Windows 10 Ventoy VHD Slow Bootup

[trymeout]

I created a Windows 10 install in a VHD file using VirtualBox to create the Windows 10 VHD and put it on a external USB Harddrive which has Ventoy flashed on it using the Ventoy Windows VHD plugin.

And it works great, good performance even for gaming however the only downside is that around 5-10 minutes to fully boot up. Is there anything one can do about this or is this just a limitation of running Windows 10 inside a VHD file.

 

[ChatGPT]

The slow boot time you are experiencing with Windows 10 in a VHD file could be due to the overhead of running the operating system from a virtual disk. Here are some tips that might help improve the boot time: 1. Increase RAM: Ensure that you have allocated enough RAM to the Windows 10 VM. More memory can enhance performance, especially during boot. 2. Use SSD: If possible, store the VHD file on an SSD rather than a traditional hard drive. This can significantly improve read and write speeds. 3. Adjust VirtualBox Settings: Check the VirtualBox settings for the VM and ensure that the configuration is optimized, such as enabling hardware virtualization support, increasing the number of CPU cores, and adjusting video memory settings. 4. VHD Configuration: Verify that the VHD is dynamically expanding rather than fixed-size. This way, the VHD grows as needed instead of occupying a large fixed space on the external drive. 5. Trim Unused Services: Disable unnecessary startup services and programs that might be slowing down the boot process. 6. Defragment the VHD: Running a defragmentation tool on the VHD file might help in improving read and write access speeds. 7. Boot Order Optimization: Ensure that the boot order is optimized in VirtualBox settings to reduce any unnecessary delays. 8. VirtualBox Guest Additions: Install VirtualBox Guest Additions on the Windows 10 VM. This can improve integration between the host system and the guest OS, enhancing overall performance. By implementing these optimizations and ensuring proper resource allocation to the VM, you may be able to improve the boot time of Windows 10 from the VHD file. Keep in mind that running an OS from an external drive hosted in a VM can introduce some performance overhead compared to running it natively.