Virtual Machine Settings

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2008 R2

Virtual Machine Settings provide you with a way to adjust the configuration of a virtual machine after you create the virtual machine. For instructions, see Configuring Virtual Machines.

Some of the settings are self-explanatory and are not included in this topic. Usage considerations or additional information about settings that might not be self-explanatory are included in the following tables.

Hardware setting Description

Memory

Specify enough memory to run the guest operating system and all applications that will run at the same time on the virtual machine.

Virtual Processor

If the virtual machine runs Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2003 as a guest operating system, you can assign more than one virtual processor.

Resource controls

These settings provide you with a way to control how resources are allocated among virtual machines that run at the same time on one physical computer. For instructions, see Configure Memory and Processors.

Processor Compatibility

Migrate to a physical computer with a different processor version allows you to move a running virtual machine to a physical computer with different processor features without restarting the virtual machine. When this setting is enabled, the virtual machine uses only the features of the processor that are available on all versions of a virtualization-capable processor by the same processor manufacturer. When this setting is not used, Hyper-V provides the virtual machine with all the virtualization features offered by the physical processor.

COM number

A virtual COM port attached to a named pipe is most commonly used with a kernel debugger.

Note
You cannot associate the virtual COM port to a physical COM port.

Floppy Drive

A floppy drive makes it possible for a virtual machine to use a virtual floppy disk.

Note

You cannot associate the floppy drive to a physical floppy drive.

Management setting Description

Snapshot File Location

This setting allows you to override the default location by selecting a different location for the configuration and memory-storage files required for snapshots. The default location is the location specified for the server running Hyper-V. This setting does not affect the storage location of the snapshot data (.avhd) files.

Automatic Start Action

These settings let you specify whether to restart the virtual machine if the physical computer or the Hyper-V Virtual Machine Management Service restarts.

Note
If you plan to make the virtual machine highly available, do not configure the virtual machine to restart automatically. For more information, see Configure a Virtual Machine for High Availability.

Automatic Stop Action

These settings let you specify the state you want to place the virtual machine in when the physical computer shuts down.