Create bootable system image from a Virtual Machine

RoyceHUN · February 10, 2016

Hi there!

I have a VMware virtual machine with Windows 10 installed on it. I've tweaked the OS, and installed a bunch of software that I typically use on my guest system.

I'd like to clone this virtual machine to my guest system (or even to a different PC), to use as the primary operating system. What is the best method for this? I'd like to create a bootable image (similar to the original Windows setup disk), which is capable of reproducing the VM's customized OS on the guest machine, or even on a different rig. Is this possible?

Thanks.

S7117 · February 10, 2016

3 minutes ago, RoyceHUN said:

my guest system (or even to a different PC), to use as the primary operating system. What is the best method for this? I'd like to create a bootable image (similar to the original Windows setup disk), which is capable of reproducing the VM's customized OS on the guest machine, or even on a different rig. Is this possible?

You can back up a vm just as you would a regular computer. I'd suggest using a flash drive or a external hard drive to back up on and then load the back up onto your computer.

Vitalius · February 10, 2016

17 minutes ago, RoyceHUN said:

Hi there!

I have a VMware virtual machine with Windows 10 installed on it. I've tweaked the OS, and installed a bunch of software that I typically use on my guest system.

I'd like to clone this virtual machine to my guest system (or even to a different PC), to use as the primary operating system. What is the best method for this? I'd like to create a bootable image (similar to the original Windows setup disk), which is capable of reproducing the VM's customized OS on the guest machine, or even on a different rig. Is this possible?

Thanks.

Looks like you need an Omni-USB (my name for it). It's not difficult to set up when doing simple things like what you want.

What I would do is install a disk image making software to the VM, then essentially make a copy of the OS into an ISO or IMG file. Here are some options.

Then, I would grab a 32GB or greater USB drive that you find reliable (I like dis one) and install Easy2Boot on it. Follow their detailed tutorials on how to set it up and add payload files to it according to what you want to do. For this, that'd be converting the ISO or IMG file into an .imgPTN file, then just copy/pasting it onto the drive under the Windows 10 Folder.

Then just boot from the USB drive (note, you can install Easy2Boot to an external HDD as well, it just requires a different process that they cover on their website).

RoyceHUN · February 25, 2016

Thanks for the help guys. The final working method for me was to clone the VM's C:\ partiton with Clonezilla's "savepart" function, do a clean install of Windows on the host, and overwrite the C:\ with the VM clone using "restorepart". After cleaning up the driver errors with Driver Booster the system is running flawlessly.