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STATUS_VHD_SPARSE_HEADER_CHECKSUM_MISMATCH
STATUS_VHD_SPARSE_HEADER_CHECKSUM_MISMATCH concerns the dynamic-disk header used by legacy dynamic and differencing VHDs. That header describes the sparse layout, including the location of the block allocation table and, for a differencing disk, parent-related data.
This differs from a footer checksum failure because the footer identifies the VHD container while the sparse header controls how virtual blocks and parent information are interpreted. It also differs from STATUS_VHD_BLOCK_ALLOCATION_TABLE_CORRUPT, which concerns the table addressed by the header rather than validation of the header itself.
Keep the mapping evidence intact
- Preserve the initial footer copy, dynamic header, block allocation table and final footer together in the forensic copy.
- Do not rewrite the header checksum before confirming that its offsets, block size and parent fields are consistent with the entire file.
- When the image is differencing, inventory the candidate parent chain before attempting a merge or a reparent operation.
References
- Microsoft: VHD image-format specification
- Microsoft: VHDX overview for differencing-disk semantics
- Microsoft: Merge-VHD
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