Quick Links

Today we have a look at how we can backup our virtual machines on one server, and then restore them on another server configured to run Hyper-V without requiring any third-party tools.

Exporting a Virtual Machine

To get started, open up the Hyper-V Manager MMC Console.

sshot-1

Now right-click on the virtual machine you wish to export, and select export from the context menu.

sshot-2

Hit the browse button and select the folder you wish to save your exported virtual machine, then click on the export button.

sshot-3

Once the export is complete, you can see your exported virtual machine by going to the location you selected.

sshot-4

Importing a Virtual Machine

Importing a virtual machine can also be done through Hyper-V Manager, to do so click on the Import Virtual Machine link on the right-hand side.

sshot-5

Now navigate to the exported virtual machine and be sure to select folder that your virtual machine was exported into. You can leave the rest of the settings at their defaults and click the import button.

sshot-7

It may take a while for your machine to import depending on its size, but that’s all there is to it.

sshot-8