TB limit for VHD. Since .vhd and .vhdx files tend to be large, deleted ones bypass the Windows Recycle Bin. This means that if you want to recover deleted VHD or VHDX files, you need to find a way to recover files too large for the Recycle Bin.

Reasons for Deletion or Corruption of VHD/VHDX Files

A VHD/VHDX file might be missing or corrupted due to any of the following reasons:

• Accidental deletion
• Hard drive/storage device formatted, damaged, or malfunctioning
• Virus attack
• RAID failure
• Other possible reasons

Regardless of the reason, you can use the powerful VHDX file recovery software – Data Recovery Wizard to recover deleted VHD/VHDX files.

How to use VHD recovery tool to recover deleted VHD/VHDX files

To restore lost or corrupted VHD and VHDX file data, tools Data Recovery Wizard is a great option. With this tool, you can easily recover deleted, damaged, or inaccessible VHD/VHDX files. Now, download this VHDX file recovery software on your Windows 10/8/7 PC and follow the simple steps below to restore deleted or permanently deleted files.

If ya wanna recover deleted files from an HVD or VHDX, ain't gonna recover the disk itself, ya gotta mount the virtual hard drive with some software first. Then, the tool'll treat it like a physical disk and kick off that VHDX data recovery process.

Step 1: Select the location to scan

Select the specific device or drive from where you Shift-deleted or emptied the Recycle Bin to permanently remove files. Click on the “Scan” button to look for the lost files.

Step 2: Check the results

The software will automatically start scanning everything on the selected drive. Once the scan is complete, select the "Deleted Files" and "Other Lost Files" folders in the left panel. You can then use the "Filter" feature or click the "Search for a File or Folder" button to quickly find your deleted files.

Step 3: Recover the deleted files

Select the deleted files you want to recover and click “Preview.” Then, click “Recover” to save them to another secure location or device.

Select the files and click on “Recover”.

If you encounter any issues during the VHD/VHDX file recovery, please refer to our Data Recovery Service for direct assistance.

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Consult with tools Data Recovery experts for one-on-one manual recovery service consultation. After a free diagnosis, we offer the following services:

• Repair damaged RAID structures, unbootable Windows OS, and corrupted virtual disk files
• Recover/restore lost partitions and reformatted drives
• Undo hard drive formatting and fix RAW drives (Bitlocker encrypted drives)
• Repair disks turned into GPT protective partitions

Manually recover deleted or corrupted VHD/VHDX files

Want to try manual ways to recover deleted VHD or VHDX files? Follow the steps below to restore lost VHDX files using Hyper-V Manager.

Step 1. Run Hyper-V Manager on your system and choose “Edit Disk” from the right-hand Actions pane.

Step 2: In the Create Virtual Hard Disk Wizard, select Locate the disk. Click Browse and then Next.

Step 3: In the Choose an Action window, click on Compress and then click Next.

Step 4: Wait for the virtual disk creation to complete. When it's done, click “Finish”.

Step 5: Rename the VHD file.

Summary

This article offers methods to automatically and manually recover deleted VHD or VHDX files. If your file is permanently lost, we recommend trying a professional data recovery tool immediately to restore the deleted VHD/VHDX file. The sooner you attempt recovery after data loss, the higher the chances of retrieving it.

Frequently Asked Questions on How to Recover Deleted VHD/VHDX Files

Read through the following FAQ on VHDX file recovery for more details.

How to recover VHDX files in Hyper-V?

Here are the steps to recover deleted VHD files:

1. Open the Hyper-V Manager and click on "Edit Disk." 2. Select "Locate Disk." Click "Browse" to find the affected VHD file. 3. In the "Choose Action" window, select an operation for the file based on your needs. 4. Click "Finish" to recover the file.

How can I recover deleted files from my virtual machine?

To recover deleted or permanently erased files from a virtual machine, you can use a file recovery software like the Data Recovery Wizard. Download and install this program on your device, select the location where the lost files were, and then scan and recover the files.

Can I delete the VHDX file?

Yes, you can delete the VHDX file after creating the virtual machine. Since VHD or VHDX files tend to be large, you can regularly delete this file if you want to free up storage space.