HDD file corrupted and DiskDescriptor.xml file is blank!

When I try to start Windows XP I get this error...

Virtual machine cannot be started because of the following problem:

Parallels Desktop is unable to access the virtual hard disk image
file /Users/Shared/Parallels/Microsoft Windows XP/winxp.hdd. The file
is corrupted.

Inside my winxp.hdd file there are two files...

DiskDescriptor.xml which is blank and Zero KB in size
and a
winxp.hdd.0.{5fbaabe3-6958-40ff-92a7-860e329aab41}.hds that is 25.17 GB in size.

I have no backups or snapshots of this.

Is there anyway for me to recover any of the data stored in this file?

I tried Parallels Explorer and got the same "The file is corrupted" error.

Thanks for any help.

 

Hello,

did you try to use this article?

Best regards,
Stacey

 

That worked! Thanks so much!

 

Numerous .hds-files

I´ve seen this answer several times in various threads, but none of them (and neither the FAQ) covers a situation when you have numerous .hds-files.

I, for example, have a total of 17 .hds-files.
Which one should i use? The latest one? (by date modified or .hdd.# (they are not the same)) or .hdd.0 ?

Kind regards
Stian

 

Hello,

ckbfjerndrift, try to use the earliest one.

Best regards,
Stacey

 

please add this info to the knowledge base - i had a similar situation (as documented in this thread - http://forums.parallels.com/showthread.php?t=17117) and used the most recent snapshots without success and basically had to abandon my vm and start back up with a 1 month old clone.

 

Installed Parallels yesterday and it was working fine. When I turn it on today, I am getting winxp.hdd has got corrupted error. Tried following the procedure. I have DiskDescriptor.xml file only in the folder. Do I have to reinstall again????

 

Hello,

kms_md, thank you for your feedback.

rmoorthy, there is another way to overcome such a problem and it may help you. But this solution is difficult to perform and it can appear destructive for inexperienced users. That is why I will send you this solution via PM.

Best regards,
Stacey

 

could you also send this to me by PM - i am curious to see if it would work. thanks.

 

kms_md, sure, I will send it to you.

Best regards,
Stacey

 

Me, Too!

Yes, please also PM me with the details. I've tried everything mentioned and STILL can't get Parallels up and running - I am *so* bummed at the thought of starting from scratch!.

Thanks.

Jay Jennings

PS - I'm one of those with multiple .hds files (2) and a .lck file. My .xml file in the package is zero bytes. I hope the fix you have available will work for me.

 

Hello,

Alakazam, the reason for multiple .hds files is snapshots, that you have. If you go to Snapshot Manager of your VM, you will see them and you can try to use them. If it is not possible for you, try the solution provided in this article with both your .hds files. During the 3rd step you should drag both your files to your Virtual Machine folder. Than perform the rest of steps, but do not delete none of the .hds files. Than please compare the results of your actions and write me back if you have any problems.

Best regards,
Stacey

 

Stacey -

No problems -- the first one of the two files I tried acted like WinXP hadn't even been installed -- it asked me for my install CD. So I tried the second of the two files and Parallels started up!

Yay!

Can I go ahead and delete the old file, and that old snapshot file?

Thanks for your help!

Jay Jennings

 

Jay, if everything is working fine with you now, you may delete your old file.

Best regards,
Stacey

 

Actually, it appears that the file that worked was a snapshot file -- it's about 3 months old. I'm assuming the file that didn't work (it wanted me to reinstall XP) was my "real" drive.

Do I give up on that one? Or is there some "magical" way to get it to work? I'd hate to lose everything I've done in the last three months.

The file that doesn't work is about 3GB in size, and the file that does work is about 14GB in size -- which makes me think the real file (the smaller one) must have been truncated when my machine crashed or something. Is that possible?

Do I have any options, or am I stuck with a 3-month old snapshot? (Which is better than nothing, I'll admit!)

Thanks.

Jay Jennings

 

Hello,

let me elaborate on the Snapshots feature. Snapshot is a state of the virtual machine saved at a certain moment. It is your first .hds file, the bigger one. But after creation of Snapshot, there was some changes made in VM. These changes are stored in your second .hds file, the smaller one. If you delete an intermediate snapshot, the information it contained is merged to the snapshot that followed it.

So you can delete this snapshot via Snapshot Manager, than you will have only one .hds file.

Best regards,
Stacey

 

Is there another way?

Stacey,
I wonder if you could send me the alternative method for retrieving info from a corrupted .hdd file. I have tried all of the suggested methods (as above) and I can only retrieve the one snapshot that I made when I first installed.

Some way to retrieve more recent data would be great.

 

Hello,

nikolas3235, did you try to merge all snapshots that you have?

Best regards,
Stacey

 

...no luck...

Stacey, I have deleted the snapshot in snapshot manager. I still have no more information than the first snapshot. Is there anything left to try?

thanks

 

Hi Stacey,

I'm having the same problem. I tried moving the .hds file from the package and coverted it to the .hdd, however, when I tried to start up I got the "install windows" dialog. When I tried to delete/merge the snapshots thru the snapshot manager I got a "code 11" error that the files couldn't be found or they were deleted.

The only other .hds files in the package that I can try recovering are from months ago. Is there anything else I can try? Thanks in advance.

Mike