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I have Hyper-V VM that I exported off of a server a few days ago. Right now it's running on a temp server as I rebuilt the original host server. Now that I have the host server all ready to go I am wondering if I can just import the VM based on the few day old image. Then after hours when I can take the VM server down just file copy the VHD over to it?

Just to be clear. I exported the server to an external drive. I then copied the export to a temp sever and imported it there where it is running now. I never deleted the export from the external drive.

Now my original server is rebuilt and ready to go but I have a very small window of downtime on weekdays. So I am thinking about coping the few day old export to the original host and then importing it back in. Then late tonight when I have my limited window for downtime just shutting down the running VM off of the temp server and moving the VHD over to the original server and booting it up. Just want to make sure I get any changes from the last few days.

If this is safe and it will work it should shave a few hours off of my downtime. It's a big VM about 200GB.

Any feedback/help on this would be great.

Skyhawk
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Sequenzia
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1 Answers1

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The only part of your VM that you'll be able to migrate in this way is the configuration itself, and that will work.

The 200GB, however, is the VHD, not the configuration. You'll need to move that during your downtime window. I suspect that you won't gain anything over just moving the entire VM during that window.

Jake Oshins
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  • He might save some time (ie: shorter maintenance window) by importing the configuration to production now, and just leaving it powered off until everything else is ready during the window, but that time is going to be miniscule compared to copying the 200GB VHD. – Joel Coel Apr 24 '12 at 18:54