Add Support for .VHDX files and other Disk Images like 7zFM.

[lion4ks]

This app is perhaps the closest app I've ever saw to what 7zFM does on Windows, and that is AWESOME, because we didn't had that before in here. That said, I'd love if you could add some of the features 7zFM has that is opening disk images like VHDX ones, to extract loose files from them.

Well, mainly these.

Thank you very much for you work and time!!

[sarensw]

Hi @lion4ks , thanks for raising this. I wanted to check the 7zip core for a while to support more formats. Especially disk images. I did a quick test in the last hour and was able to load vhdx file. So technically possible. But I need a bit more time. I'll release v0.12 this week and will then check the integration of that in the next 2 or three weeks. The biggest challenge is finding proper test archives. In the screenshot below, I have used a dummy vhdx I found on GitHub. I also tested the HomeAssistant vhdx which cannot be read at all (error message shows), and I found a download of a Windows 10 vhdx file on GitHub. But there, I can only read the boot partition. This won't bring that much value I guess. As you specifically ask about vhdx, do you have any vhdx files that you are specifically looking at? If yes, can you send them to me or send me a download link?

[lion4ks]

Hi @lion4ks , thanks for raising this. I wanted to check the 7zip core for a while to support more formats. Especially disk images. I did a quick test in the last hour and was able to load vhdx file. So technically possible. But I need a bit more time. I'll release v0.12 this week and will then check the integration of that in the next 2 or three weeks. The biggest challenge is finding proper test archives. In the screenshot below, I have used a dummy vhdx I found on GitHub. I also tested the HomeAssistant vhdx which cannot be read at all (error message shows), and I found a download of a Windows 10 vhdx file on GitHub. But there, I can only read the boot partition. This won't bring that much value I guess. As you specifically ask about vhdx, do you have any vhdx files that you are specifically looking at? If yes, can you send them to me or send me a download link?

Thank you for your for your fast reply! Yes Usually the VHDX Files I manage are whole disk backups from my clients. I unfortunately won't be able to send them to you, and they have like 100-300 GB each so, yeah, but if I can enlist myself as tester, that could work.

you mentioned not being able to open certain partitions in a vhdx file, was it the NTFS partition? because MacOS may lack NTFS support and therefore the issue may reside in that.

[lion4ks]

This is what I am using right now, 7zFM with CrossOver Wine.
It can open NTFS partitions inside a VHDX file. I guess because Wine.

[sarensw]

When you open the vhdx, is there a list of partitions visible. And then you can select "3.Basic data partition.ntfs" as an example?

[lion4ks]

When you open the vhdx, is there a list of partitions visible. And then you can select "3.Basic data partition.ntfs" as an example?

Yes, exactly like that.

https://youtu.be/Zii_yFl6Dec

[sarensw]

Thanks a lot for the video. That helps. I have made a quick release build that includes the poc. Can you check this? (Please note that most likely things will not work. Especially extraction will not work because I haven't implemented it. This is just to compare with your video).

MacPacker_vhdx.zip

[lion4ks]

I just tested here and it doesn't open the vhdx file.

https://youtu.be/Gv-A4kOfSbg

[sarensw]

Strange... I'm using the 7zip core... How are those vhdx files created? Via some tool or via some type of script?

[lion4ks]

Strange... I'm using the 7zip core... How are those vhdx files created? Via some tool or via some type of script?

some were made on windows itself on disk management, some I used some sysinternals tool to create from physical media

[lion4ks]

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/disk2vhd

[sarensw]

That's good. I should be able to create test images then in one of my Windows virtual machines. I'll check this the next days and see what happens.

[lion4ks]

That's good. I should be able to create test images then in one of my Windows virtual machines. I'll check this the next days and see what happens.

Yes I was gonna suggest using Wine for this but Wine didn't opened it.

[lion4ks]

BTW maybe you already know this but VMWare Fusion Pro is free to use now. Its a great tool

[lion4ks]

That's good. I should be able to create test images then in one of my Windows virtual machines. I'll check this the next days and see what happens.

Yes I was gonna suggest using Wine for this but Wine didn't opened it.

My Bad, it actually works, the 64bit version.