Category: Hyper-V

In this article, I am going to explain how to install and Configure Windows Admin Center.
As a reminder, the Windows Admin Center is a Web interface that permits the administration of Windows servers using WinRM.

Windows Admin Center Prerequisites

A Windows 2016 or 2019 server in preference dedicated to the Admin Center and then we can be joined to the Active Directory domain.

Download the latest version of the Windows Admin Center from the Microsoft website

Windows Admin Center Installation

After downloading double click on setup file to run the installation.

Install and Configure Windows Admin Center

Windows Admin Center setup wizard. Select the checkbox to accept the license and then click Next.

Select the configuration for receiving updates and then click next.

Configure Gateway Endpoint wizard click next.

Select the checkbox allow windows admin center to modify this machine trusted hosts settings and then click next.

Configure the web server port and then click on Install.

Windows Admin Center setup in progress.

Windows Admin Center installation is complete, click the finish button to exit.

Use the Admin Center

Launch a compatible browser (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Firefox and etc). Type the server name https: // fqdn-admin-center enter the credentials of an account with admin rights and then click sign in.

Windows Admin Center loading…..

Once the Windows Admin Center loaded, we arrive on the server list. By default, the gateway server is added. Just choose the server to access its administration.

Add a server in the Windows Admin Center

In the server list, click on + Add button.

Type the fqdn name of the server, username password and then click on Add with credentials.

The server is added to the list of all connections, click on it to access it’s for more configuration.

Windows Admin Center Overview

Related: How to install Hyper-V

Watch Video: How to Install and Configure Windows Admin Center

In this article, I will explain how to Install Hyper-V core 2019 – Windows Server, Microsoft’s Hyper-V hypervisor has matured quickly in the enterprise datacenter as a fully-featured hypervisor. Specifically, with the past couple of Windows Server versions (2016 and 2019), Hyper-V has received many of the features and capabilities that help to move it very close to feature equality with the other significant players in the industry.

Hyper-V 2019 Core Requirements

Hyper-V 2019 Core License Requirement

Install Windows Server 2019 Core with Hyper-V Role

Boot your system where you want to install Windows Server 2019 Core with the installation media. Select language settings and then click next.

Choose the Install Now button to begin the installation.

You can either type the product key or choose the I don’t have a product key option to bypass this during installation.
Here, I am going to select the Windows Server 2019 Datacenter option it is the Core version. Click next.

Accept the license agreement and then click next.

Select the Custom: Install Windows only (advanced) option.

Select the volume where you want to install Windows and then click next.

The installation of Windows Server 2019 Core start.

Windows Server 2019 Core command line login window.

You can see the prompt to change your password initially click ok.

Type a new password, confirm password.

The password has been successfully changed. Hit enter on the ok prompt.

The Windows Server core login process will finish out by simply taking us to a command line. A noticeable difference with Windows Server 2019 Core is we no longer see the automatic launching of the sconfig utility. As you will see below, sconfig is the built-in utility that permits easily configuring basic initial settings of Windows Server Core after it is installed.

Configuring Windows Server Core and Installing Hyper-V Role

Type Sconfig command.
There are a some items that I usually like to do with sconfig to get the server up & running quickly to the point of being able to remotely manage it and then install roles/features.
Join to the domain
Change the server name
Change network settings (IP Address, etc)
Enable RDP
Enable Remote Management
By joining to domain, enabling RDP, & enabling remote management, we can simply connect to the server via Windows Admin Center to finish out configuration. This would include installing the Hyper-V Role.

There are a several methods to install the Hyper-V role:
Using PowerShell
Windows Admin Center

Adding the Hyper-V Role Using PowerShell

Install the hyper-v roles using the below PowerShell command.

Install-WindowsFeature -Name Hyper-V -IncludeAllSubFeature -Restart

The Windows server core will install the Hyper-V role & then automatically restart.

Install the Hyper-V Role Using Windows Admin Center

Windows Admin Center (WAC) permits you to return to the very familiar (GUI) approach of managing Windows Servers. Windows Admin Center is easy to install, and very intuitive to use as a management platform. Once you connect your Windows Admin Center Gateway Server to your Windows Server Core installation, Under Tools select Roles & Features menu select Hyper-V role, and then click on install button.

Install roles and features wizard select Reboot the server automatically if required and then click yes.

Now we can see the progress under the Notifications area.

After restarting the core server, we can revisit the Roles & Features, and then we can verify the Hyper-V role State displays as Installed.

Related: Install Hyper-V Role Windows Server 2019

In this article, I will explain how to convert VMware virtual machine to Hyper-V virtual machine using a StarWind V2V converter.

Convert VMware Virtual Machine to Hyper-V

1- Download StarWind V2V Converter from the StarWind website.

2- Open the download folder; double click on the starwindconverter.exe file to run the installation.

3- Please read & accept the License Agreement and then click on next button to continue.

4- Select the Browse button to select the installation path and then click on next to continue.

5- Choose the Start Menu folder and then click on next to continue.

6- Select the additional task’s checkbox to create a desktop shortcut and click on next to continue.

7- Review the specified settings or choose the Back button to make any changes. Select the Install button to continue.

8- Click on Finish to close the wizard.

StarWind V2V Converter, Convert VMware virtual machine to Microsoft Hyper-V Server
9- Convert VMware virtual machine to Hyper-V wizard; select the Remote VMware ESXi server option and then click next to continue.

10- Type VMware ESXi server details (IP Address, username, password and then click next.

11- Select virtual machine or VM image to convert and then click next.

12- Choose Microsoft Hyper-V Server Destination VM location and then click next.

13- Type the Microsoft Hyper-V Server, Hostname, password with admin rights, and then click Next.

14- Select the … button to choose the virtual machine location.

15- Select a destination path where you want to save VMware virtual machine and then click ok.

16- Review the settings of the new virtual machine and then select convert to start the VM conversion.

17- After completing the conversion process and click Finish.

18- In the Hyper-V Manager you can see VMware virtual machine to Hyper-V (VM2HV).

Read more: How to Convert a Physical Machine to Hyper-V.

In this article, we will look into the process of how to install Kali Linux 2020 on a Hyper-V server as a virtual machine and how to configure some of the penetration tools required for the basic setup.

I have downloaded the latest ISO file from the Kali Linux website and used the ISO image for creating a new VM on the Hyper-V Server.

How to create a New VM on the Hyper-V Server Manager for Kali Linux Installation.

Kali Linux Installation

1- After creating a new Virtual Machine, right-click on VM, click connect and then click start.

Install Kali Linux on Hyper-V with Graphical mode.
2- Select Graphical Install and then press enter

3- Install Kali Linux choose a Language and then click continue.

4- Select your Location and click continue.

5- Select Keyboard and click the continue button to proceed.

6- Default running process.

7- Install Kali Linux, now you can see network configuration options. By default, virtual machines will be configured with DHCP IPs. I am going to manually configure the network click continue.

8- Type Virtual Machine IP Address and click continue.

9- Type Netmask and click continue.

10- Enter Default Gateway details of your network and then click continue to proceed.

11- Type the hostname and then click continue.

12- Type your domain name for the computer and then click continue.

13- Install Kali Linux setup users and passwords for the VM. Type a new username and then click continue.

14- Enter the password to login to the VM and then click on continue.

15- Select your time zone and then click continue.

Install Kali Linux, configure the Disk Partition.

You can manually partition the disk or you can use the different standard disk partitioning schemes listed as partition guide.
In the guide partition, you can use the entire disk or entire disk with Logical Volume Manager (LVM) or the entire disk with Encrypted LVM.

16- I am selecting guide use entire disk and set up LVM click continue.

17- Select disk to partition and then click continue.

18- Select the partition scheme and then click continue.

19- Choose yes and click continue.

20- In the Partition Disks configuration option, you can also have the option to divide the partition into many partition schemes.
I am selecting the entire partition and click continue.

21- Now we want to write changes to the disk. Choose the option Yes, and then click Continue.

22- Installing the Kali Linux basic system.

23- Proxy setting and click continue.

24- Choose Install tools by purpose to add Kali Linux tools click continue.

25- Installing software.

26- Install the Grub boot loader on a disk click Yes and then click continue to proceed.

27- Select the partition where the base system is installed for Installing the bootloader and then click continue.

28- The Kali Linux OS installation is completed. Now, we need to reboot the system. Click on continue to proceed.

29- Now you can log in with the created user credentials.

30-Home Screen.

Convert Physical Machine to Hyper-V

In this article, I will show you how to use Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter v3.1 is developed by Microsoft & is used to convert the entire physical computer, VMware VMs including all the disks to a Hyper-V VM.

Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter 3.1

Download the (MVMC) Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter 3.1 utility here

1- Double click to run mvmc_setup file to start the installation

2- Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter Setup, click next.

3- Accept license agreement and then click next.

4- MVMC setup select destination folder and then click next.

5- MVMC setup click install

6- MVMC setup click finish.

7- Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter wizard click next.

8- There are two types of virtual machine conversation, I am going to convert a physical machine and then select Physical machine conversion. Click Next.

9- Select a physical machine for conversion (type fully qualified domain name or an IP address, computer name) and type credentials (with admin rights) to access that machine. Click Next.

10- Validating the physical machine credentials

11- We can scan system information for the temporary installation of a small agent on the source machine. Click the Scan System button.

System Information

12- MVMC wizard system information then clicks next.

13- Select volumes to include in the conversion. Two volumes are on disk in this example. The first (350 MB) volume (System reserved) was created by default during Windows installation & is used for booting the operating system. Don’t forget to select this volume. You can also select the type of VHD. Click Next to continue.

14- Set the VM Configuration, type a unique name, the number of processors, and the number of memory for the new VM. Then click Next.

15- Under address, select a Hyper-V host as the destination for the virtual machine. Type the credentials of an admin account in order to access a Hyper-V server and then click next to continue.

16- Specify the network path to store the converted (virtual machine) virtual disks. I am going to store the virtual disks on Hyper-v Cluster Storage click next.

17- Choose a temporary location on the machine where the VM converter is running. We can select the same directory as we have specified in the last step for storing virtual disk files. After completing the conversion, these temporary files will be deleted. Click next.

18- Please don’t forget to shut down the source physical machine (or disconnect from the network) before starting a destination virtual machine to prevent network conflicts. Click Next.

19- Review the summary you have specified and then click Finish to start conversion.

20- Virtual Machine conversion running.

21- Successfully converted

22- When the conversion process is complete, your VM will be present in the Hyper-V Manager. Right-click on VM and then click connect.

23- Click start

24- Virtual Machine

Read more: How to Convert VMware Virtual Machine to Hyper-V.

Install system center 2019

In this guide, I will install the System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) console on Windows Server 2019 workstation for managing the VMM Management Server. In my home lab environment, I am using domain administrators’ accounts, which is not recommended in the production environment.

What’s new in SCVMM click here

Licensing System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2019 click here

SCVMM System Requirement click here

How to install System Center Virtual Machine Manager

SCVMM 2019 Installation

Let’s start step by step process to install System Center 2019 Virtual Machine Manager

1- Download System Center 2019 Virtual Machine Manager click here

2- After downloading we are ready to launch the SCVMM_2019 setup.exe file.

3- System center installation wizard click next

4- License agreement click next.

5- Select the folder where you want to extract the files and then click next.

6- Review the destination location and then click extract.

7- System center virtual machine manager extracting files.

8- Click finish

9- Open the SCVMM extracted directory Launch the installer file setup.exe.

10- This System Center 2019 Virtual Machine Manager installation stars. Click on install.

11- Select the features (VMM management server and VMM console) to install and then click Next.

12- Type the product registration information and then click next.

13- Accept the license agreement (EULA) and then click next.

14- SCVMM setup wizard Diagnostic and Usage Data click next.

15- Select whether you want to use Microsoft Update or not and click next.

16- Select the installation location and then click next.

Widows Assessment and Deployment Kit Check

“Prerequisites that were not found on the host (Server) will be listed in the prerequisites check dialog box”
Prerequisites failure. Please Keep in mind we will need the following prerequisites.

1- Windows Preinstallation Environment features from the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit.

2- A SQL Server at your disposal for the installation of the SCVMM database

After installing the prerequisite we need to restart SCVMM server.

After restarting the SCVMM machine and then start the setup again following the steps from 9 to 16.

18- Database configuration. Select your database server as well as whether you are using an existing DB or creating a new DB. I am creating a new database for SCVMM and then click next.

19- Configure your service account for SCVMM and Distributed Key Management and then click next.

20- SCVMM Port configurations click next.

21- Library configuration settings click next.

22- Review the installation summary and then click the Install button to start the installation.

23- SCVMM installation in progress.

24- The setup successfully completed. You can select checkbox for updates after the successful installation as well as open the VMM console when the wizard closes.

25- Open system center.

Convert VHD to VHDX Hyper-V

In this article, I will explain how to convert a vhd disk to vhdx disk in Hyper-V. Microsoft Windows 8 Client and Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V onwards VHDX is the new and default format of the VHD virtual hard disk.

Hyper-V VHD or VHDX Advantages

Convert a VHD to VHDX

1- Using Hyper-V Manager

2- Using PowerShell

Convert VHD toVHDX using Hyper-V Manager

Hyper-V team has presented a simple way to convert existing VHDs into VHDX using Hyper-V Manager

1- Run Hyper-V Manager, select Hyper-V server, and then right-click on the virtual machine whose disk you need to convert from VHD to VHDX and then select settings.

2- Edit Virtual Hard Disk Wizard, Select the disk you need to convert and then click edit.

3- Locate virtual hard disk click next.

4- Convert vhd to vhds, select action convert and then click next.

5- Select the VHDX format and then click next

6- Select the convert virtual disk type you want and then click next.

7- Select the location where you need to save & name it for a new converted VHDX file, then click next.

8- Review the virtual hard disk summary and then click finish.

9- Conversion will take time that is based on the size of the virtual disk and storage.

10- Now open the settings of the virtual machine and then replace the VHD with the VHDX. Click on the browse button and navigate to the location newly created VHDX disk.

11- Select the vhdx disk to open.

12- After selecting the vhdx disk and then click OK to start and test the virtual machine.

Convert VHD to VHDX using PowerShell Command

We can use the PowerShell command to convert VHD to VHDX.
Convert-VHD –Path “Source vhd file” –DestinationPath “Destination vhdx file”

Example.

Convert-VHD –Path C:\ClusterStorage\Volume1\VHD\DISK.vhd –DestinationPath C:\ClusterStorage\Volume1\VHDX\DISK.vhdx

Start converting virtual disk.

Change the Disk Physical Sector Size

The VHDX support 4K blocks, after conversion default block size 512 will not change. We have to manually change that, Please follow the below steps commands to check the converted disk sector size and how to modify to 4K.

Check the Disk Sector Size

Get-vhd “VHDX File Name with Location”

Example.

Get-VHD –Path “C:\ClusterStorage\Volume1\VHDX\DISK.vhdx”

Set the Disk Sector Size

set-vhd “VHDX File Name with Location” -PhysicalSectorSizeBytes 4096

Set-vhd –Path “C:\ClusterStorage\Volume1\VHDX\DISK.vhdx” -PhysicalSectorSizeBytes 4096

Also read: How to Convert VMDK to VHDX with StarWind V2V Converter.

Convert VMDK to VHDX

In this article, I am going to convert a VMware virtual machine (VMDK) TO VHDX Hyper-V using StarWind v2v convert. After attempt Hyper-V, I was interested in the interface, and with the software that comes with Microsoft; the use between the host and the VM does not require VMware Tools like using on VMware Workstation. Software that helps converts from VMDK to VHDX too, which Microsoft also has (Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter).

Download the StarWind “V2V Converter” setup file from the StarWind

2- After downloading StarWind V2V Converter, double click on the starwindconverter.exe file to start the installation.

3- Please Read and accept the License StarWind Agreement and then click on the next button to continue.

4- Click on the Browse button to select the installation path and then click on next to continue.

5- Choose the Start Menu folder and click on next to continue.

6- Select the additional task’s checkbox to create a desktop shortcut and click on next to continue.

7- Review the specified settings or select the > back button to make any changes. Click the Install button to continue.

8- Click on Finish to close the wizard.

Convert VMDK to VHDX

9- Start StarWind V2V Converter, select Local file option, and then click Next.

10- Select the … button.

11- Select the virtual machine VMDK image file and click open.

12- Specify the Source image File (VMDK) and then click Next.

13- Select Local file option and click next.

14- Select Microsoft virtual hard disk (VHD / VHDX) and click next.

15- Select a VHDX grow able image and then click next.

16- Specify the Destination File (VHDX) I am saving it in the same source folder and click next.

17- Please wait for the program to finish converting.

18- VMDK to VMDX successfully converted click Finish.

19- Now you can see the virtual machine.

Please read more: How to Convert VHD to VHDX with Hyper-V Manager.

Export Import Virtual Machine. In this guide, I am going to clone Virtual Machines refers to creating another copy of the existing virtual machines. An export virtual machine is a very valuable feature from a distribution standpoint of view, which permits a system to be copied & duplicated without the need to perform the installation again. In additional, the clone virtual machines also conserve the current system & apps environment in production.

Export Virtual Machine

1- Before exporting a VM, you may need to prepare the source VM with the Sysprep utility to reset & remove the unique security identifier (SID) for the VM. And avoid such as two computers have the same IP address or two computers have the same name. Right click the existing VM in Hyper-V manager console and then select export.

2- Click on Browse button to select a location where you want to save the exported VM.

3- Avoid selecting the same location as the .vhd file (virtual hard disk file) for the existing VM.
I already have a directory name export.

4- Click export

Import Virtual Machine

5- After exporting the VM, Right-click on Hyper-V Server and then select Import Virtual Machine.

6- Import virtual machine wizard, click next

7- Click the browse button to specify the location where you saved the files during export.

8- Select folder

9- Select next

10- Choose the virtual machine to import and then click next.

11- Select the import type would not like to interfere with existing VMs and then click next.

12- Select folder location to store the virtual machines configuration files. You can leave it as default as Hyper-V will create a unique ID for the cloned VM and click Next.

13- Select the location to store the virtual machine’s file (.vhdx files). Here you should specify a folder location that is different from virtual hard disks of source virtual machine and click next.

14- Review the import virtual machine summary and then click finish.

15- It may take some time to complete the import process depending upon the size of the existing virtual machine.

For more details please visit Microsoft

Convert Physical Server to Virtual in this blog I am going to convert a physical computer into a Hyper-V virtual computer (P2V).

Convert Physical Server to Virtual Machine Hyper-V Disk2VHD

Download Disk2vhd utility Download Disk2vhd

Disk2vhd v2.01 utility

1- Run the Disk2vhd utility on the physical server then one you want to convert
Just unpack the Disk2vhd utility and double click on it to run on a server.

2- The installation is very simple, Disk2Vhd license agreement click agree.

3- Select Use Vhdx to create a VHDX disk.

Select Use VSS version of a disk.

Click on … dot button to select the destination for the VHDX file. Include any disk/volume you want to virtualize. If you need it to be a bootable disk, then include a system disk plus boot area (choose System Reserved label).

Click Create to start the process.

4- Convert disks to VHDX format and then copy it to Hyper-V host.
Converting process is running.

5- Physical server to virtual machine successfully completed.

6- You can see the VM.VHDX file/disk, which one we can copy to our Hyper-V server and then place in the folder where you have the VM disks.

7- Create a new VM on a Hyper-V host
Right click on hyper-v host, select New and then Virtual Machine.

8- Create a new VM on a Hyper-V host.

Virtual Machine wizard in Hyper-V Manager, click next.

9- Type a name and click next.

10- Choose the generation type for your virtual machine and then click next.

11- Assign memory and then click next.

12- Select a virtual switch for the virtual machine and then click Next.

13- Insert the created disk
Connect Virtual Hard Disk; here you can select existing virtual hard disk. Please then pick a disk the one we already converted.

14- Review the summary and then click finish.

15- Right click on VM and then click connect.

16- Click start

17- It will take few minutes for the VM to boot up.