Windows 10: how to delete lost detached virtual hard drive

Hello,I created a vhd and then by mistake, detached and did not delete as I should've. Now the space given to the drive is being taken but I can not locate the virtual memory drive i created to reattach and delete or just delete if possible.TIA!

:)

 

Can't remove Hyper-V Virtual Hard Drive partition

Hi Robert,

Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

I understand that you are facing an issue when you are trying to remove the Hyper-V Virtual Hard Drive partition. This partition is just a virtual partition that is created by using the space within your physical hard disk, so that
it can be used within Hyper-V. Since you are no longer using Hyper-V and you wish to remove the Virtual Hard Drive partition, I would suggest you to follow the steps below and check if it is helpful to you.

Steps to remove the Virtual Hard Drive partition using Disk Management:

1. Press the Windows key and
   R key, this will open the Run dialogue box for you.
   
2. Type diskmgmt.msc and press
   Enter, this will open the Disk Management Window for you.
   
3. Your Virtual Hard Drive will be indicated by a ‘blue’ drive beside the
   Disk n (n is the disk number to which the VHD is associated), select the allocated
   Volume, right-click and select Delete Volume. You can check the picture below for your reference.
   
   
   
   
4. You will receive a prompt, click on
   Yes. This will delete the volume allocated to the Virtual Hard Drive and the space allocated will now be turned into an
   Unallocated space.
   
5. To detach the Virtual Hard Drive completely,
   right-click on the Disk and select Detach VHD.
   
6. You will receive a prompt, you may click on the check box to
   Delete the virtual hard disk after removing the disk. Click on
   OK.
   

This will remove the Hyper-V Virtual Hard Drive partition from your system.

If the issue still persists, I would suggest you to post your query in IT Pro

TechNet forums, where we have support professionals who are well equipped with the knowledge on the issues with Hyper-V and Virtual Hard Drive to assist you with your query.

Regards,

Aaron Summith

Microsoft Community - Moderator

 

20GB Missing from drive after Virtual Hard Disk Deleted

If you have deleted a 20GB virtual hard disk but cannot see the 20GB space freed up on your physical drive, it is possible that the virtual hard disk was not actually stored on your physical drive but rather on another storage device or partition. It could also be possible that the virtual hard disk was located in a hidden or system folder that you may not be able to see by default.

Here are some steps you can take to try to locate the missing 20GB of storage:

1. Check if the virtual hard disk was stored in a different location: If you created the virtual hard disk in a location other than your default drive, it may be stored in a different folder or drive. Try searching your other drives or partitions to see if the virtual hard disk was stored there.
   
2. Check for hidden or system folders: Some virtual hard disks may be stored in hidden or system folders that are not visible by default. Make sure that you have enabled the option to view hidden files and folders in Windows Explorer, and also check for system files and folders.
   
3. Run a disk cleanup: It is possible that the deleted virtual hard disk is still occupying space in your Recycle Bin. Empty your Recycle Bin and also run a disk cleanup to remove any temporary or unnecessary files.
   
4. Use a disk space analyzer tool: You mentioned that you have already used WizTree, but it is worth trying other disk space analyzer tools like TreeSize or WinDirStat to see if they can identify any hidden or unallocated space on your drive.
   

If none of these steps work, it is possible that the virtual hard disk was not properly deleted or was not deleted at all. You may need to use a data recovery tool to attempt to recover the virtual hard disk or to recover any lost or hidden storage space on your drive. However, data recovery can be a complex and risky process, and there is no guarantee that it will be successful.

 

Virtual Drive deletion

Hi Steeboo

Open Disk Management (accessible by right clicking your Start Button)

In the top pane, right click that virtual drive and choose 'Delete Volume'

That should result in that virtual drive showing as unallocated space in the bottom pane

Right click the tab on the left of that drive in the bottom pane and choose 'Detach VHD'

If the above does not work for you, please let me know . ..