A possible restore scenario is that the source physical hardware has failed and is out of warranty, and when identical hardware is not available, the most logical thing to consider is restoration as a VM.
The original OS might be configured to use a specific storage controller however which uses proprietary drivers, and when completing a restore as a virtual instance, it produces Blue Screen 0x000000F errors. This is evident when trying to restore Windows Server 2008 guest from a HP DL360 to a VM as an example.
In a Windows Server 2008 restore scenario the controller driver instance can be reset by completing the following steps in the recovery PE environment:
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•Boot VM with Windows Recovery CD
•Cancel automatic repair, if it starts up (I've attempted alternate paths where I allowed automatic repair, which was unsuccessful with same results as follow)
•Click "Command Prompt" link
•Run "regedit.exe" from command prompt
•Click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
•File->Load Hive
•Dialog opens in "Boot (X:):\Windows\System32" -- navigate away from this and find the Windows\System32 directory on the virtual disk that will serve as the main (normally "C:") drive in the new VM(this was my "D:" drive on a system I'd booted from the recovery CD).
•Double-click on "config" directory
•Double-click on "SYSTEM"
•type "p2v" as key name
•Expand "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE"
•Expand "p2v"
•Expand "ControlSet001"
•Expand "Services"
•Click on "LSI_SAS"
•Click on "Start"
•Right-click on "Start"
•Select "Modify"
•Enter "0" (no quotes) in "Value Data:" field and click "OK"
•Scroll up to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\p2v and click "p2v"
•File->Unload Hive->Yes
•File->Exit Registry Editor
•Type "Exit" in command prompt window
•Click "Restart" button in "System Recovery Options dialog
Mike Laverick worked on a similar scenario with Server 2003 with his Ultimate P2V work that injected drivers into the VM http://searchvmware.techtarget.com/tip/Ultimate-P2V.
I used his techniques to convert a catalogue of archived Norton GHO files acquired through a business acquisition into working VMs in order to recover working accountancy systems. Thanks again Mike if you're reading this!