AVHD File – What is .avhd file and how to open it?

AVHD File Format

An AVHD (Hyper-V Snapshot File) is a file format used by Microsoft’s Hyper-V virtualization software. It stores the state of a virtual machine at a specific point in time, allowing users to create and revert to snapshots of their virtual machines. AVHD files are typically stored in a virtual hard disk (VHD) file format, which is also used by Hyper-V to store the virtual machine’s data.

AVHD files contain a complete copy of the virtual machine’s memory, CPU registers, and disk state at the time the snapshot was taken. This allows users to restore the virtual machine to its previous state in the event of a system failure or data loss. AVHD files are incremental, meaning that they only store the differences between the current state of the virtual machine and the state at the time the snapshot was taken. This makes AVHD files more efficient than full backups, as they only need to store the changes that have occurred since the last snapshot.

Mounting AVHD Files

One common method to open AVHD files is by mounting them as a virtual hard drive within a virtual machine environment. Hyper-V, the hypervisor developed by Microsoft, offers the ability to mount AVHD files and use them as storage devices for virtual machines (VMs). By attaching the AVHD file to a VM, the virtual machine can access the data stored in the AVHD file as if it were a physical hard drive. To mount an AVHD file in Hyper-V, users can navigate to the “Virtual Hard Disks” section in the Hyper-V Manager console, right-click, and select “Attach Virtual Hard Disk” to browse and select the AVHD file.

Viewing AVHD Files using Third-Party Tools

Alternatively, third-party software can be utilized to open AVHD files. These tools enable users to explore the contents of the AVHD file without necessarily having to mount it within a virtual machine environment. One notable tool for AVHD file exploration is “DiskExplorer.” DiskExplorer is a free and open-source tool that allows users to mount and view the content of various disk image formats, including AVHD files. Other third-party tools that can be used to open and manipulate AVHD files include “O&O DiskImage” and “VirtualBox.” These tools offer a range of features such as file extraction, image resizing, and conversion to other file formats.

AVHD File Format

AVHD files are a proprietary file format used by Microsoft’s Hyper-V hypervisor to store snapshots of virtual machines (VMs). Snapshots are point-in-time copies of a VM’s state, including its operating system, installed software, and data. AVHD files can be created manually or automatically as part of a backup strategy.

AVHD files are stored in a compressed, binary format that is not human-readable. They can be viewed and manipulated using Hyper-V Manager or other compatible tools. AVHD files are typically smaller than the original VM, as they only contain the changes made to the VM since the last snapshot. This makes them an efficient way to store backups and restore VMs to a previous state in the event of data loss or corruption.

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