Hyper-V did not find any virtual machines to import ...

I was unable to import any of the four VMs, VHDx files, that I created in a prior Windows 10 install. I was using Hyper-V manager. I got the error message in the title of this thread.

Im pretty sure that the VHDx files were created using Windows 10, not 7, if that matters. Also using the Inspect Disk menu item, I was able to verify that all these VMs are Dynamically expanding virtual hard disk,

I ran a Take Ownership process on these VHDx files, but I was still unsuccessful in importing them into Hyper-V

And yes, I did RTFM. meaning the relevant tutorials.

Windows 10 2H22 19045.4608. I need to get some VMs running so I can properly migrate this Win 10 desktop to Win 11, meaning do some tests in VMs.

Are you trying to imprt the .vhdx files?
You should import the .vmcx file.

If you don't have those files anymore create a new vm, and then attach the .vhdx files as harddisk..

Tester said:

Are you trying to imprt the .vhdx files?
You should import the .vmcx file.

If you don't have those files anymore create a new vm, and then attach the .vhdx files as harddisk..

Click to expand...

OK Will do when I get home. Appreciate the quick response.

Moderators: May I humbly suggest adding this point to the tut's.

You need the vm config files to be copied to a subdirectory and then change menu settings to point to that directory.

Then you have to import the vms keeping the guids (assuming vms were activated).

Then you can add the vhdx files.

The tenforum tutorials explain how to import the vms.

If it all gets hosed up then the easiest way is as a previous poster says is simply to just create a new VM and use the existing vhdx file(s). If you get "can't attach" the disk(s) or similar error due to lack of authorisation etc - then simply delete the old VM (not the disks !!!) and start again - create new VM, new Virtual switch and use the old vhdx file(s). That should work.

Cheers
jimbo

jimbo45 said:

If it all gets hosed up then the easiest way is as a previous poster says is simply to just create a new VM and use the existing vhdx file(s). If you get "can't attach" the disk(s) or similar error due to lack of authorisation etc - then simply delete the old VM (not the disks !!!) and start again - create new VM, new Virtual switch and use the old vhdx file(s). That should work.

Cheers
jimbo

Click to expand...

Yeah but what if the vms are already activated. Procedure is more complicated.

cereberus said:

Yeah but what if the vms are already activated. Procedure is more complicated.

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usually though if the "Virtual hardware" is the same the VM *should* remain activated -- but if moving to a new machine etc ??? -- then you are correct of course.

Cheers
jimbo

cereberus said:

Yeah but what if the vms are already activated. Procedure is more complicated.

Click to expand...

jimbo45 said:

usually though if the "Virtual hardware" is the same the VM *should* remain activated .....

Click to expand...

The 'virtual hardware' does not play a part in activation, each Hyper-V VM has a unique hardware ID contained in it's configuration files. It is this unique ID that is linked to a digital licence on the MS activation servers and must be imported to retain activation, whether importing to another host machine or the same one.



If you create a new VM and attach the old vhdx to it then it will have a new ID and would need to be activated all over again.

The VMCX file is the configuration file of the VM while The VMRS file is the state (so memory, etc.) of the VM. If you delete them, the VM will stop working or not booting next time, etc.

To fix this, I would suggest that you create another empty VM first, and attach the vhdx file to it. This way, new VMCX and VMRS files would be created, and it should solve this problem.

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