Can I copy a windows installation on a file-by-file basis?

[plm]

Hello,

I have a windows XP installation on an encrypted disk (with safeguard
easy). It makes programs such as drive image etc. useless, they cannot
recognize the disk structure (partitions). So I would like to try to
copy windows on a file-by-file basis to another disk, to move it into
a vmware virtual machine afterwards. Is this possible?

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

Probably not, especially since you are moving it to a VM system (whose
hardware, though virtual, will be significantly different). Operating
Systems are best installed unless the migration is to "like" hardware.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Alex Nichol]

I have a windows XP installation on an encrypted disk (with safeguard
easy). It makes programs such as drive image etc. useless, they cannot
recognize the disk structure (partitions). So I would like to try to
copy windows on a file-by-file basis to another disk, to move it into
a vmware virtual machine afterwards. Is this possible?

It has to be internal to the basic partition structure, so something
that copies that on a sector basis, like BootIT NG, from
http://www.BootitNG.com ($35 shareware - 30 day full functional trial)
should do it (uncheck the 'data only when copying'