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Export and Import Virtual Machines

This document discusses how to export and import virtual machines in Hyper-V. Exporting a virtual machine gathers all required files into one unit that can then be imported. There are three import types - Register in-place, Restore the virtual machine, and Copy the virtual machine - that determine where the files are placed and if the virtual machine ID is kept or changed during import. Virtual machine configurations have version numbers and can only be imported if the Hyper-V host supports that version.

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156 views3 pages

Export and Import Virtual Machines

This document discusses how to export and import virtual machines in Hyper-V. Exporting a virtual machine gathers all required files into one unit that can then be imported. There are three import types - Register in-place, Restore the virtual machine, and Copy the virtual machine - that determine where the files are placed and if the virtual machine ID is kept or changed during import. Virtual machine configurations have version numbers and can only be imported if the Hyper-V host supports that version.

Uploaded by

taimoor0863
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Export and Import virtual machines

Applies to: Windows Server 2022, Windows 10, Windows Server 2016, Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2016,
Windows Server 2019, Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2019

This article shows you how to export and import a virtual machine, which is a quick way to move or copy
them. This article also discusses some of the choices to make when doing an export or import. An export
gathers all required files into one unit--virtual hard disk files, virtual machine configuration files, and any
checkpoint files. You can do this on a virtual machine that is in either a started or stopped state.

To create a virtual machine export:

1. In Hyper-V Manager, right-click the virtual machine and select Export.

2. Choose where to store the exported files, and click Export.

When the export is done, you can see all exported files under the export location.

Importing a virtual machine registers, the virtual machine with the Hyper-V host. You can import back into
the host or new host. If you're importing to the same host, you don't need to export the virtual machine
first, because Hyper-V tries to recreate the virtual machine from available files. Importing a virtual
machine registers, it so it can be used on the Hyper-V host.

Hyper-V virtual machine configurations have a specific version number. You can only import a virtual
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cannot import a virtual machine created on a newer version of Hyper-V to an older version of
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The Import Virtual Machine wizard also helps you fix incompatibilities that can exist when moving from
one host to another. This is commonly differences in physical hardware, such as memory, virtual
switches, and virtual processors.

To import a virtual machine:

1. From the Actions menu in Hyper-V Manager, click Import Virtual Machine.

2. Click Next.

3. Select the folder that contains the exported files, and click Next.

4. Select the virtual machine to import.

5. Choose the import type, and click Next. (For descriptions, see Import types, below.)

6. Click Finish.
Hyper-V offers three import types:

Register in-place – This type assumes export files are in the location where you'll store and run the virtual
machine. The imported virtual machine has the same ID as it did at the time of export. Because of this, if
the virtual machine is already registered with Hyper-V, it needs to be deleted before the import works.
When the import has been completed, the export files become the running state files and can't be
removed.

Restore the virtual machine – Restore the virtual machine to a location you choose, or use the default to
Hyper-V. This import type creates a copy of the exported files and moves them to the selected location.
When imported, the virtual machine has the same ID as it did at the time of export. Because of this, if the
virtual machine is already running in Hyper-V, it needs to be deleted before the import can be completed.
When the import has been completed, the exported files remain intact and can be removed or imported
again.

Copy the virtual machine – This is similar to the Restore type in that you select a location for the files. The
difference is that the imported virtual machine has a new unique ID, which means you can import the
virtual machine to the same host multiple times.

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