Windows 10: Change Hyper-V Virtual Machines Default Folder in Windows 10

How to: Change Hyper-V Virtual Machines Default Folder in Windows 10

How to Change Default Folder to Store Hyper-V Virtual Machines


Hyper-V enables running virtualized computer systems on top of a physical host. These virtualized systems (aka: guests) can be used and managed just as if they were physical computer systems, however they exist in a virtualized and isolated environment.

A virtual machine in Hyper-V consists of a few files that account for its virtual hardware configuration and the virtual storage (VHD and VHDX files). By default:

• The virtual machine configuration files are stored in "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Hyper-V".
• The virtual hard drives are stored in "C:\Users\Public\Documents\Hyper-V\Virtual Hard Disks".

When you create a virtual machine in Hyper-V Manager, you are able to select to use these default locations or specify a folder location on a per virtual machine basis.

If you like, you could change these global default locations within your hosts to make it easier to use your locations by default instead when creating new virtual machines.

This tutorial will show you how to specify the default folder to store virtual machine configuration files when creating a new Hyper-V virtual machine in Windows 10.

*note You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to change the default folder for Hyper-V virtual machine configuration files.


CONTENTS:

• Option One: To Change Default Hyper-V Virtual Machines Folder using Hyper-V Manager
• Option Two: To Change Default Hyper-V Virtual Machines Folder using PowerShell

EXAMPLE: Hyper-V Virtual Machines folder








OPTION ONE [/i] To Change Default Hyper-V Virtual Machines Folder using Hyper-V Manager
1. Open Hyper-V Manager.

2. Select the Hyper-V host (ex: "BRINK-DESKTOP") in the left pane you want to change the default folder to store Hyper-V virtual machines for, and click/tap on Hyper-V Settings in the right Actions pane. (see screenshot below)



3. Click/tap on Virtual Machines in the left pane, click/tap on the Browse button on the right, navigate to and select the folder you want to use, click/tap on Select Folder, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshots below)



4. When finished, you can close Hyper-V Manager if you like.





OPTION TWO [/i] To Change Default Hyper-V Virtual Machines Folder using PowerShell
*note For more details about the Set-VMHost command used in this option, see: Set-VMHost
1. Open an elevated PowerShell.

2. Type the command you want to use below into the elevated PowerShell, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
(Current Hyper-V host)
*Arrow Set-VMHost -VirtualMachinePath 'Full path of folder'

OR

(Specific Hyper-V host)
*Arrow Set-VMHost -ComputerName 'Hyper-V host name' -VirtualMachinePath 'Full path of folder'



Note Substitute Full path of folder in the commands above with the actual full path of the folder you want to store Hyper-V virtual machine configuration files in.

Substitute Hyper-V host name in the second command above with the actual host name (ex: "BRINK-DESKTOP') you want to change the default virtual machines folder for.

For example:

Set-VMHost -VirtualMachinePath 'D:\Virtual Machines'

OR

Set-VMHost -ComputerName 'BRINK-DESKTOP' -VirtualMachinePath 'D:\Virtual Machines'









3. When finished, you can close PowerShell.

That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Setup and Use Hyper-V in Windows 10 for OS Virtualization
• How to Export Hyper-V Virtual Machines in Windows 10
• How to Import Hyper-V Virtual Machines in Windows 10
• How to Change Default Folder to Store Hyper-V Virtual Hard Disks
• How to Move Hyper-V Virtual Machine in Windows 10

:)

 

Hyper V Import Virtual Machine

There is separate default folders for Virtual Machines and Virtual Hard Disks

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Hyper-V

This folder contains all settings for each Virtual machines.

Have you changed that folder?

C:\Users\Public\Documents\Hyper-V\Virtual Hard Disks

This folder contains only virtual disks. On your case it's changed to E:\HyperV\...

When you want import VM you need to search it from that first location.

You can check this location from Hyper-V settings.

If you can't import existing VM's you can create 3 new Virtual Machines.

When creating those select option Use existing Virtual Disk and point disks from E:\HyperV\...

 

Hyper-V Virtual Machine not recognised

The folder where your VM is do you see a .vhd file?

Here is a great article step by step on how to import VM into hyper-v.

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/conte...

 

Where is the Hyper V Manager, How to I start it ?

I am trying to setup an XP virtual Machine on Windows 10 Pro.

I followed the steps in Neil Peterson article of 5/9/2016.

System Requirements - done - ok

Install Hyper-V - done - ok

Create a Virtual Switch - skip

Create a Virtual Machine

Create a Virtual Machine with Hyper-V Manager

These steps walk through how to manually create a virtual machine and deploy an operating system to this virtual machine.

• 
  In Hyper-V Manager, click Action > New >
  Virtual Machine to bring up the New
  

Uhhhhhhhhh - this step obviously implies one knows

1) Where the Hyper-V Manager is

2) How to start the Hyper-V Manager

Isn't that odd ?

 

Hyper V not connecting to virtual machine

Hi.

Regarding Hyper V firstly check all steps and requirements from here:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/virtualization...

And here

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/virtualization...

For more details about how to set up it better to use another community:

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-...

 

Hyper-V, VM, Virtual Machine

You will have to ensure the Virtual Machine is running and connected to the Internet.

This means the physical host, the machine itself must be connected.

Review:

Configure Remote Desktop connection to Hyper-V Virtual Machine ...