I was using Windows Server 2008 R2 as my developer machine, hosting my Hyper-V virtual machines. I am now switching over to Windows 8 to run Hyper-V in a client OS, which is my use case anyway.
Are there any gotchas I should be aware of before I attempt to port my existing VMs into Windows 8 Hyper-V? I have a few virtual machines on a virtual network, and I need them to continue working (DC, SQL, SharePoint, etc). Are there any special steps I should take (for instance, exporting my virtual network instead of recreating a new one) to minimize headaches?
Best Answer
Hyper-V for Windows 8 is a newer version of Hyper-V (V3) than Hyper-V for Server 2008. It is not recommended to import VM's created from Windows 8 to Server 2008. However going from Server 2008 to Windows 8 has no problems. If you MUST migrate from Windows 8 to Server 2008 Hyper-V make sure to NOT use the .vhdx files.
Converting .VHD & .VHDX:
Open Hyper-V
Right click on the VM that you wish to convert, and select Settings:
Select the Hard Drive IDE (usually IDE 0) and then select "Edit":
Select Convert, and then Next
Select the type of VHD you wish to convert to and then Next
Select the type of disk: (Fixed Size, Dynamically Expanding) and then Next
Select the location (NOTE: This does NOT default to last saved location) and then Next
Select Finish
The use of exporting and importing is the preferred way of migrating VM's between Machines (Server 2008 to Windows 8 in your case).
To do this follow these steps:
Exporting:
Open Hyper-V Terminal
Right click on the VM that you want to export and select "Export" (make sure the machine is turned off):
Browse to the folder that you wish to save the VM:
Then Select Export.
Hyper-V will then in the background export the VM. This may take a few minutes or even quite a bit of time, depending on the type and size of the VM.
Importing:
Open Hyper-V Terminal
On the right side, under the "Action" panel select "Import Virtual Machine...":
Select Next
Browse to the folder where you saved the VM
Select the Exported VM:
Select whether you want to Register, Restore, or Copy the VM
Select Finish
This will import the VM into Hyper-V. Again, this may take some time depending on the type/size of the VM and the options selected above.