Import-VM

Reference

Module:: Hyper-V

Imports a virtual machine from a file.

Syntax

Import-VM
      [-ComputerName <String[]>]
      [-Path] <String>
      [-Register]
      [-AsJob]
      [-WhatIf]
      [-Confirm]
      [<CommonParameters>]

Import-VM
      [-ComputerName <String[]>]
      [-Path] <String>
      [[-VhdDestinationPath] <String>]
      [-Copy]
      [-VirtualMachinePath <String>]
      [-SnapshotFilePath <String>]
      [-SmartPagingFilePath <String>]
      [-VhdSourcePath <String>]
      [-GenerateNewId]
      [-AsJob]
      [-WhatIf]
      [-Confirm]
      [<CommonParameters>]

Import-VM
      [-CompatibilityReport] <VMCompatibilityReport>
      [-AsJob]
      [-WhatIf]
      [-Confirm]
      [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The Import-VM cmdlet imports a virtual machine from a file.

Examples

Example 1

PS C:\>Import-VM -Path 'D:\Test\VirtualMachines\5AE40946-3A98-428E-8C83-081A3C6BD18C.XML'

Imports the virtual machine from its configuration file. The virtual machine is registered in-place, so its files are not copied.

Example 2

PS C:\>Import-VM -Path 'D:\Test2\Virtual Machines\8F148B6D-C674-413E-9FCC-4FBED185C52D.XML' -Copy -GenerateNewId

Imports the virtual machine by copying its files to the default virtual machine and virtual hard drive storage locations of the Hyper-V host. The imported virtual machine will be given a new unique identifier, not the one in the configuration file. This is useful when you want to import multiple copies of a virtual machine, since each virtual machine must have a unique identifier.

Example 3

Attempts import of a virtual machine; the attempt fails due to incompatibilities with the Hyper-V host.
PS C:\>Import-VM -Path 'D:\vm1\Virtual Machines\53EAE599-4D3B-4923-B173-6AEA29CB7F42.XML'
Import-VM : Unable to import virtual machine due to configuration errors.  Please use Compare-VM to repair the virtual machine.
At line:1 char:1
+ import-vm -Path 'D:\vm1\Virtual Machines\53EAE599-4D3B-4923-B173-6AEA29CB7F42.XM ...
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Import-VM], VirtualizationOperationFailedException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.HyperV.PowerShell.Commands.ImportVMCommand 

Gets a compatibility report that describes the attempted import and lists the virtual machine's incompatibilities with the Hyper-V host.
PS C:\>$report = Compare-VM -Path 'D:\vm1\Virtual Machines\53EAE599-4D3B-4923-B173-6AEA29CB7F42.XML'


Displays the compatibility report, revealing that the virtual network adapter was connected to switch Production. The Hyper-V host has no switch by that name.
PS C:\>$report.Incompatibilities | Format-Table -AutoSize
Message                                      MessageId Source
-------                                      --------- ------
Could not find Ethernet switch 'Production'.     33012 Microsoft.HyperV.PowerShell.VMNetworkAdapter 

Disconnects the virtual network adapter.
PS C:\>$report.Incompatibilities[0].Source | Disconnect-VMNetworkAdapter


Generates a new compatibility report to determine if the virtual machine is compatible with the Hyper-V host.
PS C:\>Compare-VM -CompatibilityReport $report


Displays the compatibility report.
PS C:\>$report
VM                 : Microsoft.HyperV.PowerShell.VirtualMachine
OperationType      : ImportVirtualMachine
Destination        : HYPER-V-1
Path               : D:\vm1\Virtual Machines\53EAE599-4D3B-4923-B173-6AEA29CB7F42.XML
SnapshotPath       : D:\vm1\Snapshots
VhdDestinationPath :
VhdSourcePath      :
Incompatibilities  :

Imports the virtual machine.
PS C:\>import-vm -CompatibilityReport $report
Name State CPUUsage(%) MemoryAssigned(M) MemoryDemand(M) MemoryStatus Uptime   Status             ReplicationState
---- ----- ----------- ----------------- --------------- ------------ ------   ------             ----------------
VM1  Off   0           0                 0                            00:00:00 Operating normally Disabled

Imports a virtual machine whose configuration is not compatible with the Hyper-V host.

Parameters

-AsJob

Specifies that the cmdlet is to be run as a background job.

Type:	SwitchParameter
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-CompatibilityReport

Specifies a compatibility report which resolves any incompatibilities between the virtual machine and the Hyper-V host.

Type:	VMCompatibilityReport
Position:	0
Default value:	None
Required:	True
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-ComputerName

Specifies one or more Hyper-V hosts from which the virtual machine is to be imported. NetBIOS names, IP addresses, and fully-qualified domain names are allowable. The default is the local computer - use "localhost" or a dot (".") to specify the local computer explicitly.

Type:	String[]
Position:	Named
Default value:	.
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-Confirm

Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.

Type:	SwitchParameter
Aliases:	cf
Position:	Named
Default value:	False
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-Copy

Specifies that the imported virtual machine's files should be copied to the server's default locations, as opposed to registering the virtual machine in-place.

Type:	SwitchParameter
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	True
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-GenerateNewId

Specifies that the imported virtual machine should be copied and given a new unique identifier. (By default, Import-VM gives the new virtual machine the same unique identifier as the imported virtual machine.)

Type:	SwitchParameter
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-Path

Specifies the path to the exported virtual machine to be imported.

Type:	String
Position:	0
Default value:	None
Required:	True
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-Register

Specifies that the imported virtual machine is to be registered in-place, as opposed to copying its files to the server's default locations. Choose this option if the virtual machines files are already in the location from which they are to run.

Type:	SwitchParameter
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-SmartPagingFilePath

Specifies the new path to use for a smart paging file, if one is needed.

Type:	String
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-SnapshotFilePath

Specifies the path for any snapshot files associated with the virtual machine.

Type:	String
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-VhdDestinationPath

Specifies the folder to which the virtual machine's VHD files are to be copied.

Type:	String
Position:	1
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-VhdSourcePath

Specifies the folder from which the virtual machine's VHD files are to be copied.

Type:	String
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-VirtualMachinePath

Specifies the path where the virtual machine configuration files are to be stored.

Type:	String
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-WhatIf

Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.

Type:	SwitchParameter
Aliases:	wi
Position:	Named
Default value:	False
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Inputs

None

Outputs

Microsoft.HyperV.PowerShell.VirtualMachine