In Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, you can native boot from a virtual hard disk without a hypervisor In response to my posts about managing multiboot with Windows 7 and Linux, Microsoft IT Pro ...
Truths about dual booting I learned the hard way.
I have a laptop running a fully licensed version of Windows 7 Ultimate x64. For some reason, the boot partition has become corrupted. I didn't get a Windows 7 disc or a recovery disc with the install.
The extended support updates (ESU) on Windows 7 ends today. Interestingly and rather bizarrely, Microsoft enabled native UEFI and Secure Boot. However, the new feature support is not without flaws.
It was free and saved me from buying a new SSD.