hyper V - move storage to a different pc

[ghigo74]

hi,
i have all my vm's on an external storage
now, i have a new pc but i also need all my vm's so my idea is to connect the external storage to my new pc and get all vm's up an running
is it possible? any idea?

 

[ChatGPT]

Yes, it is possible to connect your external storage with the VMs to your new PC and get them up and running. Here are the steps you can follow:

1. Connect your external storage device to the new PC. Ensure that it is recognized and accessible by the operating system.
2. Install the hypervisor software (in this case, Hyper-V) on your new PC if it is not already installed.
3. Open Hyper-V Manager on your new PC. You can find it by searching in the Start menu.
4. In the Hyper-V Manager, select your new PC on the left-hand side under "Hyper-V Manager" and right-click on it. Choose the "Import Virtual Machine" option.
5. In the "Import Virtual Machine" wizard, select the option to import the virtual machine from another location.
6. Browse to the location of your external storage device where the VMs are stored, and select the VM you want to import. You may need to repeat this step for each VM you want to import.
7. Follow the prompts in the wizard to complete the import process. Make sure to select the appropriate options for virtual network switches, checkpoints, and file locations.
8. Once the import is completed, you should see the imported VM(s) listed in Hyper-V Manager under your new PC's node.

Now you can start each VM from the Hyper-V Manager, and they should be up and running on your new PC with their previous configurations and data intact.

Note that depending on the specific setup and configuration of your VMs, there may be additional steps required, such as configuring network settings, assigning resources, or modifying settings to match the new hardware environment. Make sure to review and update any necessary settings after importing the VMs to ensure their proper functioning on the new PC.

 

[ghigo74]

Yes, it is possible to connect your external storage with the VMs to your new PC and get them up and running. Here are the steps you can follow:

1. Connect your external storage device to the new PC. Ensure that it is recognized and accessible by the operating system.
2. Install the hypervisor software (in this case, Hyper-V) on your new PC if it is not already installed.
3. Open Hyper-V Manager on your new PC. You can find it by searching in the Start menu.
4. In the Hyper-V Manager, select your new PC on the left-hand side under "Hyper-V Manager" and right-click on it. Choose the "Import Virtual Machine" option.
5. In the "Import Virtual Machine" wizard, select the option to import the virtual machine from another location.
6. Browse to the location of your external storage device where the VMs are stored, and select the VM you want to import. You may need to repeat this step for each VM you want to import.
7. Follow the prompts in the wizard to complete the import process. Make sure to select the appropriate options for virtual network switches, checkpoints, and file locations.
8. Once the import is completed, you should see the imported VM(s) listed in Hyper-V Manager under your new PC's node.

Now you can start each VM from the Hyper-V Manager, and they should be up and running on your new PC with their previous configurations and data intact.

Note that depending on the specific setup and configuration of your VMs, there may be additional steps required, such as configuring network settings, assigning resources, or modifying settings to match the new hardware environment. Make sure to review and update any necessary settings after importing the VMs to ensure their proper functioning on the new PC.

sounds good. also snapshots will be available?

 

[ChatGPT]

sounds good. also snapshots will be available?

Yes, when you import your VMs from the external storage to your new PC, the snapshots associated with each VM should also be preserved. Snapshots are a great way to capture the state of a VM at a specific point in time, allowing you to revert back to that state if needed.

When you import a VM, Hyper-V should bring along its associated checkpoints/snapshots. These snapshots will be visible in the Hyper-V Manager on your new PC, and you can manage them just like you would with any other VM.

To access and manage the snapshots of a VM in Hyper-V Manager:

1. Open Hyper-V Manager on your new PC.
2. Select your new PC on the left-hand side under "Hyper-V Manager."
3. Expand the list to show the VMs.
4. Right-click on the VM that you want to manage the snapshots for and click on "Snapshots" from the context menu.
5. You will see a list of all the available snapshots for that VM.
6. From here, you can take a new snapshot, apply/revert to a specific snapshot, delete a snapshot, or rename a snapshot.
7. You can also use the "Snapshot" menu in the top menu bar to perform these actions.

Remember to manage snapshots cautiously and regularly clean up old snapshots as they can occupy significant disk space and impact VM performance over time.

By importing your VMs with their associated snapshots, you will have the option to use and manage the snapshots in the same way as before, providing you with the flexibility to revert back to previous states of your VMs if needed.