Hyper-V: Storage controllers should be enabled in virtual machines to provide access to attached storage

Applies To: Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012

This topic is intended to address a specific issue identified by a Best Practices Analyzer scan. You should apply the information in this topic only to computers that have had the Hyper-V Best Practices Analyzer run against them and are experiencing the issue addressed by this topic. For more information about best practices and scans, see Best Practices Analyzer.

Operating System

Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2008 R2

Product/Feature

Hyper-V

Severity

Warning

Category

Configuration

Issue

One or more storage controllers may be disabled in a virtual machine.

Impact

Virtual machines cannot use storage connected to a disabled storage controller. This impacts the following virtual machines: <list of virtual machine names>

Resolution

Use Device Manager in the guest operating system to enable all storage controllers. If the storage controller is not required, use Hyper-V Manager to remove it from the virtual machine.

For instructions on how to use Device Manager, see Help in the guest operating system. For instructions on how to remove the storage controller, see the following procedure.

By default, membership in the local Administrators group, or equivalent, is the minimum required to complete this procedure. However, an administrator can use Authorization Manager to modify the authorization policy so that a user or group of users can complete this procedure. For more information, see Using Authorization Manager for Hyper-V Security (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=142886).

To remove a SCSI storage controller from the virtual machine

  1. Open Hyper-V Manager. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Hyper-V Manager.

  2. In the results pane, under Virtual Machines, select the virtual machine that you want to configure.

  3. If the virtual machine is running, shut down the virtual machine. Right-click the virtual machine and click Shut down.

  4. In the Action pane, under the virtual machine name, click Settings.

  5. In the left pane of the Settings dialog box, under Hardware, click SCSI Controller.

  6. In the right pane, click Remove Controller.